During a recent executive briefing, Honda confirmed that they will deepen their collaboration with General Motors over the upcoming years. Honda’s electric vehicle lineup will not solely rely on GM’s Ultium platform, as they have announced a new medium-large electric vehicle set to debut in 2025, utilizing their proprietary E:Architecture platform.
The first co-developed electric vehicle by GM and Honda is scheduled for a 2024 release under the names 2024 Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX. These models will be manufactured by GM. Following this, a separate “mid- to large-size EV” is expected in 2025, marking the debut of Honda’s unique platform.
Honda also plans to introduce its own vehicle operating system in 2025, possibly integrated into the unnamed EV of the same year. While it remains unconfirmed if Honda will follow GM’s decision to discontinue Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a spokesperson assured The Drive that Honda will offer various user-friendly solutions from Apple, Google, and Amazon to cater to customers’ preferred technology choices.
In the latter part of the decade, Honda aims to unveil solid-state battery technology currently being developed alongside SES AI. They have previously outlined plans to launch a series of electric crossovers priced below $30,000 in 2027, a venture in collaboration with GM.
Prior to finalizing their alliance, Honda indicated a forthcoming collaboration with GM on electric vehicles, utilizing at minimum four distinct platforms to introduce an unspecified range of products. It is unclear how many of Honda’s 30 global electric vehicle targets by 2030 this partnership will involve. By 2030, Honda aspires to produce over two million electric vehicles annually and transition to a fully battery- or hydrogen-powered lineup by 2040. Their CEO expressed in an interview last October the company’s overarching objective to achieve carbon neutrality through a variety of approaches beyond solely electric vehicle sales.
To achieve this objective, Honda is securing GM’s Ultium batteries from LG by year-end and concurrently developing advanced lithium-ion batteries in collaboration with GS Yuasa. Honda is also enhancing investments in ADAS and connected vehicle technology, while planning the conversion of their manufacturing plants in Marysville, East Liberty, and Anna, Ohio for electric vehicle assembly. Additionally, the automaker plans to augment the utilization of recycled materials in new vehicle production.
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