honda: Honda Motor, LG Energy to build EV battery plant in US
Battery makers are looking to increase production in the where a shift toward electric vehicles (EV) could increase as the country implements stricter regulation and tightens tax credit eligibility.
The investment will be USD4.4 billion, the two companies said in a statement, aiming for annual production capacity of approximately 40 GWh with the batteries supplied exclusively to Honda facilities in North America to power Honda and Acura EV models.
The pair are expected to establish a joint venture before building the plant, with the start of construction planned for early 2023 and mass-production by the end of 2025.
The location has not been finalised, they said, but the Nikkei business daily reported they are considering Ohio, where Honda's main factory is located.
The government has been pushing policies designed to bring more battery and EV manufacturing into the country.
President Joe Biden signed a USD430 billion climate, health care and tax bill this month that would render electric vehicles assembled outside North America ineligible for tax credits.
California announced a plan last week requiring all new vehicles sold in the state by 2035 to be either electric or plug-in electric hybrids.
The two companies said a combination of strong local electric vehicle production and the timely supply of batteries would put them "in the best position to target the rapidly-growing North American EV market".
LG Energy Solution, which is mainly engaged in the development of lithium-ion battery materials and next-generation batteries, also supplies EV batteries and has signed joint-venture agreements with General Motors, Hyundai Motor Co and Stellantis.
In July, Panasonic Energy Co, a unit of tech conglomerate Panasonic Holdings Corp and a major Tesla Inc supplier, said it had selected Kansas as the site for a new battery plant with investment of up to USD4 billion.
Earlier this year, Honda laid out a target to roll out 30 EV models globally and produce about 2 million EVs a year by 2030.
( Details and picture courtesy from Source, the content is auto-generated from RSS feed.)
Join our official telegram channel for free latest updates and follow us on Google News here.
