Honda has announced that it will sell two electric SUVs in the United States in the 2024 model year and plans to launch gas-electric hybrid versions of its best-selling models. It is the second Japanese automaker that recently announced a future EV in the United States; Last month, Toyota said it plans its first mass-market electric vehicle by the end of 2021.
Dave Gardner, head of sales at Honda of America, said last week that one of the EVs will be an Acura and the other will be a Honda brand, according to the Associated Press. He said more details would come in late 2021.
Japanese automakers – and Toyota in particular – have already been leaders in hybrid vehicles, but have lagged behind American companies in the all-electric vehicle market in recent years. But with California banning sales of new vehicles with an internal combustion engine by 2035 and the Biden administration moving to make the government’s vehicle fleet fully electric along with other plans to reduce emissions, automakers have their job EV cut for them
Honda plans to make its vehicles in partnership with General Motors, Gardner said during the announcement last week. Honda recently dominated passenger car sales in the United States and manufactures many vehicles with internal combustion engines, Gardner noted, putting Honda a little behind its competitors.
“We are really good at some things that seem to be going out of style today, so there is no doubt that we have work to start moving quickly towards zero emission,” said Gardner.