Photo: Automotive News
Honda: Working with GM for North American EVs is ‘Best Solution’ For Now
In an interview, Honda President and CEO Toshihiro Mibe says he’s readying the company for a dramatic shift to EVs, according to a report from Automotive News.
The interview from Automotive News covered a range of topics, largely centering around the company’s ambitious move towards EVs, as well as Mibe’s goals going forward with the company.
HONDA'S TOSHIHIRO MIBE: Readying for a dramatic EV shift https://t.co/GpagBdWraY pic.twitter.com/1274kZhKXy
— Automotive News (@Automotive_News) November 28, 2021
When asked about Honda transitioning from the engines it’s known for to electric engines, Mibe said, “The question is, can we achieve carbon neutrality just by hanging on to our existing engines? If we could, that would be fine. But that is not a realistic solution.”
Mibe continued, “What we really want to do is achieve carbon neutrality. The best asset we have is not the engines themselves, but the human resources that have been building those engines.”
According to the Honda CEO, working with GM will be the “best solution” for now, as its first step for electric vehicles for North America. From 2024, the company will debut the Honda Prologue EV and another Acura EV model. More details are coming in early 2022.
Honda is also investing “billions and billions” into its EV and battery plan.
Mibe acknowledges that there’s still a ways to go for Honda, saying that they are still in the “initial stage” of electrifying and that they don’t want to “wear themselves out.”
Last month, Honda unveiled its new electrification strategy depicting plans to manufacture only EVs by 2030. The plan is expected to start taking place in 2022, with 10 new Honda EVs to be brought to market in the next five years.
