Honda has announced an initial annual sales target of 70,000 units for the Prologue SUV, Honda’s first new volume battery-electric vehicle (BEV), when it goes on sale in 2024. Following the launch of Prologue, Honda says it anticipates sales of 500,000 BEVs by 2030, and ultimately leading to 100% zero-emission vehicles sales in North America by 2040.
Honda says its initial approach to selling the Prologue will be regional, focusing on California and the ZEV (zero-emission vehicle) states, including the BEV-friendly sunbelt states of 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. As EV infrastructure expands and customer interest grows nationwide, the company says it will rapidly expand sales and marketing efforts to other areas of the country.
In April 2021, Honda global CEO Toshihiro Mibe outlined the company’s vision for global sales of electrified vehicles as part of Honda’s strategy to achieve carbon-neutrality for its products and corporate activities by 2050. This vision calls for the sales ratio of battery-electric and fuel cell electric vehicles in North America to progress from 40% by 2030 to 80% by 2035 to 100% by 2040.
Honda says its initial zero-emission vehicle sales goals of 40% by 2030 are contingent upon “fair and equitable access to state and federal EV incentives” intended to encourage American consumers to purchase electric vehicles. Honda has urged Congress to ensure that all vehicles made in America are treated equally.
“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 Motor Co., Inc. “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.”
Following the 2024 introduction of Honda Prologue, co-developed with GM and based on the Ultium platform, Honda will introduce a series of electrified vehicles in the second half of the decade based on the Honda developed e-Architecture and production of BEVs beginning at Honda plants in North America.
