Honda announced that it will introduce the Honda Civic Hybrid in Canada and the U.S. in 2024, in both sedan and hatchback variations that will be produced in North America.
Production of the new Civic Hybrid sedan will begin in spring 2024 at Honda of Canada Mfg. (HCM) in Alliston, Ontario, the lead North American Honda plant for Civic Hybrid production, followed shortly by the hatchback, which will be manufactured at the Indiana Auto Plant (IAP) in Greensburg, Indiana; both plants already support production of the Honda CR-V Hybrid.
“Our HCM associates are extremely proud to be named the lead North America plant for the new, built in Canada, Civic Hybrid sedan,” said Yoshiyuki Nakazawa, General Manager and Executive Vice President, HCM. “We are celebrating the historic production of our 6 millionth Civic this month and this new Civic Hybrid, which joins the CR-V Hybrid also built at HCM, will be an integral part of Honda’s global electrification plans as we continue to transition Canadian consumers to an electrified future.”
The new Civic Hybrid is another key step in Honda’s electrification strategy, which includes equipping its core models with hybrid-electric systems. Thus far in 2023, over 35% of sales of the CR-V and Accord are hybrid-electric trims and nearly 20% of Honda’s total sales in Canada are electrified models. Honda expects Civic Hybrid sales to represent more than 40% of Civic sales in North America.
The 2025 Civic Hybrid will be powered by a version of the award-winning Honda two-motor hybrid-electric system. Offering improved responsiveness for a sportier driving feel, it creates a more relaxed driving environment at highway speeds while improving fuel economy. This powerplant has already received significant global accolades including a recent Wards 10 Best Engines and Propulsion Systems award for the 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid.
Toward its global goal to achieve carbon neutrality for all products and corporate activities by 2050, Honda has a vision to make battery-electric and fuel cell electric vehicles represent 100% of its new vehicle sales by 2040. Sales of EVs will begin in 2024, with the 2024 Honda Prologue, Honda’s first all-electric SUV. In 2025, a mid- to large-size EV model based on Honda’s dedicated e:Architecture will go on sale.
Honda announced key next steps in the establishment of its EV Hub in Ohio that will lead the company’s journey to production of EVs in North America. In October 2022, Honda announced it would invest $700 million to retool several of its existing auto and powertrain plants to establish the new EV Hub in Ohio to prepare for the production of battery electric vehicles in 2025. The Marysville Auto Plant (MAP), where Honda began auto production in America in 1982, will be the first Honda auto plant in the U.S. to transition to EV manufacturing.
The new EV Hub includes a new joint venture EV battery plant being established by Honda and LG Energy Solution in Fayette County, near Jeffersonville, Ohio. The new JV facility is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024 with an annual production capacity of approximately 40 GWh.
Last year, HCM announced it would invest $1.38 billion over six years to upgrade its plants and implement innovative technologies, and vehicle research and development programs, as part of Honda’s global electrification and carbon neutrality goals.
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