Honda believes it will sell nothing but electric vehicles (EVs) and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles in the U.S. by 2040. It will kick off its push into EV sales with the 2024 Honda Prologue, an electric SUV. A similar electric SUV under the Acura brand name will follow.
Details Still Under Wraps
The name is almost all we know about the Prologue at this early date. When questioned, Honda representatives would not reveal the vehicle’s size or price range. The company unveiled a compact electric SUV for the Chinese market at the Shanghai Auto Show in April. But that vehicle isn’t the Prologue — Honda says designers are working on the Prologue in the U.S. now.
The Prologue will be built on General Motors’ Ultium architecture – a platform made up of chassis, battery, and electric motors that GM plans to use for many upcoming EVs. But Honda expects its future EVs to be built on its own, proprietary platform called e:Architecture.
Battery Electric and Fuel Cell Vehicles Planned
The company announced ambitious targets for its electrification push. Its “vision calls for the sales ratio of battery-electric and fuel cell electric vehicles in North America to progress from 40% by 2030 and 80% by 2035 to 100% by 2040.”
Honda is unique for including hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in those plans. Many automakers have discussed or announced plans to go electric-only, including Audi, Jaguar, Mini, and Volvo. Others, like GM, have said they expect to sell mostly electric cars by certain dates. But no others have publicly included hydrogen cars in their plans.
Honda just recently canceled its Clarity fuel-cell vehicle in North America, though customers can still lease a new Clarity through the end of 2022. Honda announced at the time that it wasn’t giving up on hydrogen. Today, fuel cell vehicles remain a niche product in North America. They are practical only in certain parts of California where publicly accessible hydrogen refueling stations are found.
Honda plans to “achieve carbon-neutrality for its products and corporate activities” by 2050.
