Honda Buys Ohio EV Battery Plant From LG for $2.9B, Plans O Series EVs for 2026

Honda has agreed to acquire its co-owned EV battery plant in Ohio from LG Energy Solution, consolidating control of a key facility as it prepares to launch an all-new, dedicated electric vehicle lineup.

The facility, operated by L-H Battery Company, was originally established as a joint venture between Honda and LG Energy Solution. Announced in October 2022, the partners planned to invest up to $4.4 billion to create what they called the “Honda EV Hub” in Ohio. The plant was initially slated to begin production by the end of 2025 with an annual capacity of 40 GWh, though that timeline was later pushed to 2026.

While the plant remains on track to start producing EV batteries next year, it will now be fully owned by Honda. LG Energy Solution disclosed on Wednesday that it plans to sell the Ohio facility to Honda for 4.22 trillion won, or approximately $2.9 billion. According to LG’s regulatory filing, the transaction covers the building and related structural assets, but excludes the land and production equipment. LG noted that the final price could change, with the deal expected to close on February 28, 2026.

LG said the sale is intended to improve operational efficiency by transferring construction-related costs to Honda, which represent a significant portion of the total investment. Despite the ownership change, the Honda–LG joint venture will continue to operate the battery plant under a lease agreement, according to The Korea Herald. Production is still expected to begin in 2026.

Honda plans to use the batteries to support its upcoming dedicated EV platform, starting with the Acura RSX next year. That model will be followed by a new SUV and sedan, the first two vehicles from Honda’s 0 Series EV lineup. “Two exciting new prototype models, the Honda 0 SALOON and Honda 0 SUV, were unveiled at CES 2025, with production models coming in 2026,” said Honda.

Unlike the Honda Prologue, which is built on General Motors’ Ultium platform, these new EVs will be based on Honda’s own dedicated architecture. Honda may also deploy the Ohio plant to support energy storage system production.

The announcement follows Ford’s recent decision to cancel a major EV battery supply agreement with LG Energy Solution, a deal valued at 9.6 trillion won, or about $6.6 billion. As policy shifts have reduced EV incentives, including the elimination of the $7,500 federal tax credit, LG Energy Solution has been expanding its energy storage business to help offset slowing EV adoption.

The New Honda 0 Series: “Thin, Light, and Wise”

The Honda 0 Series is a next-generation electric vehicle lineup built around the philosophy of “Thin, Light, and Wise,” with the goal of redefining mobility from the ground up. Rather than following the conventional EV trend toward large, heavy platforms, Honda is pursuing slimmer packaging, reduced weight, and intelligent, software-driven design to deliver a fundamentally different electric driving experience.

A thin, dedicated EV platform enables a low vehicle height and low floor, improving aerodynamic performance while unlocking new styling possibilities. By focusing on lightweight construction and proprietary engineering, Honda aims to deliver sporty driving dynamics and strong electrical efficiency that challenge long-held assumptions about how EVs should feel on the road. The “Wise” element centers on software-defined vehicles, advanced intelligence, and connected technologies that allow the car to adapt to the driver and evolve over time.

Design plays a central role in the 0 Series, with bold, clean proportions intended to be instantly recognizable while enhancing visibility and intuitive control. Honda also emphasizes harmony with the environment, positioning the design language as both emotionally engaging and aligned with sustainability goals. Safety and peace of mind are addressed through next-generation ADAS and automated driving technologies that incorporate advanced AI, sensing, recognition, and driver monitoring, expanding hands-off driving capability and making automated driving accessible to more customers.

The 0 Series is also conceived as a connected “space.” Through the use of AI, big data, and IoT technologies, the vehicle will learn user preferences and driving behavior, offering personalized suggestions and a seamless, low-friction user experience that is both enjoyable to drive and intuitive to use. At the same time, Honda remains focused on its long-standing core value of driving enjoyment, using a newly developed EV architecture, steer-by-wire, advanced motion management, and motorsports-derived aerodynamics to create a strong sense of unity between driver and vehicle.

Efficiency is a defining pillar of the 0 Series. Honda is targeting outstanding electrical efficiency through high-efficiency power conversion, compact and well-packaged e-axles, high-density battery packs, and advanced aerodynamics. These efforts are intended to deliver long driving range with less battery capacity, shorten fast-charging times from 15% to 80% to approximately 10–15 minutes, and limit battery degradation to under 10% after 10 years of use. Together, these elements position the Honda 0 Series as the foundation of Honda’s electric future in the second half of the 2020s.