Honda Commits to E.V.s With Big Investment in Canada

Honda Commits to E.V.s With Big Investment in Canada  The New York Times

Honda Commits to E.V.s With Big Investment in Canada

Honda Commits to E.V.s With Big Investment in Canada

The Japanese Automaker Honda Commits $11 Billion Investment in Ontario for Electric Vehicles

The Japanese automaker, which has been slow to sell electric vehicles, said it would invest $11 billion to make batteries and cars in Ontario.

Honda’s $11 Billion Investment in Ontario

Honda Motor announced on Thursday that it, along with several suppliers, will invest $11 billion to build batteries and electric cars in Ontario. This commitment is significant as Honda has been slow to embrace electric vehicle technology.

Focus on Hybrid Vehicles

Similar to Toyota and other Japanese carmakers, Honda has primarily focused on hybrid vehicles, which combine gasoline engines with electric motors. The Honda Prologue, an electric sport-utility vehicle manufactured in Mexico, is currently the only fully electric vehicle offered by Honda in the United States.

Shifting Direction towards Electric Vehicles

The investment in Ontario, adjacent to Honda’s factory in Alliston, signifies a shift in direction for the company. This move raises the possibility that Honda and other Japanese carmakers may leverage their manufacturing expertise to reduce the cost of electric vehicles, making them more affordable for a wider audience.

Significance of the Investment

During an announcement event in Alliston, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed the importance of this investment, stating, “This is a very big day for the region, for the province, and for the country.” He highlighted that this investment, which will create 1,000 new jobs, is the largest ever made by an automaker in Canadian history.

Expanding Electric Vehicle Production

Honda is also retooling its flagship factory in Marysville, Ohio, near Columbus, to produce electric vehicles starting in 2025. In collaboration with LG Energy Solution, a Korean company, Honda is investing $4.4 billion in a new battery factory in Jeffersonville, Ohio.

Anticipating Increased Popularity

The additional investment in Canada indicates Honda’s expectation of electric vehicle technology becoming more popular, despite recent sales slowdowns. Once operational in 2028, the Ontario factory will have the capacity to produce up to 240,000 electric vehicles annually. Furthermore, Honda aims to make all its vehicles electric by 2040, demonstrating a stronger commitment compared to other Japanese carmakers.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

  1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

    • Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
    • Indicator: Proportion of total energy consumption derived from renewable sources.
  2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

    • Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes.
    • Indicator: CO2 emissions per unit of value added in manufacturing industries.
  3. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

    • Target 12.2: By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.
    • Indicator: Material footprint, material footprint per capita, and material footprint per GDP.
  4. SDG 13: Climate Action

    • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
    • Indicator: Number of countries that have communicated the strengthening of institutional, systemic, and individual capacity-building to implement adaptation, mitigation, and technology transfer.
  5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

    • Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology, and financial resources.
    • Indicator: Number of countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder development effectiveness monitoring frameworks that support the achievement of the sustainable development goals.

Analysis

The article highlights Honda’s commitment to investing $11 billion in building batteries and electric cars in Ontario, Canada. This investment aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their corresponding targets:

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

Honda’s investment in electric vehicles contributes to the goal of increasing the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. By producing electric cars, Honda aims to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and promote clean energy sources.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

Honda’s investment also aligns with this goal by upgrading infrastructure and retrofitting industries to make them sustainable. The company’s focus on electric vehicles and battery production represents a shift towards clean and environmentally sound technologies.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Honda’s commitment to electric vehicles supports the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources. By transitioning from traditional gasoline-powered vehicles to electric cars, Honda aims to reduce resource consumption and minimize environmental impact.

SDG 13: Climate Action

Honda’s investment in electric vehicles is a step towards integrating climate change measures into national policies and strategies. Electric cars produce lower emissions compared to gasoline-powered vehicles, contributing to efforts to mitigate climate change.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The article mentions Honda’s collaboration with suppliers and other stakeholders in the manufacturing of batteries and electric cars. This partnership reflects the importance of multi-stakeholder collaborations in achieving sustainable development goals.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

SDGs Targets Indicators
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. Proportion of total energy consumption derived from renewable sources.
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes. CO2 emissions per unit of value added in manufacturing industries.
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production Target 12.2: By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources. Material footprint, material footprint per capita, and material footprint per GDP.
SDG 13: Climate Action Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning. Number of countries that have communicated the strengthening of institutional, systemic, and individual capacity-building to implement adaptation, mitigation, and technology transfer.
SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology, and financial resources. Number of countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder development effectiveness monitoring frameworks that support the achievement of the sustainable development goals.

Copyright: Dive into this article, curated with care by SDG Investors Inc. Our advanced AI technology searches through vast amounts of data to spotlight how we are all moving forward with the Sustainable Development Goals. While we own the rights to this content, we invite you to share it to help spread knowledge and spark action on the SDGs.

Fuente: nytimes.com

 

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