LOS ANGELES — American Honda is setting a target of 70,000 in annual sales for the Prologue crossover that it will launch in 2024 on a platform developed by General Motors.
And as the Japanese company develops its own EV platform throughout the decade, Honda expects to reach half a million EV sales in North America by 2030 on its way to becoming an entirely zero-emissions automaker by 2040, the company said Monday.
“Launching our first volume BEV in 2024 is the start of an exciting new direction for Honda,” said Dave Gardner, executive vice president of national operations at American Honda. “We are working with our dealers to plan the transition from sales of primarily gasoline-powered vehicles to selling 100 percent electric vehicles by 2040.”
Honda said its EV sales goals are dependent on receiving fair and equitable access to state and federal EV incentives in the U.S. Honda and other international automakers have voiced opposition to a proposal by the Biden administration that would give higher incentives to vehicles made in U.S. factories with unionized workers.
“Honda has urged Congress to ensure that all vehicles made in America are treated equally,” the company said.
In the U.S., Honda will initially focus EV sales in states that follow California’s zero-emissions framework, the so-called ZEV states, along with Texas and Florida.
“Honda anticipates these regions will represent the bulk of sales at the onset of launch due to higher customer acceptance and regulatory requirements,” it said. “As EV infrastructure expands and customer interest grows nationwide, the company will rapidly expand sales and marketing efforts to other areas of the country.”
The Honda crossover will use GM’s Ultium platform and batteries, but Honda will develop the vehicle’s body style and interior. The Honda-GM venture also will develop a battery-electric Acura crossover for the 2024 calendar year, the company said. The Prologue is expected to go on sale in early 2024 and the Acura later that year.
Honda already makes a small EV for the Japanese and European markets, marketed simply as the “e.” But that vehicle is considered a niche product, while Honda expects the Prologue to be its first volume EV.
Honda has said that its goal of 100 percent zero-emission sales by 2040 will include both battery-electric models and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.