Honda Extends Production Halt at Three China Plants for Two Weeks
Honda will extend its production halt at three Chinese assembly plants by two weeks due to ongoing semiconductor shortages. The move highlights persistent supply chain disruptions at Japan’s second-largest automaker and could further restrict its global vehicle production this quarter.
1. U.S. Sales Reach Post-2021 High Despite Microchip Constraints
Honda reported that its U.S. retail sales for calendar year 2025 rose 0.5% year-over-year to approximately 1.12 million units, marking its highest annual volume since 2021. Light-truck deliveries set a new record at just over 800,000 units, up 2.3% from 2024, driven by strong consumer demand for the CR-V and Pilot models. Electrified vehicle sales also contributed, with cumulative hybrid and battery-electric volumes exceeding 150,000 units—an increase of 12% over the prior year—as Honda ramped production of the CR-V Hybrid in Ohio and began limited shipments of its first U.S.-built electric SUV. The firm credits proactive allocation of scarce semiconductors and factory scheduling adjustments for minimizing downtime, even as global chip shortages forced four production interruptions totaling 18 days at its Indiana and Alabama assembly plants.
2. China Production Suspension Extended on Semiconductor Shortage
Honda announced it will prolong the shutdown of three manufacturing lines in China by an additional fortnight, extending the idle period through late February. The affected facilities—two joint-venture auto plants in Guangzhou and one in Wuhan—had already halted operations for 10 days in mid-January. The decision reflects ongoing constraints in sourcing automotive-grade microcontrollers, with supply-chain partners citing lead times of up to 24 weeks for certain chip families. As a result, Honda estimates a production shortfall of roughly 30,000 units in the region during the first quarter, equivalent to nearly 8% of its planned output. The company is reallocating available semiconductor inventory to high-margin SUV and hybrid production lines, while negotiating directly with chip suppliers to secure priority allocations for the second half of the year.