Honda and LG Energy Solution are in negotiations to build an electric vehicle battery factory in the US. The planned plant is rumored to have a production capacity of 40 gigawatt-hours per year.
The Korea Herald said that things such as the date of establishment, factory location, and ownership structure will be clearer in the next six months.
The plant will cost up to three billion euros if a deal is struck. Honda USA declined to comment on this information, while LG Energy Solution in a statement neither confirmed nor denied the report.
LG Energy Solution only said it was discussing forming a joint venture, but nothing has been decided yet. If the agreement materializes, it will be a rare partnership, given the complex history of the two countries.
So far, Honda has relied on General Motors’ Ultium platform for future electric cars in the US. According to the Korea Herald, the reason Honda decided not to cooperate with Japanese battery manufacturers was competitiveness. Here, Japanese companies such as Panasonic will be unable to compete with Korean battery manufacturers.
