Honda Halts Lawnmower Manufacturing

[pekingduck]

Honda announced today they will halt lawnmower and string trimmer manufacturing in the US in late 2023, in advance of impending bans on gasoline powered small engines in some states.

Sales have dropped in recent years due to electric-powered machines, and the business decision was made. ATVs will be manufactured at the existing plant in NC, which will allow the plant in SC to concentrate on side-by-side production.

Some might question Honda's practices, such as selling engines to put on other's mower platforms, or not pursuing the riding mower market. Sadly, they are not the risk takers they once were, more bean counters. Although they make jets.......

Their lawnmowers were generally recognized as the best, and most commercial gardeners rely on them.

What does this have to do with motorcycles? Maybe nothing, maybe a harbinger of things to come in the motorcycle world.

[Cormanus]

I'm sure Honda will soon make splendid electrically-powered machines ... unless, of course, some alternative to petroleum appears upon which existing engines can run.

[pekingduck]

Well, not so sure about that. In their car line, they have 3 hybrids, all sedans, no electrics at all. Hyundai has 6 hybrids, 2 electric. Kia has 6 hybrids, 2 electrics, all suv/crossover. And Toyota, with 14.

Where everyone else is expanding, over-cautious Honda will enter that market too late. Their problems come from within, and are corporate-wide. They are the British car and motorcycle industries of the '70s. Honda's slogan used to be "Follow the Leader", but it's not Honda anymore.

[Henrik_imp]

Actually I think the Honda car offers depends on the market, and you are looking only on the US market. Keep in mind that petrol prices there are far below most other countries.

Here in Switzerland, the Honda car range proposes 5 base models, one being an EV and the others are all proposed as hybrids:



So certainly here they are focusing on the market of EVs and hybrids.

[Wagonpeddler_imp]

Not surprised about the mowers. Recently moved to a "no outside maintenance" community. However, in my 50 or so years of lawn mowing, I owned only three Honda mowers....all bought used, and all sold for more than I paid.

[pekingduck]

Not surprised about the mowers. Recently moved to a "no outside maintenance" community. However, in my 50 or so years of lawn mowing, I owned only three Honda mowers....all bought used, and all sold for more than I paid.

Hmmm, I see a business opportunity cornering the market on new and used Honda mowers.

[GoldOxide_imp]

Honda gasoline scooters are clean and very efficient. There are still large markets for them around the world, but it will dwindle in urban centers for sure.

The overall trend is unsurprising. There will be friction points along the path of complete electric adoption. I really don't mind ultra-quiet, bearingless high-powered leaf blowers over the old gasoline ones. In fact, the latest technology electric ones are more powerful, lighter and versatile.

[pekingduck]

Actually I think the Honda car offers depends on the market, and you are looking only on the US market. Keep in mind that petrol prices there are far below most other countries.

Here in Switzerland, the Honda car range proposes 5 base models, one being an EV and the others are all proposed as hybrids:



So certainly here they are focusing on the market of EVs and hybrids.

Yes, there are certainly differences in market requirements. Toyota of Switzerland lists 26 different models, but I didn't look closely at the breakdown of hybrid/electric vs gas.

In the US, more than 2/3 of sales are pickup trucks, SUVs, and minivans.

[Mtneers]

Honda announced today they will halt lawnmower and string trimmer manufacturing in the US in late 2023, in advance of impending bans on gasoline powered small engines in some states.

Sales have dropped in recent years due to electric-powered machines, and the business decision was made. ATVs will be manufactured at the existing plant in NC, which will allow the plant in SC to concentrate on side-by-side production.

Some might question Honda's practices, such as selling engines to put on other's mower platforms, or not pursuing the riding mower market. Sadly, they are not the risk takers they once were, more bean counters. Although they make jets.......

Their lawnmowers were generally recognized as the best, and most commercial gardeners rely on them.

What does this have to do with motorcycles? Maybe nothing, maybe a harbinger of things to come in the motorcycle world.

That’s interesting that they are halting production on mowers and string trimmers. Both of mine are like tanks. The string trimmer is 4 cycle…no longer mixing oil and gas. Not near as loud as a 2 cycle and much more powerful.
Just as you indicated regarding other platforms, my Coleman power washer and a Black Max generator both use Honda engines.

Our church uses Honda push mowers. That’s where I discovered how tough they are.


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[DAC]

Interesting. I had an in-law from New Jersey buy a Stihl 2-cycle leaf blower while he was visiting here in Ohio. In Jersey, they haven't outlawed the gas line trimmers and blowers yet but it's working its way through the legislature. In front of that, the local dealers have stopped carrying gas stuff. So, he bought it here.

Time to buy some sheep and let them handle the grass? Nahhhhh.