• Honda is looking to build another assembly plant in Ohio, according to a report by Automotive News.
• The new plant, which would be Honda’s eighth in North America, would focus on hybrid-vehicle assembly and could cost up to $2.5 billion to build.
• The plant would likely be operational by 2030 and might produce the proposed three-row “Acura XL” and Honda “Pilot XXL,” if the transaction is finalized.

Honda has hit a bit of a rough patch. Earlier this year, it canceled the development of three EVs that were slated to be built in the United States and projected a massive financial hit for 2026, citing the volatile U.S. EV market, tariffs, and changing vehicle tastes in China.

But Honda has big plans to bounce back within the next few years, and a potential eighth North American assembly plant might make the company’s ambitious production goals more attainable.

The Japanese automaker currently has seven assembly plants in North America. Four of those are located in the U.S., with two plants in Ohio, one in Indiana, and one in Alabama. If the transaction gets completed, it looks like an eighth plant would add another tally to Ohio.

Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe first mentioned the brand was weighing another plant in July. Now, a new Automotive News report claims Honda is currently in the final stages of negotiations, and Ohio is the brand’s top contender. If an agreement is made, the new plant could begin vehicle production by 2030.

The proposed third Ohio plant would specialize in hybrid vehicles, and Honda has more than enough in the pipeline to keep the factory busy. In May, the automaker announced a plan to introduce 15 models globally by 2030 and placed a heavy emphasis on its next-generation hybrid system.

Most of these new models will be aimed at North America, which is Honda’s most profitable market. We’ve already seen a few reports of Honda’s future plans, with an “Acura XL” SUV expected to begin production in 2029 and a Honda “Pilot XXL” tentatively scheduled for 2032. The automaker has also shown prototypes of a Honda hybrid sedan and an Acura hybrid SUV, and it’s reportedly considering building a lifted Accord SUV.

These new vehicles are projected to run on Honda’s next-gen hybrid system, which the automaker says will increase fuel efficiency by 10 percent and cut costs by 30 percent. Honda is reportedly hoping to cut costs across the board, as it recently met with suppliers and asked for price reductions that would save the company $9.4 billion by 2030.

However, if Honda wants to fulfill its 15-model plan, it’ll have to invest in more space. Honda’s North American assembly plants are already running at about 90 percent capacity and produce some of Honda’s most profitable models, including the CR-V, Accord, Civic, Odyssey, and Pilot. Another plant would give the company room for growth, especially since it would allow more vehicles to be built and sold without import tariffs.

Honda expects to spend up to $2.5 billion on the proposed Ohio plant, according to the AN report. And the hybrid-focused plant could reportedly manufacture the aforementioned large SUVs.