Honda Boss Speaks Frankly, Says No Chance Against China

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BEIJING – Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe stated that his company has few opportunities to compete with Chinese car manufacturers, particularly after witnessing the advancements in electric vehicle manufacturing in the country firsthand. Quoting Yahoo Finance, Mibe’s visit to a bustling electric vehicle factory in China in February left him deeply concerned, as reported by SlashGear. Like other major car manufacturers, Honda was forced to make a rapid strategic shift by mid-2025 following sudden policy changes in the United States that abolished long-standing electric vehicle tax credits. American manufacturers Ford and General Motors both suffered billions of dollars in losses, while Honda’s losses exceeded $15.7 billion. Honda announced its first annual loss in early March, shortly after Mibe’s visit to the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturing plant. According to SlashGear, the speed and efficiency of that facility worried him. “We have no chance against this,” Mibe said, according to a Nikkei Asia article dated 31 March. “From parts procurement to logistics management, everything in that facility is automated, and there are no humans on the production floor.”