- The Honda Sequence 0 Saloon Idea is predicted to go on sale in 2026.
- Honda says this mannequin can be a Honda, not an Acura. It’s deliberate to be Honda’s flagship sedan.
- It will likely be made in Ohio, at Honda’s new EV hub.
The electrical car market nonetheless continues to develop, however I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that the expansion comes with an asterisk. Gross sales outcomes in addition to commentary from analysts present that value is likely one of the greatest roadblocks to EV adoption. However these days, the fire-sale degree lease offers and hefty incentives have little doubt clients within the driver’s seat – however let’s be trustworthy right here, most EV development has been towards the decrease price finish of the EV spectrum. Persons are craving for reasonable EVs; so it may very well be assumed that Honda’s first effort from its new self-developed would bounce in toes first into the rising market of fairly priced EVs.
However, no, it gained’t. Honda’s executives confirmed that the manufacturing model of the Sequence 0 Saloon Idea gained’t be all that low cost.
It’s type of simple to see why, although. Whereas in Japan at Honda’s Tochigi R&D facility, I realized a ton of particulars about Honda’s forthcoming EV. It’s going to be jam-packed stuffed with cutting-edge softwaer, autonomous driving help options and chassis administration tech. It is going to have an air suspension, help LIDAR and will doubtlessly embody Degree 3 autonomous driving.
These are very superior applied sciences, however they’re positively not low cost ones. LIDAR and air suspension are sometimes reserved for costly fashions.
Honda
Honda’s head of BEV improvement, Toshihiro Akiwa, confirmed that a lot throughout a roundtable Q&A session shortly after the drive occasion. The roadmap of Honda’s deliberate fashions utilizing the Sequence 0’s platform begins with the manufacturing of the Saloon idea, which is able to act as Honda’s flagship mannequin for the whole model.
The executives stopped wanting confirming a particular value, however they did say it might be “lower than a [Tesla] Mannequin S or Mannequin X,” however nonetheless solidly within the premium section. And sure, when requested instantly, it will likely be a Honda, not an Acura.
Equally, Honda’s BEV Enterprise Unit Common Supervisor Mitsuru Kariya insisted that there’s no approach for the Saloon 0 to be low cost since there are such a lot of items of tech within the automobile because it’s meant to be a flagship mannequin.
Now, this sounds barely troubling. The EV market hasn’t been that sort to costly sedans these days. The Lucid Air might have elevated in gross sales, however the model has overtly struggled to maneuver its very good, however very pricy sedans. The sedan-shaped Volkswagen ID.7 is in limbo for the USA, with VW citing a altering market as to why its flagship EV sedan went from coming quickly, to “nicely, possibly not.” Even at Tesla, the Mannequin S is likely one of the model’s worst-selling vehicles (though it is also gone with out important updates for years now.)
Honda
However Honda isn’t involved. After I requested concerning the potential of the Saloon 0 to enter a tender marketplace for huge costly sedans, Kariya mentioned that as a result of Honda’s Sequence 0 can be such a brand new platform and design, they imagine that alone will entice patrons into the car. True, SUVs and crossovers dominate the gross sales charts however Honda’s executives insist that the manufacturing Saloon 0’s design and tech focus will make it really feel far more particular in comparison with the everyday EV crossover.
It nonetheless seems like a wierd transfer, although. Robby DeGraff, Product and Client Insights Analyst at trade analysis agency AutoPacific, agrees.
“The next-priced flagship EV in sedan format looks as if a daring transfer for Honda to attempt to pull off,” DeGraff mentioned. “If it had been possibly badged as an Acura or much more in-line sizing and pricing-wise with the Accord, then I feel there’d be a larger potential for gross sales. Our analysis has proven there’s typically extra of an curiosity in sedans amongst future EV patrons, credit score the favored Mannequin 3 after all, and that’s very true amongst future Honda patrons who plan to go all-electric subsequent.”
Based on AutoPacific’s 2024 Future Attribute Demand Research, 52% of EV-interested Honda patrons surveyed are fascinated about sedans or hatchbacks from the model, however not giant ones. In the event that they wished an EV Honda sedan, they wished a mid-sized sedan or smaller.
“The best curiosity is amongst mid-size sedans or 5-door hatchbacks (28%), significantly greater than a bigger flagship-type physique type,” DeGraff mentioned.
Honda
This isn’t all dangerous information, although. Honda’s executives had been adamant that the Sequence 0 Saloon was merely the beginning of the model’s EV push. They assured us that cheaper fashions would quickly comply with after the Saloon 0’s manufacturing. It’s all outlined in Honda’s future EV plan: it plans for 2 extra EV crossovers roughly the identical status because the Saloon 0, but in addition a three-row SUV beneath, and ultimately two extra cheaper SUVs beneath that. Lastly, its plans up to now cease with a compact sedan that shouldn’t be priced too excessive.
The manufacturing model of the Honda Saloon 0 idea is predicted to go on sale in 2026.
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