Honda will build a new $3 billion auto plant in central Ohio, creating more than 2,000 jobs and adding capacity for 240,000 vehicles a year, the company announced on Monday, November 9, 2026. The plant, to be built in Union County between Honda's existing Marysville and East Liberty factories, will be flexible enough to produce hybrid, petrol-powered and battery-electric vehicles, with production expected to begin in 2029.

Counting retooled work at the Anna Engine and Transmission plants, the total commitment behind the new Honda Ohio auto plant is 2,390 jobs and $3.38 billion, JobsOhio said, lifting its total US capacity to about 1.3 million vehicles a year.

Key Points

• Honda will build a new $3 billion auto plant in central Ohio, creating more than 2,000 jobs and capacity for 240,000 vehicles a year, with production starting in 2029.
• The plant will sit between Honda's Marysville and East Liberty plants in Union County.
• Counting retooled work at the Anna Engine and Transmission plants, the total new commitment is 2,390 jobs and $3.38 billion.
• The transmission plant will be retooled for two next-generation hybrid systems, lifting Ohio hybrid-system capacity by 250%.
• The Ohio Tax Credit Authority approved a tax credit for the project on Monday morning.

What Happened

Governor Mike DeWine joined Honda executives, JobsOhio and One Columbus, the Columbus region's economic development group, on Monday to announce the project. The new plant will be built between the company's two existing central Ohio assembly plants, where Honda already employs more than 15,000 workers. The Ohio Tax Credit Authority approved a tax credit for the project on Monday morning, and Honda will pursue further assistance from JobsOhio, to be made public once a final agreement is signed. Construction is pending government approvals.

Honda said the plant will use leading-edge automation and flexible production systems. Honda is also retooling its Transmission Plant-Ohio in Russells Point for two next-generation hybrid systems, which will lift the state's hybrid-system capacity by 250%. Honda will also retool a line at the Anna Engine Plant for a next-generation four-cylinder engine. A new V6 hybrid engine is planned for Alabama, and Honda also announced unspecified investments in Georgia.

Background: Nearly 50 Years of Honda in Ohio

Honda announced its first Ohio plant in 1977, began building motorcycles in Marysville with 64 workers in 1979, and in 1982 built the first Japanese-brand car made in the United States at the Marysville Auto Plant. Since then, Honda's Ohio operations have grown to more than 15,000 workers and more than $15 billion in investment, and the state now hosts the Marysville and East Liberty auto plants and the Anna Engine Plant, Honda's largest engine plant in the world.

Honda's growth has helped make Ohio a leader in American car manufacturing: the state ranks first in the nation in engine production and second in transmissions, and about 100,000 Ohioans work in the car industry. The new plant is Honda's first greenfield auto assembly facility of this scale in Ohio in more than 35 years, JobsOhio said.

Honda Ohio Auto Plant: What It Will Build

Its planned capacity of 240,000 vehicles a year is roughly that of a mid-sized assembly plant, and its flexible design is the centrepiece of the investment. Honda has not yet said which models the plant will build, but the company said the facility will have the flexibility to produce multiple vehicle types and powertrains. The Anna Engine Plant retooling and the transmission plant's new hybrid systems point to hybrids being a major part of the output.

The investment also strengthens Ohio's claim to be the centre of American car manufacturing. Ohio was named America's number one Top State for Business in 2026 by CNBC. Dow jumps 1,104 points as S&P 500 has best day since April on Iran talks.

Reactions and Quotes

Governor DeWine called it a vote of confidence in Ohio's workforce. "Honda's leadership could have chosen to build this plant anywhere in the world, but they chose Ohio because there are so many advantages to being here," DeWine said. "For almost half a century, Honda and Ohio have grown together, and generations of families have built their careers on Honda's manufacturing lines. Today's announcement isn't just an investment in a new facility - it's an investment in Ohio's people and Ohio's future."

Bob Nelson, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., said it reflected Honda's strategy of building close to its customers. "Ohio and its workforce have laid the groundwork that has written some of the most impactful chapters in Honda's story of growth and innovation," Nelson said. "This investment reflects our commitment to building products close to our customers, and our confidence in the people, partners and communities of Ohio."

JobsOhio chief executive J.P. Nauseef said Ohio was the ideal destination. "With the nation's second-largest auto manufacturing workforce and a robust supplier network at the heart of the North American auto market, Ohio is the ideal destination for Honda's first greenfield auto assembly facility of this scale in Ohio in more than 35 years," Nauseef said. ExxonMobil signs Venezuela deal in first step back after nearly 20 years.

Why It Matters

The Honda announcement matters because it is a bet on American manufacturing as the car industry is reshaped by electrification and shifting demand. A $3 billion plant with capacity for 240,000 vehicles a year is a long-term commitment, and Honda's decision to build it in Ohio signals confidence in the state's workforce, its supplier network and its position at the heart of the North American car market.

It also matters politically. More than 2,000 new jobs, plus 390 more from the retooled engine and transmission plants, come as Ohio competes with southern states for new car plants. And by designing a factory that can build hybrids, petrol cars and electric vehicles on the same lines, Honda is hedging against an uncertain market, an approach that is fast becoming the industry standard. Boeing to cut 5% of commercial airplane workforce, about 2,500 jobs as 737 MAX ramp slows.

What Happens Next

Construction is pending final government approvals, and Honda has not yet given a start date for building work. Production is expected to begin in 2029. Meanwhile, the retooling of the transmission and engine plants will proceed, and Honda will finalise its JobsOhio agreement, to be made public once signed. Watch for Honda to name the models it will build.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where will Honda build its new $3 billion plant?
In Union County, central Ohio, between its Marysville and East Liberty plants.

How many jobs will the Honda Ohio plant create?
More than 2,000 at the new plant, and 2,390 in total with retooled work counted.

When will production begin at the new Honda plant?
In 2029, pending final government approvals. Construction has not yet started.

What vehicles will the new Honda plant build?
Honda has not named models. The plant will build hybrid, petrol-powered and battery-electric vehicles, with capacity for 240,000 a year.

How much is Honda investing in Ohio in total?
$3.38 billion, including the $3 billion plant and retooled work at the Anna Engine and Transmission plants, plus a further $338 million planned in the state.