Honda released a preview picture of the upcoming 2024 prologue electric SUV, the company's first battery electric vehicle sold in the United States In addition, the company also mentioned its hybrid vehicles to solve the problem of slow progress in launching EV strategy compared with its competitors.
Prologue will be the first of two vehicles jointly developed by Honda and general motors, which uses the U.S. carmaker's ultium battery pack. Another car will use Acura's nameplate and will be developed jointly with general motors, but the company has not disclosed any new information about it. Prologue also marks the beginning of a wave of Honda saying it will release 30 hybrid, battery electric and fuel cell vehicles by 2030.
These EVs will be built on various EV architectures being built by Honda, and some will be built in cooperation with general motors. Honda prologue and Acura EV will be built on GM's ultium platform, which also powers the Detroit based carmaker's Hummer EV pickup and Cadillac lyriq SUV.
Honda's other electric vehicles will be built on the Honda e architecture, which the company plans to launch in 2026. In 2027, Honda plans to launch a range of affordable EVs, including a compact SUV. These vehicles will be built based on the new electric vehicle architecture jointly developed by Honda and general motors.
Mamadou Diallo, vice president of sales of Honda Motor Company, pointed out that Honda set the goal of selling 60000 prologue SUVs in the United States in 2024, 70000 in 2025 and 300000 in 2026. More broadly, the company says it hopes to make up 40% of its sales of battery electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles by 2030, 80% by 2035 and 100% by 2040.
As can be seen from the preview, prologue has obtained some subtle design clues from the popular Honda E-City car. In addition, Honda also emphasized the car's long wheelbase and short front suspension. Prologue was designed by Honda's design studio in Los Angeles in cooperation with the Japanese design team.
Diallo said: "we want to make sure that prologue not only represents the real Honda electric vehicle, but also is adjacent to our other SUV products in the exhibition hall."
Compared with other carmakers, Honda's current electric vehicle lineup is extremely limited. The company recently discontinued the clarity electric vehicle, but it will continue to sell its hydrogen and plug-in hybrid version. Honda e is only sold in Japan and Europe.