Honda is deleting few models to increase production efficiency

Have you ever gone into a showroom, took a look at 2 cars from the same brand, and think to yourself, “this steering wheel looks familiar”. Chances are it likely is. Take for example the Honda Jazz. It shares many similar bits and pieces with the Honda City. Take the steering wheel for example, save for a few details here and there the bones of it are virtually identical. So is the engine that it uses. The same 1.5L L15 that is found in the Jazz can be found in the Honda City. 

Parts sharing is something that manufacturers have been doing for ages in order to streamline production costs. In terms of business, it is easier to design one part well that can be used on multiple platforms rather than multiple parts that are not interchangeable. Parts sharing, or picking from the parts bin, is a practice that Honda is looking to increase in the coming years. 

The brand’s CEO, Mr. Takahiro Hachigo looks to the future that revolves around simplifying Honda’s lineup of cars. To streamline, the first thing on the to-do list is to axe vehicles that can be consolidated into a single product offering. The units that can be targeted are similar models from different regions. 

WIth the company’s plans to introduce an all-new Honda Fit or Jazz with hybrid technology for the global market, the company’s strategy to introduce a global model kicks off with the Fit. Hachigo states that his plan is to “reduce the total number of variations at the trim and option level for our global models to one-third of what we have now. “ Honda currently is a global presence with each region getting a specific model. The CEO believes that there are too many equipment combinations and variations, which decrease production efficiency. 

The simplification is expected to reduce Honda’s global production costs by around 10% in 2025. This will ease the product development department of Honda, as it is estimated that development would require 30-less man-hours. The time and budget saved will be allocated to producing better cars and technologies for cars.



Source: Motor1