Honor LSV, a homegrown OEM (original equipment manufacturer) of golf cars and low-speed vehicles (LSVs), opens its doors in Summerville, SC, with a commitment to quality and American manufacturing.
Honor LSV made its debut in mid-2023 as a USA-based OEM, specializing in the manufacturing of golf cars and low-speed vehicles (LSVs). Located in Berkeley County, South Carolina, the company, founded by Brian Plaisance, is dedicated to designing, producing, and assembling golf cars and LSVs within its expansive Summerville facility, spanning 130,000 square feet. One of the company’s primary objectives is to reintroduce high-quality manufacturing at competitive prices to the United States, challenging the dominance of Chinese manufacturers in the industry.
An LSV is a golf car that becomes street-legal when properly certified and registered. It can be legally driven on roads with speed limits of 35 mph or below, making it a popular choice for local transportation. People are increasingly using LSVs for trips to the store, the beach, the pool, visiting friends, and exploring their neighborhoods. Many find this a convenient alternative to hopping in their cars, with the added benefit of being enjoyable for kids.
Honor LSV founder, Brian Plaisance, shared his motivation behind starting the company: “After my second retirement, I purchased a decent LSV to celebrate selling my second company. Unfortunately, my son had an accident with it. Given my background as a machinist, fabricator, and welder, I thought I could repair it easily. However, I discovered that I had paid nearly $30,000 for a poorly made Chinese product. Further research revealed that most vehicles were almost 100% assembled in China before arriving. I believed that an American company could produce a superior product at a lower cost. Thus, Honor LSV was born.”
Despite being retired, Plaisance found a renewed sense of purpose and enthusiasm in launching his third startup, the second in Berkeley County. He believed there was no better time to work towards bringing manufacturing back to the US. He, along with many others, recognized South Carolina’s abundant resources, particularly its skilled workforce, as vital for the successful growth of startups. Additionally, he was eager to contribute to the local economy’s continued progress.
The establishment of Honor was made possible by Plaisance, with support from First Capital Bank, who believed in both him and his product. The Coordinating Council for Economic Development in South Carolina awarded Berkeley County a $100,000 Set-Aside Grant to assist with building improvements and approved job development credits for the Honor LSV project. This $34.2 million investment is expected to create nearly 70 new jobs during its initial phases.
Honor LSV primarily sources metals, plastics, and components from American suppliers. According to Plaisance, “Honor performs more in-house work than any other golf car company in the US. We use multiple lasers for manufacturing and even have a welding robot for certain sub-assemblies. Our in-house powder coat facility is the largest in the state of South Carolina, and we are the sole producer of all-aluminum powder-coated carts in the market.”
Thanks to these capabilities, Honor manages full production in-house, from manufacturing to final finishing, all within its Berkeley County, South Carolina facility. Moreover, the company offers its state-of-the-art, 9,000 square-foot automated powder coating services to external businesses.
The successful launch of this project brought joy to leaders in both the private sector and the government, including the Governor, Secretary of Commerce, Berkeley County Supervisor, Honor owner Brian Plaisance, local business leaders, and newly employed residents.
