MARYSVILLE, OH—Honda Motor Co. plans to assemble a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) at its factory here starting in 2024. The new vehicle, based on the CR-V, will be produced at the Performance Manufacturing Center (PMC).

The new CR-V-based FCEV also will mark North America’s first production vehicle to combine a plug-in feature with FCEV technology in one model, which enables the driver to charge the onboard battery to deliver EV driving around town with the flexibility of fast hydrogen refueling for longer trips.

“Honda established our goal to realize carbon neutrality by 2050, and the complete electrification of our vehicle lineup by 2040 is critical to achieving it,” says Gary Robinson, vice president of auto planning and strategy at American Honda Motor Co. “As we accelerate our plan to produce battery EVs in the United States, we also will begin low-volume production of FCEVs here to further explore their great potential as part of a sustainable transportation future.”

The PMC is a small volume, specialty manufacturing facility that specializes in hand-assembled vehicles. Since opening in 2016, it has been responsible for producing vehicles such as the Acura NSX supercar, along with Honda Performance Development race cars.

“Our associates have really enjoyed the opportunity to successfully introduce several specialty vehicles into the market,” says Gail May, PMC plant manager. “This facility is perfect for production of a FCEV, as our small-volume capability enables us to really leverage the skill and expertise of our team.”