Honda is a little late to the punch at announcing their electrification roadmap, but they’re making it up with an ambitious plan where it aims to launch 30 electric vehicles (EVs) worldwide by 2030, committing to an investment of about 8 trillion yen (approx RM280 billion) on R&D – yes, trillion with a T.
The 30 EVs will include two mid- to large-size EV SUV models (The Honda Prologue EV and another under the Acura brand) in the North America, currently being developed jointly with General Motors featuring the Ultium battery technology, as well as a “commercial-use mini-EV model” in Japan, all three of these by 2021. China, meanwhile, will see Honda introduce a total of 10 new EV models by 2027.
In the second half of the decade sometime around 2026, Honda will start to adopt its new e: Architecture, which the company says is “an EV platform that combines the hardware platform and software platform”. The company will also be using new “next-generation” solid-state batteries on these new e: Architecture EVs, as it has invested 43 billion Yen (approx. 1.5 billion) into its research and development.
The second half of the decade is also when Honda is intending to go full-on EV production mode, to hit its goal of making two million fully-electric vehicles per year by 2030. A key step in achieving that is by making more affordable EV models starting 2027, primarily through its recently-renewed alliance with GM, where it intends to bring prices of EVs down to the level of regular petrol-powered cars.
To help bring EVs to mass market, Honda will also be implementing dedicated EV production sites in both North America and China, the latter being dedicated EV plants in Guangzhou as well as Wuhan.
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But all of these are just the boring stuff. The real FUN (their all-caps) will come in the form of two sports cars – a “specialty” model and a flagship model – promising the “joy of driving” to its customers, “even in the era of electrification”. Could one of these be the successor to the Honda NSX?
From the image shared by Honda, it seems like the 30 EV models will also include a fully-electric pick-up truck, so there’s certainly plenty to look forward to!
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Among the 8 trillion Yen earmarked for its future strategy, 5 trillion Yen will go specifically towards electrification and software technologies, comprised of approximately 3.5 trillion Yen (approx RM18.1 billion) in R&D and around 1.5 trillion (approx RM50.6 billion) in investments.
From its plans, it seems like Honda is incredibly serious about its ambitions to achieve carbon-neutrality by 2050 – incidentally also the same deadline set by Mazda and Toyota. What an incredibly exciting time we live in!
