Ohio Chambers Look to Electric & Smart Vehicles for Growth
Chambers across Ohio are pursuing economic opportunities in producing or becoming early adopters of EVs, which are expected to play central roles in autonomous and connected transportation.
Honda is retooling part of Ohio plant to prepare for electric vehicle manufacturing
Automotive manufacturing has been a major part of Ohio business and economic leaders are preparing to continue that strength in the rapidly- approaching EV era.
That’s what’s happening in Marysville, Ohio where longtime car manufacturer Honda North America has been assembling sedans for a generation. A Honda executive recently told the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce that their Central Ohio manufacturing complex would soon retool a portion of the plant to make EVs.
Chamber of commerce leaders in the region understand the value of Honda's investment in clean vehicle technology that will play a growing role in the automotive industry.
Christopher Kershner, EVP
Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce
“Honda is a great example of innovation, workforce talent and community engagement working together to create success. As we partner with Honda to celebrate their 40 years of manufacturing in Ohio, we are excited to see how Honda’s technology continues to evolve,” said Christopher Kershner, Executive Vice President of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce.
“Our community is proud to have an innovative, high tech company that is committed to clean energy technology as part of the Dayton region’s business community,” added Kershner.
Honda operations are centered in Marysville, Ohio, and the Union County Chamber of Commerce said that the company’s announcement is significant not only to local manufacturing jobs but also to Central Ohio testing and development of smart transportation systems.
Eric Phillips, ED
Economic Development City of Marysville
CEO, Union County Chamber of Commerce
“We welcome Honda's plans to build a line of electric vehicles right here in Marysville. That's cutting edge technology to lead the way to a new generation of automobiles that are smart, efficient, and clean," said Eric Phillips, CEO of the Union County Chamber of Commerce.
"EV manufacturing is an important part of the 66 companies in our Smart Mobility Corridor developing disruptive automobile technology and building the Midwest's primary test-bed for autonomous and connected vehicles. All of this is a driver for jobs and long-term growth in our region."
Columbus Chamber Leads Forum on Last-Mile Delivery at Clean Transportation Conference
At a recent conference on clean and advanced transportation, the Columbus Chamber of Commerce played a leading role in forecasting trends in the freight and last-mile delivery business as it undergoes rapid change due to fast-developing clean and smart transportation technologies.
The conference, known as the Midwest Green Transportation Forum & Expo, informs fleet owners, commercial developers, employers, manufacturers, utilities, planners, and policy makers about the latest developments in advanced fuels and clean vehicle technologies, a rapidly evolving industry sector.
Adrian Burns spoke for the Columbus Chamber of Commerce alongside representative of UPS.
Adrian Burns, the Columbus Chamber of Commerce Director of the Columbus Region Logistics Council, moderated a forum at the conference on the commercial fleet practices for regional freight and last-mile delivery. The panel included shipping industry experts from UPS, Firefly Transportation Services, and EVO Transportation.
The panelists spoke about how innovative carriers, yard handlers and last mile delivery providers are leveraging new technologies to gain market advantage and drive sustainability benefits. For example, companies that can use data analytics and new technology to do so efficiently, produces savings in cost and emissions. UPS reported on clean vehicles in its fleet, and others predicted how data and connectivity leads to efficiencies today and could lead to autonomous operation in the future