Honda to build new plant for fuel cell systems in Japan

Honda will build a fuel cell plant in Moka City, Japan, by FY2028, with a 30,000-unit capacity, supported by a METI subsidy.

Tokyo, Japan- Honda Motor Co., Ltd., today announced that it has decided to build a new plant in Japan to produce the next-generation fuel cell system being developed independently by Honda.

Honda aims to start operating the new plant in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2028 (FY2028), utilizing part of the land and buildings of the Powertrain Unit Factory, located in Moka City, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, which discontinued production of automobile powertrain components in October 2024. The new plant will be the first facility dedicated to the production of the fuel cell system being developed independently by Honda and will feature state-of-the-art equipment to achieve high-efficiency and high-quality production with annual production capacity of 30,000 units. 

Honda expects to receive a government subsidy for its new fuel cell plant, as it qualifies for a METI-led project supporting GX (green transformation) supply chains, part of Japan's carbon neutrality efforts by 2050. Honda aims to expand its hydrogen business across fuel cell vehicles, commercial vehicles, power stations, and construction machinery, targeting a 5% share of the fuel cell truck market by 2030 and 30% by 2040.