https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Bus...s-through-2027
China's CATL to supply Honda with EV batteries through 2027
Fujian Province-based company to set up R&D facility for automaker in Japan
To aid the Japanese automaker's research and development, the Chinese company will also set up in the first half of this year a facility in Japan's Tochigi Prefecture, one of Honda's R&D hubs.

One of the biggest obstacles automakers face with electric and hybrid vehicles is battery longevity and battery disposal. If EVs are truly the next wave, there must be a solution to sustainably using the materials in batteries and safely. Both Volkswagen and Nissan have previously detailed reuse and recycling programs, and Honda Europe is the latest to announce an eco-friendly plan.

Honda Europe is expanding on a partnership with waste management company Société Nouvelle d’Affinage des Métaux (SNAM) that originally sprouted in 2013. SNAM previously assessed the traceability of end-of-life batteries and made sure they were properly disposed of. In the new arrangement, SNAM will analyze batteries for what are known as "second-life" uses.

Specifically, SNAM will take in lithium-ion and nickel metal hydride batteries from Honda dealers and authorized treatment facilities in 22 countries. Once in house, the batteries will be tested and SNAM will determine if they can be picked apart and repurposed for energy storage in domestic and industrial applications. If not, there's a second option.

Using hydrometallurgy, which can be generally described as a chemical purification method that separates and extracts metals using a reaction in a water-based medium, cobalt and lithium can be pulled out of the used batteries. Honda says these materials can then be used for building new batteries, as color pigments, or as additives for mortar. The copper, metal, and plastics from the battery are also recycled and/or reused.

SNAM notes that this program only applies to large batteries from EVs and hybrids known as "traction" batteries and not 12-volt batteries found in traditional gas- or diesel-powered cars. Collections can be arranged within 15 work days, as well, to ensure stacked-up battery storage does not present any sort of risk. This will be particularly important when Honda launches the new E all-electric hatchback.

Honda is believed to be working on a new so-called Honda ZR-V that could be specifically aimed at some Asian markets and replace the current version of the CR-V.
3 photos

Supposed to be a compact SUV, the new ZR-V is also expected to make its way to European markets, albeit for the time being, no timing specifics are available.

And while a successor to the CR-V launching in the coming years is something that everybody can see coming, nobody knows exactly what the ZR-V will end up looking, especially because right now, all the information comes through unofficial channels.

But a pair of renderings published by automotive artist Kleber Silva on Behance imagines this new Honda ZR-V, and by the looks of things, there are both parts that pretty much make sense and also details that you really didn’t expect.

The renderings, which suggest the Honda ZR-V could land for model year 2022, point to a typical Honda front fascia but with a surprising “secret”: the car is based on the Chinese Changan Uni-T, and the back is the most obvious indication in this regard.

A Honda model based on a Chinese car might not be the best news for everybody, but on the other hand, it’s also not a secret that the Changan Uni-T actually looks pretty good. If anything, it’s one of the most handsome Chinese cars right now, so a potential Honda ZR-V that would adopt its styling wouldn’t necessarily be the end of the world.

Needless to say, it’s important to remind everything this is just a rendering and there’s still no confirmation that it is the way the Honda ZR-V is supposed to look. To be completely honest, we don’t think too many people would hate the ZR-V if this is the design that Honda is planning for the CR-V successor.

it says Honda will be using GM batteries and built platforms around it.
very similar work from ground up in China.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-h...-idUSKBN1X82S7
Hitachi, Honda suppliers to merge parts business to cut EV, self-driving costs
The merged company announced on Wednesday aims to focus on developing components for EV and self-driving systems, along with new, on-demand mobility services, combining their scale in a bid to come up with products more quickly and efficient

https://www.reuters.com/article/heal...-idUSL4N2B94OD
RPT-Now made in Mexico: Japan auto suppliers shift China production after coronavirus

Kasai Kogyo, which supplies Honda with interior door trim and roof parts, said it was looking at the possibility of shifting production from its Wuhan plant to one of the many plants it operates in North America, Europe, and Asia, but added that doing so would drive up costs and take months to organise.

Secondly, your link states the SUPPLIERS shifted production, not Honda themselves.
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https://europe.autonews.com/automake...ructuring-move
Honda's Europe boss, Ian Howells, said the automaker will focus its investments on China, the U.S. and Japan. "This is not a Brexit-related issue for us. This decision has been made on the basis of global changes," Howells told BBC Radio.
As part of the realignment, Honda said it will commonize the European lineup with the brand’s offerings in China, where environmental standards put similar demands on emissions. Future product for Europe will be exported from Honda plans in Japan and China, Hachigo said.
The EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, in force since Feb. 1, ensures that the bloc’s 10 percent tariff on Japanese car imports will be reduced to zero over the next 10 years.

Honda drives drastic R&D reforms to reverse slow auto business

Company seeks to cut dependency on motorcycles and duplicate minicar success

June 21, 2020 19:00 JST

TOKYO -- After Takahiro Hachigo took over at Honda Motor in 2015, the Japanese automaker has implemented a string of reforms to shore up its auto business, including closing plants at home and abroad and shaking up supply chains. But it left one entity untouched -- Honda R&D, its crown jewel research unit, once headed by legendary founder Soichiro Honda more than a half century ago.

