Honda To Make "Electric Powersports" Vehicles In North Carolina - Adventure Rider

Honda's CR Electric Proto in action. Honda isn't saying exactly what kind of EV powersports products it will make in SC, but maybe we'll see something like this? Photo: Honda

Honda says it is planning to convert its North Carolina facility to build electric powersports vehicles in the future—although at this point, they haven’t said what exactly those vehicles will be.

The news comes from a press release that Big Red shot out on August 13, celebrating the 40th anniversary of production in North Carolina. Currently, the Swepsonville factory makes ATVs, and it would seem logical to assume that’s what they will build there after the EV manufacturing comes into play. Previously, Honda had ATV production running in South Carolina, and that is all moved to the North Carolina factory now, with South Carolina building side-by-sides.

Mark Kohls, vice president of Honda Powersports and Products with Honda’s US subsidiary, said “Our decision to make North Carolina the home for Honda ATVs today and our electrified powersports and power equipment products of tomorrow is based on the 40-year commitment of Honda associates in the Tar Heel State to build quality Honda products for our customers.” Note that he didn’t say what Honda EVs will be built there.

Currently, Honda has no electric ATVs on the market, and if there’s a skunk works project building them, we haven’t seen any spy photos yet. It does seem likely that Honda’s engineers are working on such a project in a secret-squirrel location in Japan.

However, Honda very much has battery bike projects in the work, including the EM-series electric commuter scooters, which are sold overseas. They’re also working on an electric motocross project, which is currently racing in the FIM’s eXplorer series.

It’s all part of a plan to build a new lineup of electric motorcycles over the next decade, with massive investment into the project. Honda’s been quite open about their plan to change to battery bikes—read more here. The progress on this plan seems slow, but Honda has been consistent in its message about its future.