Honda Plans 30 New EV Models Globally By 2030
Honda built its reputation – especially in America – on the twin pillars of efficiency and low emissions. The 1970s Civic was able to achieve low tailpipe emissions for the time without the use of a catalytic converter, and its gasoline engines are renowned for combining performance with great MPG figures. Now, the company is preparing to make a major shift to electric, by introducing 30 new models globally by 2030. The first new all-electric models are due in 2024, in the core SUV market segments, with many more vehicles to follow.
More than just the introduction of new electric vehicles, Honda is looking at the whole company and how it operates. In the past, Honda divided its organization by products, namely motorcycle, automobile and power products. However, the company now says it will be structured around technology areas such as electrified products and services; batteries; energy; connected technologies; and more. The goal is to accelerate the speed at which the company can move and enhance the “cross-domain” synergy effect among Honda products.
New Electric SUVs For North America
The first new Honda EVs, the all-new Honda Prologue and a yet-to-be named Acura SUV, will actually be built in collaboration with General Motors for sale in North America. Both vehicles will be introduced in 2024 and will leverage batteries from GM’s state-of-the-art Ultium project, which also supports the upcoming Cadillac Lyriq and other GM products. Partnering with GM will help reduce overall costs, and allow these new products to remain affordable, and price-competitive with equivalent gasoline vehicles in their classes.
These will be followed by an impressive array of products on a global level. In early 2024, Honda will also introduce a commercial-use mini-EV for Japan, a replacement for the ubiquitous tiny delivery vans you see running around Tokyo and other densely-packed urban areas. Given the millions of these little vans currently on the road, an EV alternative will have a significant impact on lowering emissions.
In China, one of the largest and most competitive EV markets in the world, Honda has no less than 10 new electric vehicle models planned for introduction by 2027. It will be built in dedicated EV production plants in Guangzhou and Wuhan. By then, the company will have introduced its all new Honda e: Architecture, a brand-new, from-the-ground-up eV platform that combines the company’s own hardware and software, and will form the foundation of a future generation of products.
All told, these moves mean that by 2030, Honda plans on building more than two million electric vehicles annually – with a full lineup of vehicles from tiny commercial-use EVs to high-end flagship models.
Honda Aiming for Carbon Neutrality for All Activities By 2050
As the world's largest power unit manufacturer – with annual sales of approximately 30 million mobility products including motorcycles, automobiles, power products, outboard motors and aircraft – Honda wants to realize carbon neutrality for all products and corporate activities by 2050. The company will accelerate its independent research and development of next-generation batteries, and a new battery production line will start up in spring 2024. The next-generation batteries produced in this factory will be integrated into models in the second half of the 2020s.
Two New Honda Electric Sports Cars Are Also on the Way
Finally, Honda will also lean into the fun aspect of electric driving – instantaneous torque, after all, makes EVs fun to drive and sporty feeling. Two new sports cars are planned by 2030 – a small specialty model and a high-tech flagship. Watch this space!
