New Honda Prologue SUV Begins Next Chapter in Brand's EV Direction in North America

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TORRANCE, Calif., June 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Honda today announced that its first new volume battery-electric vehicle will be named "Prologue," signaling a new electrified era that will lead to the company's vision for 100% zero emission vehicle sales in North America by 2040. An all-new SUV coming to market in early 2024, the battery-electric Honda Prologue will be highly competitive with the functionality expected by Honda customers.  More specific details about the new vehicle will be released over the coming months, and Honda will engage with prospective EV customers throughout the launch starting with a new webpage at https://automobiles.honda.com/future-cars/prologue.   

In addition to the Honda Prologue, the company will introduce an all-electric Acura SUV in the 2024 calendar year. Both will utilize the highly flexible global EV platform powered by Ultium batteries based on the company's strategic partnership with General Motors. Honda also plans to launch a new series of EV models in the second half of the decade based on a new e:Architecture, with development led by Honda.

"Our first volume Honda BEV will begin our transition to electrification and the name Honda Prologue signals the role it will play in leading to our zero-emission future," said Dave Gardner, executive vice president of American Honda. "The Prologue will provide our customers with a battery-electric SUV with the excellent functionality and packaging they've come to expect from Honda."

In April 2021, Honda global CEO, Toshihiro Mibe, announced a vision to achieve carbon-neutrality for its products and corporate activities by 2050, including key targets for sales of electrified vehicles. This 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. More details about that announcement, are available here.

Honda Electrified Vehicle History
Honda has a long history of leadership in bringing electrified vehicles to market in the U.S., beginning almost a quarter century ago with the EV Plus electric vehicle (1997); to America's first hybrid, the Honda Insight (1999); the Honda FCX (2002), the industry's first fuel cell vehicle in the hands of individual customers, and the Clarity series (2017). As Honda prepares for the launch of Prologue, the company will introduce hybrid-electric systems to more core models to continue to reduce CO2 emissions and bridge customers to the volume battery-electric vehicles now in development.

"We know customers who have a good experience with a hybrid vehicle are more likely to buy a battery electric vehicle in the future," said Gardner. "Our strategy is focused on introducing a higher percentage of hybrids in core models in the near term, making a committed effort to achieve higher volume leading to the introduction of our Honda Prologue." 

Honda achieved record sales of electrified vehicles in each of the past three years, with that sales momentum continuing in 2021. Led by CR-V Hybrid and Accord Hybrid, Honda has just recorded its best-ever first-half year of electrified vehicle sales.

About Honda 
Honda offers a full line of clean, safe, fun and connected vehicles sold through more than 1,000 independent U.S. Honda dealers. Honda has the highest fleet average fuel economy and lowest CO₂ emissions of any major full-line automaker in America, according to the latest data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Honda lineup includes the Civic, Insight, Accord and Clarity series passenger cars, along with the HR-V, CR-V, Passport and Pilot sport utility vehicles, the Ridgeline pickup and the Odyssey minivan.

Honda has been producing automobiles in America for 38 years and currently operates 18 major manufacturing facilities in North America. In 2020, more than 95 percent of all Honda vehicles sold in the U.S. were made in North America, using domestic and globally sourced parts.

More information about Honda is available in the Digital Fact Book.

SOURCE American Honda Motor Co., Inc.