But no more.

In April, Hachigo announced plans to have Honda absorb the research unit's auto development business. Many analysts see the move as a sign that the company is determined to turn around its auto business, which has been plagued by inefficiency and anemic profits.

On July 1, Honda will set up a joint venture with Neusoft, a group unit of a major Chinese tech company strong in artificial intelligence. The venture will develop Honda Connect, a service that can automatically alert local officials when a vehicle is involved in an accident.

Hachigo said Honda's strategy is to "clearly separate a 'competition area,' where we develop on our own, and a 'cooperation area,' where we work with other companies." The move by the maker -- which has always touted its unique technologies -- kicks off a joint deal in an advanced technology in the name of efficiency.

"We have launched the biggest initiative since our establishment," Hachigo told about 600 new employees on April 1. Honda usually holds a large welcome ceremony at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan's Mie Prefecture for new employees, but this year's event was held online due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Hachigo told the future successors of "Hondaism" about his determination to implement reforms that hold the key to the company's survival.

On April 1, Honda drastically reformed its automobile business. Previously, it had what it called an SEDB structure, where sales, engineering, development and buying divisions operated autonomously but cooperated with each other. The latest organizational change has integrated all four areas so they can be operated as a whole.

Specifically, production and purchasing headquarters and the development divisions of Honda R&D were integrated into Honda Motor's automobile business. It also absorbed some functions of Honda Engineering, a key production technology subsidiary in Tochigi Prefecture.

A business unit officer, who is responsible for overseeing an entire process from design to mass production for a group of products, has also been introduced. The aim is to improve efficiency by integrating steps from development to production.

"We needed drastic reform for our survival," Honda R&D President Toshihiro Mibe said at the company's Haga headquarters in early April. He explained the purpose of the change to employees who had been transferred to the parent on April 1, as well as to those who remained in the lab.

Why is the integration of Honda R&D's development divisions such a major reform? Because Hachigo is trying to redefine Honda's carmaking in line with the times.


It was Takeo Fujisawa, the right-hand man of late Honda founder Soichiro Honda, who overcame opposition to separate the research and development arm. "If Honda Motor is not willing to spin off its research and development unit, the company will be no good," said Fujisawa.

He made this observation when Honda fell into financial distress due to slumping sales caused by quality problems with its motorcycles in 1954. "We were too dependent on founder Soichiro Honda and needed an organization that could cover for him," Fujisawa wrote in his book.

Honda was one of the few global automakers that spun off their research and development unit. The move was aimed at inspiring engineers in a free and low-stress environment away from the parent.

Honda R&D, which encouraged engineers to express their creativity, achieved epoch results. In 1972, the company developed a compound vortex-controlled combustion engine -- the first of its kind to meet U.S. emission requirements, which were at the time considered to be the most strict in the world. Honda's Civic with CVCC engine became a big hit in the U.S., laying the foundation for its passenger car business.

Honda R&D has always operated independently from its parent company. About 5% of Honda Motor's sales were allocated to the company. In turn, Honda R&D has supplied product drawings based on the parent's business plans.

For the fiscal year through March 2019, Honda R&D posted sales of 715 billion yen ($6.66 billion) and a net profit of 28.4 billion yen. It has about 14,000 employees. For a long time, whoever headed Honda R&D was seen as a serious contender for the future post of president at Honda Motor itself.

Hachigo's plan to revamp the organization's automobile business unsettled staff at both companies. Roughly 10,000 employees of Honda R&D were transferred to Honda Motor. Honda R&D will now specialize in the long-term research and development of products and technology, including new mobility and robotics.

"It's a de facto breakup of the institute," said one employee.

Hachigo decided to intrude into sacred territory -- despite strong opposition from former and current employees -- in an effort to shore up its sluggish automobile business. For the fiscal year through March 2020, the automobile business' operating profit fell 27% on the year to 153.3 billion yen and its operating profit margin was as low as 1.5%. The unit logged an operating loss of 75.6 billion yen in the January-March quarter of 2020.

Meanwhile, Honda's motorcycle business generates an operating profit of 285.6 billion yen, nearly twice that of its automobile business, despite sales being about one-fifth those of the auto business. Its operating profit margin is almost 14%. "It's safe to say that Honda's earnings are supported by motorcycles," said an analyst. "Automobiles' low margins are the biggest challenge we are facing," said Hachigo.

The low margins of Honda's automobile business were brought by a failure in its expansion strategy pushed by former president Takanobu Ito after the global financial crisis. Ito -- who tried to reduce dependence on the U.S. after the crisis -- aimed to increase global sales by 50% to 6 million units. He expanded into emerging markets and hammered out "simultaneous development and production" in the world's six major regions.

But Honda's overextended markets and sales drive hurt the quality of its products, resulting in recalls of some of its Fit compact models.

