[Gen.Blather]

There is a lot in play here. Japan has a demographically caused labor shortage. To deal with this and to maintain political influence they have moved their more labor intensive jobs to countries where they need to maintain some political influence. If I recall, the four biggest Japanese car manufacturing plants are in the US. I suspect that Britain is not considered of as great importance to the Japanese interests so they will invest their capital elsewhere. Also there is a great deal of trade uncertainty. The EU has threatened trade sanctions on Britain which would greatly impact the car export business. Companies crave certainty so they don’t waste huge sums on a gamble.

As for electric cars; they don’t make sense. You can fill up a gas car in three minutes for a 400 mile trip. It takes up to five hours to fill an electric car for a shorter trip. There is probably a place for electric cars but they aren’t for the average person.

[bert]

Perhaps that equation is invalid in Europe where they drive shorter distances and gas costs $7 per gallon

I learned here that the Brit Civic was a hatchback. I would suggest that Honda is discontinuing the Civic Hatchback altogether

[Cronos]

CAr manufacturing is increasing NOT labor intensive. more and more automation are reducing the number of people needed. japan’s demographics wasn’t a factor here, but more important is the tariff component — by locating a factory within the EU zone they did not have to pay tariffs. The same reason why they shifted a lot of manufaturing to the US under Reagan.

[Cronos]

Electric cars make sense in Western and Central Europe. Here in Warsaw, I don't use a car for daily commutes. When we travel at the most I'd travel 400 km = 250 miles at one time

Electric cars don't make much sense in the US outside the Eastern corridor -- for now, imho