Honda will expand its research presence in Ohio with a new Advanced Materials Science Lab on The Ohio State University’s SciTech campus, backed by state economic-development funding and slated to open in the fourth quarter of 2025.
The project, led by Honda Research Institute USA, Inc. (HRI-US), is part of Ohio’s bid to consolidate its role as a national hub for mobility research and manufacturing at a time when automakers are balancing investment across electric, hybrid and internal-combustion propulsion.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and JobsOhio said the expansion includes a $2.6 million fixed-asset investment, supported by a $500,000 JobsOhio Research & Development grant to secure the project. HRI-US said the lab will support collaborative work in quantum computing, hydrogen fuel cells, carbon capture and EV batteries — areas that tie directly to next-gen vehicle platforms and manufacturing resiliency.
“Honda’s continued confidence in Ohio demonstrates how this is the most competitive and innovative state for the future of automotive and advanced mobility,” DeWine said. “From EV batteries and advanced materials to the next generation of hybrid and internal combustion technologies, Ohio has the workforce and the commitment to help Honda drive technology advancement worldwide.”
HRI-US’s announced focus spans advanced materials and enabling technologies: quantum computing for complex materials modeling, hydrogen fuel cells, carbon capture and EV batteries, indicating research aimed at both vehicle systems and the decarbonization of manufacturing processes. Locating the lab at Ohio State’s SciTech campus extends a long-running Honda-OSU partnership that already includes the Honda Automotive Laboratories of Ohio (HALO) wind tunnel and endowed academic positions tied to U.S. automotive manufacturing.
“As Honda continues to invest in the future of mobility including what powers it, Ohio continues to be one of our most important centers of innovation,” said Christopher Brooks, vice president of HRI-US. “We are grateful to the state of Ohio for supporting the continued expansion of Honda research capabilities in the Columbus region that will deepen our collaboration with academic and industry partners in the areas of advanced mobility research.”
For collision repair operators, the research agenda foreshadows technology shifts that shape estimating, calibration, materials handling and workforce needs. Hybrids and ICE vehicles will remain in the mix alongside EVs, and Honda’s Ohio strategy is explicitly about creating flexibility to build all three on the same lines — a signal that mixed propulsion fleets will persist on U.S. roads through this decade. That blend increases the likelihood that shops will see a wider variety of vehicle architectures and advanced materials — particularly multi-material bodies and battery-adjacent components — moving through their bays.
Honda is simultaneously retooling Marysville, East Liberty and the Anna Engine Plant as part of a $1 billion plan — up from a prior $700 million — to enable mixed-propulsion output on common assembly lines. In parallel, Honda and LG Energy Solution are building a $3.5 billion EV battery joint-venture plant in Jeffersonville, targeting production by late 2025 and about 2,200 jobs, further anchoring a battery supply chain in the state.
Honda, which began Ohio manufacturing in Marysville in 1979 and auto production in 1982, employs more than 12,000 associates across five Ohio plants and related operations. The company has invested more than $1.4 billion in six years to modernize facilities and is establishing an EV Hub in Ohio to support flexible ICE/hybrid/BEV production. The concentration of assets and R&D is consistent with Honda’s stated approach to scale electrification prudently while maintaining output of profitable hybrids and ICE models.
