3 New EV Platforms from Honda Are On Their Way
Honda has high hopes for its future as an EV builder. Will three separate battery platforms be the ticket to the brand’s success?
It’s a bold move in an industry that requires bold action right now. Every automaker in the world has set targets for EV production as future bans on new internal combustion engines draw closer.
Would you like your Honda EV in small, medium, or large?
Honda’s electric transition plan looks a little different from what we’ve seen from other automakers. While brands like Tesla, Rivian, and Canoo rely on one central platform, Honda plans to develop three, with each one powering a different size of vehicle.
Reuters
says the smallest platform will first power a mini commercial vehicle in Japan like the autonomous workhorse
the company showcased in November 2021.A medium-sized platform will be developed in partnership with General Motors (GM) to power many of the affordable models U.S. drivers are probably looking forward to like the Prologue, which Honda plans to start offering in 2024.
Honda plans to develop its largest platform on its own. It will likely propel the brand’s Ridgeline pickup truck and SUVs like the
Pilot
.What is Honda’s position in the EV race?
Honda’s multi-platform strategy might look aggressive, but it might not be enough to catch up with the competition.
Honda has yet to offer a fully electric vehicle. That puts the company behind rivals like Nissan, auto giants like Ford, GM, and Volkswagen (VW), as well as the growing number of
EV startups
bringing their vehicles to market.Existing partnerships with suppliers might make electric vehicle production easier for Honda than for newcomers like Rivian, but the company will still have to wrestle with ongoing
supply chain
troubles and microchip shortages.Whether diversifying its electric platforms will help Honda serve the specific needs of individual markets or weigh down production costs remains to be seen. Hopefully, the strategy will help bring the cost of EV ownership down so they’re more accessible to the average driver.
What will the first electric Hondas cost to own?
Honda’s
partnership with GM
came with a promise to build affordable electric cars. So far though, expected starting prices are still out of reach for many consumers. Car and Driver
estimates the alliance’s first product, the 2024 Honda Prologue, will start at $45,000.Car insurance for EVs with similar starting prices like the VW ID.4, Kia Niro EV, Ford Mustang Mach-E, and Tesla Model 3 averages between $2,000 and $4,000 a year, much higher than gas-powered vehicles in the same price range.
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