Honda is shifting into high gear on the innovation front with a $2.6 million investment to establish a new Advanced Materials Science Lab in Ohio. The facility, set to open by late 2025, will be located on Ohio State University’s SciTech Campus in Columbus and will deepen Honda’s long-standing partnership with the university while pushing forward next-generation mobility technologies, from quantum research to hydrogen fuel cells and advanced battery recycling.
The project comes from Honda Research Institute USA (HRI-US), the automaker’s advanced research arm, founded in 2003 and based in Silicon Valley. This latest move expands a relationship that began back in 1987, when Honda endowed $6 million to Ohio State’s College of Engineering, a figure that has since grown to over $50 million in total support.
The new lab will focus on some of the most exciting areas in science and engineering today: quantum technology, nanotechnology, hydrogen fuel cells, carbon capture, and next-generation EV battery recycling. Honda is not just rethinking cars, it’s reimagining how energy, sustainability, and materials science intersect.
Honda already has a strong footprint on the SciTech Campus through 99P Labs, a collaborative research hub launched in 2018 that explores mobility software, battery tech, and human-machine interaction. Students from Ohio State gain hands-on experience there, contributing to Honda’s ongoing work in software-defined mobility and advanced prototyping.
Beyond the academic partnerships, Honda’s commitment to Ohio runs deep. The company operates five manufacturing facilities in the state, employs more than 12,000 people, and has invested over $13 billion in capital. Recent highlights include a $15 million donation to the Ohio State Battery Cell R&D Center and a $3.5 billion joint venture with LG Energy Solution to produce EV batteries in Fayette County. Honda still reinforces its role as a key player in shaping the sustainable technologies of tomorrow.
