Honda intends to use the technology of the American carmaker General Motors developed for electric cars. The first result of this strategic cooperation is already emerging.
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The rapidly evolving automotive technology has recently brought together partners with whom we might not have expected their cooperation years ago. Volkswagen is now cooperating with Ford, Honda has again established a partnership with the American concern General Motors. And it is the first Japanese-American project that is already emerging.
Honda has announced that the first result of this collaboration will be a model called the Prologue EV, which is to be a “highly competitive SUV with the functionality expected by the brand’s customers.” It will be a battery electric car using a technical basis from General Motors, in the form of its Ultium batteries, which it already uses Cadillac Lyriq or GMC Hummer EV.
The project primarily concerns the American market, so at the moment it is not clear whether it is also planned for Europe. In any case, the implementation is still relatively far away, as the Honda Prologue EV will not arrive on the American market until the beginning of 2024. The design has not been revealed yet, but Honda has introduced two different electric SUV concepts (SUV e: concept and SUV e: prototype) in the last two years. which could indicate the form of the announced novelty.
“Our first high-volume Honda battery will begin our transition to electrification, and the name Honda Prologue signals the role it will play in leading our zero-emission future,” said Dave Gardner, executive vice president of Honda’s US division.
Honda Prologue EV is part of the brand’s electrified strategy. By 2040, it intends to sell exclusively electric cars, battery or fuel cells in North America. At the same time, their share is to increase gradually, from a 40% share in Honda’s North American sales in 2030 to 100% ten years later. In Europe, Honda plans to sell only electric cars and hybrids in key segments by 2022.
“Our strategy is to introduce a higher percentage of hybrids in the main model lines in the near future. We know that customers who have a good experience with a hybrid vehicle are likely to buy a battery electric vehicle in the future, ”reveals Gardner’s strategy of how Honda wants to attract clients to electromobility.
Preparations for a joint alliance between Honda and GM were unveiled last year, when partners announced cooperation in various areas. The manufacturers envisage a number of common vehicles sold under different brands, as well as cooperation in purchasing, development and research and other related projects.
Cooperation should be mutual. Although Honda will now use GM’s modular Ultium architecture, in the second half of the decade it will provide its own e: Architecture platform, which it is leading again.
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