Honda to Release 1st Mass-Produced EV in N. America in 2024

Jiji Press

18:09 JST, September 29, 2023

NEW YORK (Jiji Press) — A U.S. unit of Japanese automaker Honda Motor Co. said Thursday that it will release its first mass-produced electric vehicle model in North America at the start of 2024.

The Honda Prologue SUV, which will hit the U.S. and Canadian markets, is jointly developed with U.S. automaker General Motors Co. The model is set to be manufactured at a General Motors plant.

The Prologue is expected to be the first vehicle model by a Japanese carmaker eligible for federal tax credits offered to people who buy EVs.

With a driving range of around 480 kilometers, the new vehicle will be equipped with Ultium lithium-ion batteries developed by General Motors and the Google built-in digital assistant system.

Prices are expected to start at the upper 40,000-dollar level, with the tax credits seen reaching up to $7,500.

Another Japanese automaker, Toyota Motor Corp., plans to begin EV manufacturing in the United States in 2025.

Other Japanese makers are also rushing to introduce EV models to North America. S&P Global Mobility forecasts that around half of all vehicles made in the region in 2030 will be EVs.