Honda Motor (China) Investment Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned Honda subsidiary in China, announced that GAC Honda Automobile Co., Ltd. (GAC Honda), a Honda automobile production and sales joint venture in China, began construction of its new EV plant, taking a forward step in establishing a suitable EV production system and capability in preparation for an increase in the number of EV models in its product lineup.
The plant, located within the Guangzhou Economic and Technological Development District, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, China, is targeted to begin operation in 2024 with an annual production capacity of 120,000 units, the company says.
With an initial investment plan of 3.49 billion R.M.B., Honda Motor China adds the plant will proactively pursue sustainable initiatives including the use of solar power and other renewable energy sources. In addition, by adopting a number of advanced production technologies, GAC Honda will strive to make it a highly efficient, smart and low-carbon EV plant.
In China, Honda is planning to introduce 10 e:N Series EV models by 2027. GAC Honda’s new EV plant will become a symbolic production operation that supports a broad EV lineup that GAC Honda will roll out in the coming years, the company says. It also will serve as a core operation of Honda EV production in China, together with the new EV plant which will be built by Dongfeng Honda Automobile Co., Ltd. (Dongfeng Honda) and is planned to begin operation in 2024.
In 2024, when both the GAC Honda and Dongfeng Honda new EV plants become operational, Honda says it will have a total base annual automobile production capacity of 1.73 million units.