The Honda Prologue Is 2024’s Shock EV Success Story

• Honda’s Prologue EV is new for 2024 and doing properly in gross sales already.
• It was shut in gross sales to the Ford Mustang Mach-E in Q3 and even handed the Hyundai Ioniq 5 in the identical interval. 
• Will Honda’s future EV technique be capable of capitalize on the Prologue’s success?

You must rise up fairly early within the morning to outfox the Ford Mustang Mach-E. It is spent a couple of years now as one in every of America’s top-selling electrical automobiles that do not come from Tesla, and it took the highest non-Tesla crown this yr after the Chevrolet Bolt bowed out of the market. However now, and maybe unexpectedly, an unlikely competitor is gaining quick on the Mach-E: the Honda Prologue.

The current evaluation of third-quarter U.S. electrical automobile gross sales information from Cox Automotive has some very fascinating pattern traces. One factor that stood out to us particularly was simply how properly the Prologue is doing in its first yr available on the market and as manufacturing actually begins to ramp up.

In accordance with the information, the Prologue turned America’s fifth best-selling EV in Q3, behind, so as, the Tesla Mannequin Y, Mannequin 3, Cybertruck and Mustang Mach-E. So for non-Tesla EV gross sales, which means the Prologue takes the silver medal. And with 12,644 Prologue gross sales in Q3, it was solely off the Mach-E’s numbers by 748 models. 

Granted, the Mach-E will in all probability hold the non-Tesla chief standing by the yr’s finish as a result of it is simply been on sale in quantity for for much longer. However the truth that the Prologue is catching up so shortly to successful just like the Mach-E says rather a lot about how a lot individuals need good electrical Hondas. 

I might additionally add that the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is not any gross sales slouch both, and, along with being one of many best-spec’d EVs round, appeared prefer it may presumably take the non-Tesla gross sales chief place this yr. However now it has robust competitors too. 

This can be a good consequence for Honda’s first fashionable EV, however maybe it isn’t too shocking. American automobile patrons nonetheless are inclined to equate Honda and Toyota with being “inexperienced” automobile firms since each have been such pioneers within the hybrid enviornment (and nonetheless do very properly sales-wise with electrified fashions.) This summer season, we featured a survey that indicated Honda and Toyota have been thought of EV leaders within the U.S., regardless of each automakers being truly reluctant to embrace full electrification.

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Jeff Perez / Motor1

However clearly, individuals need good EVs from these manufacturers; on the months when good offers and reductions might be discovered, Toyota’s bZ4X confirmed huge progress. It is a clientele that desires reliable and dependable know-how and might be extra inclined to “inexperienced” than followers of different automobile manufacturers. 

And the specs on the Prologue are fairly authentic. With front- or dual-motor all-wheel-drive, as much as 296 miles of vary from its 85 kWh battery and a design that does not scream “I am an electrical spaceship,” Honda’s EV crossover hits lots of candy spots for mainstream success. Honda is even throwing in a house EV charger and assist with some set up prices on the Prologue, making it sort of a turnkey alternative for individuals going electrical for the primary time. 

Certain, beneath it truly makes use of Normal Motors’ EV platform and batteries, however I am undecided many shoppers know and even care. (And GM’s Ultium platform is powerful by itself, with electrical gross sales from the American automaker displaying severe beneficial properties too.) 

Oh, and it has Apple CarPlay, not like GM’s EVs. No surprise it is doing properly. 

Honda

The query now’s what Honda’s electrical future will seem like. It is cleat that whereas the GM-based Prologue is widespread, it is also sort of a stopgap till Honda can get its in-house EV operations up and working. That features enormous battery and automobile manufacturing hubs in Ohio and Canada and a novel method to EVs that goals to emphasise lighter weight, inside house and higher tech. However we’ve questions on that method too, like whether or not these next-generation Honda EVs will look as on the market because the 0 Sequence Ideas that debuted at CES this yr, and what it means in the event that they launch with a costlier flagship sedan.

Optimistically, Honda will be capable of ship one thing that may capitalize on the Prologue’s success. And as fascinating because the 0 Sequence fashions might be, a moderately-priced, good-range household crossover may be the confirmed play as an alternative. 

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