Honda Worldwide | Timeline

1940's

'46

Soichiro Honda establishes Technical Research Honda Institute in Hamamatsu.

Two years before the establishment of the company, Soichiro Honda launches his first product, powering a bicycle with an auxiliary engine that had been used to power radios.

'48

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. established.

1950's

'50

Tokyo sales branch established.

'52

Head office moved to Tokyo.

'53

Yamato Factory (now Saitama Factory Wako Plant) begins operation.

'54

Production moves from Hamamatsu Yamashita Plant to Hamamatsu Aoi Plant (now Hamamatsu Factory).

1960's

'60

Motorcycle production at Suzuka Factory begins.

R & D department spun off and incorporated as Honda R&D Co., Ltd.

'62

Construction of Suzuka circuit ( Mie Prefecture ) completed.

'64

Automobile production at Sayama Plant (now Saitama Factory) begins.

'67

Automobile production at Suzuka Factory begins.

1970's

'70

Second Manufacturing Machinery plant at Sayama Plant spun off and incorporated as Honda Machinery Co., Ltd. (now Honda Engineering Co., Ltd.).
Mohka Parts Plant established.

'73

Founder Soichiro Honda and Takeo Fujisawa retire.

'74

International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences (IATSS) established.

'76

Kumamoto Factory begins operation.

'77

Honda Foundation established.

'78

Honda Verno dealership network established.

'79

Tochigi Proving Center completed.

1980's

'83

Power products plant at Hamamatsu Factory completed.

'84

Honda Clio dealership network established.

'85

Honda Primo dealership network established with three retail channels in Japan.

'88

Supreme advisor Takeo Fujisawa passes away.

'89

Soichiro Honda becomes first Asian inducted into the U.S. Automotive Hall of Fame.

1990's

'91

Founder Soichiro Honda passes away.

Motorcycle production shifted from Suzuka to Hamamatsu and Kumamoto factories.

'96

Takasu Proving Center completed in Hokkaido .

'97

Twin Ring Motegi motor sports and recreational facilities completed in Tochigi Prefecture Japan.

'98

50th anniversary of Honda’s founding.
Construction of comprehensive test facilities for outboard engines completed in Hosoe City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.

2000's

'00

Establishment of Green Dealer certification system.
Zero industrial landfill waste achieved at all production facilities in Japan.

'01

Honda Motorcycle Japan established.

Hosoe Factory begins operations producing outboard engines.

'04

Automobile production transferred from Takanezawa Plant, Tochigi Factory, to Suzuka Factory.

'05

FCX approved by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for public road test driving: a first for a fuel cell system that operates below 0°C. Hokkaido municipal government purchases an FCX.

'06

Domestic sales channels consolidated.

Honda Cars dealership network launched.

Solar cell business subsidiary Honda Soltec Co., Ltd. established.

'07

Honda Soltec Co., Ltd. begins sales of non-silicon thin-film solar cells.

'08

Motorcycle production transferred from Hamamatsu Plant to Kumamoto Factory.

'09

Ogawa Factory begins production of next-generation environmentally responsible diesel engines.

'10

New Fit and Fit Hybrid released.
Leasing of EV-neo electric scooter begins.