Honda invests in production of fuel cell drives
The Japanese car manufacturer has announced its intention to produce the next generation of its fuel cell systems in Mooka in the Japanese prefecture of Tochigi. The site and buildings of Honda’s Powertrain Unit Factory, which has not been in operation since October, will be used partly for this purpose. Honda expects FC production to start in the 2027/2028 financial year, with a target production capacity of 30,000 units per year. Honda is counting on government subsidies to finance the project, as Japan is considered very open to hydrogen mobility.
Honda is currently reorganising itself. There are even indications that the Japanese car manufacturer could merge with Nissan. The two partners have been discussing how they can cooperate on software-defined electric cars since the spring. According to an interim report from August, batteries and e-axles, among other things, will be the main areas of intensified cooperation. Honda is regarded as a hybrid pioneer, but is a latecomer when it comes to battery-electric cars. Nissan was once an electric pioneer with the Leaf, but later fell behind. However, both car manufacturers have experience in electric mobility. Mitsubishi Motors, in which Nissan holds a major stake, has now also joined the alliance.
In this mixed situation, Honda has now explicitly announced that it intends to develop its hydrogen business into one of its new core businesses. The company sees four areas of application for its new self-developed FC systems: Hydrogen cars, hydrogen commercial vehicles, stationary power plants and construction machinery. According to Honda, it is aiming for a five per cent share of the market for FC trucks by 2030, rising to 30 per cent by 2040. Interestingly, the OEM does not mention equivalent targets for FC passenger cars. With the CR-V e:FCEV, Honda currently has a compact plug-in hybrid SUV with a hydrogen fuel cell electric drive on the market.
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