During 2011, Honda surpassed cumulative worldwide power product production of 100 million units*1 making the brand one of the world’s most popular and long-lived power equipment manufacturers.
The Honda power product business dates back to 1953 with the launch of an engine for agricultural equipment; inspiration for the product was drawn from the company’s desire to utilise technology to help people – and in particular – to reduce the manual labour of farmers.
Since then, Honda has utilised its core technology, the engine, to gradually expand its power products lineup which now includes tillers, generators, outboard engines, pumps, lawnmowers, snowblowers and many others.
At the forefront of environmental technology, Honda is working toward the realisation of a low-carbon society. In recent years the company has been proactive in developing products in the areas of energy conservation and creation. As a result, Honda has increased the diversity of its power products lineup which now includes a compact household gas engine cogeneration unit, and a solar power system which adopts CIGS thin-film solar cells*2.
Honda has a strong global manufacturing presence with facilities in different countries. In Japan power products are produced at the Kumamoto Factory and the Hosoe Plant in Hamamatsu. In 1984 power products production started in the United States and since then, Honda has established production plants in Europe, Asia and Australia. Today, Honda power products are produced at 11 production plants in nine countries and are used regularly by people in more than 150 countries positioning power products as one of the key pillars for Honda’s business along with the motorcycle and automobile divisions.
Honda will continue its efforts to provide a wide-range of environmentally-responsible, safe and useful products to fulfill the increasingly diversifying needs of customers across the world.
*1 Honda’s internal data: Solar cell products are not included in the 100 million units which were determined based on the number of engines produced.
*2 By using non-silicon thin film made from a compound of copper, indium, gallium and selenium (CIGS), Honda solar cells achieved a major reduction in the environmental footprint with the reduction of energy consumed during the manufacturing process.
Major achievements of power products buisness
| Year |
Major achievements |
| 1953 |
Launch of the first Honda power product, the H-Type general-purpose engine |
| 1959 |
Launch of first Honda tiller, F150 |
| 1963 |
Exports from Japan begin (first destination: France) |
| 1964 |
Micromini generator (E40) and outboard engines (GB30) introduced |
| 1965 |
Launch of first Honda portable generator, E300 |
| 1966 |
Launch of first Honda water pump,W20/30 |
| 1969 |
Cumulative power products production reaches 1 million units |
| 1973 |
Launch of first Honda rice planting machine |
| 1976 |
Kumamoto Factory established |
| 1978 |
Launch of first Honda lawn mower,HR21 ; Cumulative production of generators reaches 1 million units |
| 1979 |
Asaka Higashi R&D Center established exclusively for power products |
| 1980 |
Introduction of the minitiller “Komame F200” |
| 1981 |
Cumulative power products production reaches 5 million units |
| 1983 |
Power products production plant at Hamamatsu Factory begins production |
| 1984 |
Lawn mower production plant in the U.S. begins production |
| 1985 |
Launch of first Honda riding mower, HT3810/HT3813
Cumulative power products production reaches 10 million units |
| 1986 |
Start-up of power products production in France |
| 1987 |
Start-up of general-purpose engine and water pump production in Thailand; Launch of extra-small portable power generator, EX300 |
| 1988 |
Start-up of lawn mower production in Australia
Start-up of generator and general-purpose engine production in India
Launch of small diesel engines |
| 1990 |
Imports into Japan begin of American-made Honda walk-behind lawn mowers |
| 1992 |
Cumulative power products production reaches 20 million units |
| 1995 |
Launch of in-wheel type motor
Start-up of lawn mower engine production in Italy
Start-up of generator production in China |
| 1997 |
Launch of multi-directional 4-stroke engine, GX22/31
Cumulative power products production reaches 30 million units |
| 1998 |
Testing facility for outboard marine engines opens in Shizuoka
Launch of the next-generation power generators, GENE21 Series |
| 1999 |
Launch of 4-wheeled electric wheel chair, Monpal ML100 |
| 2000 |
Cumulative power products production reaches 40 million units |
| 2001 |
Outboard engine production plant (Hosoe Plant at Hamamatsu Factory) established
Launch of the world’s largest class 4-stroke outboard enigine, BF225/BF200 |
| 2002 |
Launch of the world’s lightest 4-stroke engine, GX25
Cumulative power products production reaches 50 million units |
| 2003 |
Launch of household compact gas engine cogeneration unit |
| 2004 |
Cumulative power products production reaches 60 million units |
| 2006 |
Cumulative power products production reaches 70 million units |
| 2007 |
Cumulative power products production reaches 80 million units
Launch of CIGS thin-film solar cell |
| 2009 |
Launch of tiller, Pianta, powered by home-use butane gas canister
Cumulative power products production reaches 90 million units |
| 2010 |
Launch of Enepo EU9i GB, a generator powered by powered by home-use butane gas canisters
Cumulative sales in Japan of the compact household gas engine cogeneration unit reached 100,000 units |
| 2011 |
Cumulative power products production reaches 100 million units |
ends
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