Honda CEO Takahiro Hachigo made an interesting statement concerning hybrid and all-electric cars. Apparently, the company is willing to embrace the former segment as an eco-friendly solution, but has reasons not to make full-fledged EVs.
According to Mr. Hachigo, the main reason for Honda to switch to hybrid powertrains is that they improve fuel efficiency over standard ICE designs. That, and the international car company has to abide by environmental laws adopted in various countries. But electrification for the sake of electrification is a no-go, he argues. The expensive equipment and lack of infrastructure make the coming of all-electric era an unlikely event in the near future.
Autopilot is another feature Honda CEO feels wary of, despite its ongoing partnership with General Motors and its subsidiary, GM Cruise, aimed at producing a fully autonomous car model. In this joint project, the Japanese company designs the exterior and cabin of the vehicle, while its U.S. partner works on the drivetrain, the chassis and the steering.
As for Honda Sensing self-drive system, the company keeps developing and polishing it. The main challenge here, according to Mr. Hachigo, lies in making the tech affordable enough for it to sell well.
Implementing a Level 3 autonomous driving system in a production car usually involves plenty of expensive equipment. Right now, Honda is trying to assess which models it would make the most sense to upgrade to SAE Level 3. The latest Accord and Civic seem the likeliest candidates.
The all-electric Honda e is currently available in Germany starting from €33,850 for a 136PS (134HP, 100kW) version. Choose 154 PS (152 hp, 112 kW) instead, and you are looking forward to spending €36,850. The driving range doesn’t exceed 220 kilometers (137 miles) in both versions.
As for the Honda Sports EV Concept unveiled a couple years ago, the fate of the electric coupe remains unknown until now. A few patent images surfaced online last summer, so maybe a production version is in the works after all.