Japanese automaker Honda is targeting the sale of 70,000 units in North America for its Prologue SUV battery electric vehicle (BEV) in 2024, in the first major step of its long term goal of reaching 100% zero emission vehicle sales in North America by 2040.
Honda first announced its relatively uninspiring North American goal of 100% zero emission vehicle sales by 2040 back in April but has only set itself a global target of electrifying two-thirds of its sales in 2030, which is a long way behind other major car makers.
Honda has also remained committed to hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), and has been late to understand the importance of BEVs. Moreover, the company’s focus on North America remains its sole focus, at the moment, as highlighted by its Monday announcement.
Honda unveiled the Prologue SUV EV in the middle of the year, promising that it would reach the North American market in 2024 and drive its plans for 100% zero emission vehicles by 2040.
Light on specifics, committing only to say that the Prologue SUV will offer “versatility, and driving range on par with our current line-up of SUVs”, the Honda Prologue is co-developed with GM and based on the company’s Ultium battery platform.
“Our first volume Honda BEV will begin our transition to electrification and the name Honda Prologue signals the role it will play in leading to our zero-emission future,” said Dave Gardner, executive VP of American Honda in a statement in late-June.
Now, Honda is expecting initial annual sales of the Prologue SUV in its debut year of 2024 to reach 70,000 units – a big ask for an electric SUV coming late to the party, but maybe just in time to benefit from increased North American demand.
The sale of the Prologue SUV will be the first marker on the road towards Honda’s anticipated BEV sales of 500,000 by 2030.
“Launching our first volume BEV in 2024 is the start of an exciting new direction for Honda,” Gardner said this week. “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.”
Beyond the release of the Prologue SUV, Honda is planning to introduce a series of electrified vehicles across the second half of the decade based on Honda’s own e-Architecture.
And while Honda remains behind the eight ball in terms of its commitment to electric vehicles, Honda is nevertheless still working towards a goal of achieving carbon neutrality for all its products and corporate activities by 2050.