The division of work between Honda R&D and Honda Motor became even less efficient at the time of expansion. As both organizations grew, employees focused solely on their own divisions. As a result, they were swamped with unnecessary work as they dealt with overlap and adjustments.

"We should have produced cars that consumers wanted, but we started doing our jobs for jobs' sake," said a Honda executive. As Honda R&D became more bloated, "employees also became too bureaucratic," said a former employee.

Now, Honda will aim to "decide and execute promptly" by naming officials in charge, from development to production to sales. Employees from different departments will be involved from the initial development stage to reduce the number of reviews. These moves are hoped to increase the speed of introducing new models and improve quality.

Hachigo was successful in a project called SKI, which launched in April 2012. Employees from development, part procurement and production departments worked on the same floor. Assembly line workers and engineers had heated debates and repeatedly revised drawings. They also reviewed procedures and operations.

SKI produced Honda's hit N-WGN minicar. It was once rumored that Honda would stop producing minivehicles, but it sold 357,402 units in fiscal 2019 -- more than a twofold increase from fiscal 2010.

Honda now aims to make up for lost ground through its first drastic change in 60 years. As head of Honda R&D, Soichiro Honda conveyed the following message in 1961: "A true technology comes from philosophy. The true meaning of research is to create products that will please people of the world by recognizing a global perspective and respecting ideals, ideas and time."

Soichiro Honda stressed that the engineer's goal is to develop products that please consumers around the world, instead of debating whether to seek independence or integration -- a concept that Honda Motor should not forget when embarking on historic reform.

Honda and General Motors Sign MoU Toward Establishing a Strategic Alliance in North America

September 3, 2020

To download remarks from Honda and GM leadership concerning the MoU, please click here.
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• General Motors and Honda to explore sharing vehicle platforms and propulsion systems for a variety of core segments
• Combined efforts would enable both companies to accelerate innovation and more effectively deploy resources in advanced and next-generation technologies
• Alliance builds on successful collaboration in electrified vehicles and technologies

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General Motors and Honda today announced they have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding following extensive preliminary discussions toward establishing a North American automotive alliance. The scope of the proposed alliance includes a range of vehicles to be sold under each company's distinct brands, as well as cooperation in purchasing, research and development, and connected services.

Under the proposed alliance, Honda and GM would collaborate on a variety of segments in North America, intending to share common vehicle platforms, including both electrified and internal combustion propulsion systems that align with the vehicle platforms. Co-development planning discussions will begin immediately, with engineering work beginning in early 2021.

The announcement builds on the agreement signed between the companies in April to jointly develop two all-new electric vehicles for Honda based on GM's highly flexible global EV platform powered by Ultium batteries. The GM-Honda relationship, which began more than two decades ago, includes recent collaboration between the companies on fuel cells, batteries and the Cruise Origin shared autonomous vehicle.

"This alliance will help both companies accelerate investment in future mobility innovation by freeing up additional resources. Given our strong track record of collaboration, the companies would realize significant synergies in the development of today's vehicle portfolio," said Mark Reuss, president of General Motors.

"Through this new alliance with GM, we can achieve substantial cost efficiencies in North America that will enable us to invest in future mobility technology, while maintaining our own distinct and competitive product offerings. Combining the strengths of each company, and by carefully determining what we will do on our own and what we will do in collaboration, we will strive to build a win-win relationship to create new value for our customers. In this way, Honda will continue making steady progress in solidifying our existing business by realizing strong products, strong manufacturing capability and a strong business structure," said Seiji Kuraishi, executive vice president of Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Alliance to drive scale and improve performance through platform sharing

An alliance in North America between Honda and GM would leverage the best technologies and generate substantial cost efficiencies from shared vehicle platforms and propulsion systems, joint purchasing, potential manufacturing efficiencies and other collaboration efforts. This would enable both GM and Honda to make greater investments in advanced and next-generation technologies.

GM and Honda also plan to share R&D and engineering costs for select future co- developed vehicle and propulsion platforms. This would create substantial efficiencies and free up capital, enabling both companies to meet the increasing requirements to invest in various future mobility trends and additional growth opportunities for each company's distinct brands.

Collaboration in purchasing to drive scale and efficiency

Honda and GM plan to collaborate in joint purchasing activities to create further cost efficiencies by leveraging both companies' respective scale, insight and best practices. Purchasing collaboration would be focused on joint sourcing of materials, logistics and localization strategies.

R&D and connected services cooperation to exceed consumer expectations

Introducing advanced technology is imperative, given shifting consumer and regulatory requirements. To address this challenge efficiently, the alliance would explore combining the R&D efforts between the two companies related to advanced technology areas, including electrical architecture, advanced driver assist systems, infotainment, connectivity and vehicle-to-everything communication.

In April, the companies announced that Honda will incorporate GM's OnStar safety, security and connected services into the two all-new electric vehicles for Honda based on GM's global EV platform, seamlessly integrating them with HondaLink. Based on that collaboration, GM and Honda will explore further co-development opportunities for future connected services, including GM's OnStar and infotainment.

All facets of the alliance will be governed by a joint committee, comprising senior executives from both companies.