Honda Motor Co. is making $355 million worth of upgrades at plants in Ohio where it opened its first U.S. wind tunnel in 2010, seeking productivity and fuel-economy gains for models designed and built in North America.The Ohio projects for the first Japanese car manufacturer to make cars in the U.S. include $166 million in improvements to its factory in East Liberty and a $64 million stamping press at its Marysville plant,for the company's assembly unit.
Honda declined to provide any figures relating to the cost of the wind tunnel upgrade or other additions to its engineering center in Raymond.
The driver of the projects is to improve all our characteristics,declining to say whether the changes will lead to greater output. "If we end up increasing production capacity as a result, that's fine," he added without elaborating.
changes were used when Ohio engineers revamped the Odyssey last year, raising fuel economy 17 percent,Hitting the 2025 goal is a "bit more gray,If consumers are buying a lot more hybrids, we can easily meet those requirements,"If consumers don't buy a lot more hybrids or don't buy more battery-electric vehicles, we're going to have to think about other ways to meet those goals." Honda has not previously acknowledged the Ohio wind tunnel that was built late last year. It will help engineers improve vehicle aerodynamics for further efficiency gainsThe ability to do that type of analysis as early as possible in the development phase of new vehicles is a big deal,
Toyota, Nissan and Hyundai Motor Co. do not have wind tunnels in the U.S. Toyota's Technical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, uses one nearby operated by affiliate Denso Corp.vSuch a device may cost $25 million, while a full-size wind tunnel costs at least $100 million, project manager at the Ohio State University's Center for Automotive Research in Columbus.
Honda declined to provide any figures relating to the cost of the wind tunnel upgrade or other additions to its engineering center in Raymond.
The driver of the projects is to improve all our characteristics,declining to say whether the changes will lead to greater output. "If we end up increasing production capacity as a result, that's fine," he added without elaborating.
Honda is refurbishing factories as it prepares to restore full North American production next month after parts shortages triggered by the March 11 quake left Honda and Acura dealers short of models. Honda's U.S. sales fell 2.6 percent this year through July, and market share shrank to 9.3 percent from 10.6 percent as industrywide deliveries rose 11 percent.
Output at Honda's auto assembly plants in the U.S., Canada and Mexico dropped 26 percent to 559,981 units through July from 754,807 a year ago, according to company data.
Having opened Marysville in 1982, before Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co. and other Asian companies began making cars in the U.S., Honda's North America engineering and production units are among the region's most sophisticated a professor of engineering at the University of Michigan. "By the most common productivity metrics, they're among the most efficient,"
who studies automotive-assembly operations. "They have a history of developing exceptional people and actually keeping them. That allows them to accumulate knowledge and continue to learn."
near the Marysville and East Liberty plants, is Honda's main vehicle development facility for the Americas. It is responsible for designing and engineering the Pilot and Acura MDX sport utility vehicles, Ridgeline pickup, Acura ZDX wagon and TL sedan, and the North American version of the Odyssey minivan, all of which are built only in the region.
Boosting fuel economy for those models to meet tightening regulations is also its
responsibility, Frank Paluch, senior vice present of Honda Americas
Last month, carmakers agreed to double the Corporate Average Fuel Economy, , to 54.5 miles per gallon (23.17 km per liter) by 2025. The first phase for the industry is to reach a U.S. average of 35.5 mpg (15.09 km per liter) by 2016.
"within the lineup. There are set plans how to meet themWe are very aware of those targets By the 2016 model introductions, we'll target about an 18 percent improvement, specifically for our areas." Improvements will come through enhanced engine and transmission performance, lighter-weight materials, and smaller and more efficient components and where our responsibilitychanges were used when Ohio engineers revamped the Odyssey last year, raising fuel economy 17 percent,Hitting the 2025 goal is a "bit more gray,If consumers are buying a lot more hybrids, we can easily meet those requirements,"If consumers don't buy a lot more hybrids or don't buy more battery-electric vehicles, we're going to have to think about other ways to meet those goals." Honda has not previously acknowledged the Ohio wind tunnel that was built late last year. It will help engineers improve vehicle aerodynamics for further efficiency gainsThe ability to do that type of analysis as early as possible in the development phase of new vehicles is a big deal,
Toyota, Nissan and Hyundai Motor Co. do not have wind tunnels in the U.S. Toyota's Technical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, uses one nearby operated by affiliate Denso Corp.vSuch a device may cost $25 million, while a full-size wind tunnel costs at least $100 million, project manager at the Ohio State University's Center for Automotive Research in Columbus.
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