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TOKYO, April 26 (AP) — Honda is gearing up for an electrification shift in North America, with two models developed with General Motors Co. to go on sale next year and a larger electric car to follow in 2025 on a new platform. , a year earlier than originally announced.
“We believe society’s emphasis on being kind to the environment will only gain momentum,” President Toshihiro Mibe said on Wednesday, announcing a series of initiatives aimed at pushing Honda onto the global EV map.
Tokyo-based Honda will make progress on investments and partnerships to achieve those goals, Mibe told reporters.
Honda has set a goal that by 2040, all of its models worldwide will be electric or fuel cell, hydrogen-powered and emission-free. It aims to produce more than 2 million electric vehicles per year by 2030.
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In Japan, where demand for EVs is picking up, an EV based on the tiny N-ONE model will go on sale in 2025. Two more EV models will be launched next year.
In China, the world’s largest electric car market, Honda Motor Co. will go on sale next year with three electric car models: the e:NS2, e:NP2 and a concept car it recently unveiled at the Shanghai Auto Show.
By 2027, Honda will launch another seven EV models in China. Honda aims to sell 100% electric vehicles in China by 2035, ahead of other regions.
All the automakers in the world are getting serious about EVs, currently dominated by Tesla and China’s BYD. As governments move to curb emissions and climate change, even previously skeptical consumers are buying electric vehicles, especially in the U.S. and China, but also in parts of Europe and Australia.
The big question is whether Japanese manufacturers like Honda and Toyota will be able to dominate the market the way they used to with gas-guzzling cars.
Some analysts say a car is still a car and that the wealth of expertise that comes with making it remains relevant in the new electric age. Others claim it’s a whole new ball game with plenty of opportunities for new players.
The Toyota EV bZ4X, which went on sale last year, was recalled shortly after due to a defective hub bolt that could cause the wheel to come off, causing an accident. About 2,700 vehicles have been recalled worldwide. No crashes were reported and the model has been restarted for sale.
But it’s a painful reminder of the pitfalls when venturing into new territory with a flagship model. Toyota had previously pinned its hopes on hybrids that switch back and forth between gas engines and electric motors, and fuel cells that run on hydrogen.
Toyota President Koji Sato, who took over this month, acknowledged that Toyota is lagging behind in selling electric vehicles globally.
The main downside to the popularity of electric vehicles is that batteries are heavy, which poses a challenge for vehicle development. The components needed to make batteries, such as rare earths, are very expensive.
Mibe said Honda plans to use its strategic partnership with Japanese trading house Hanwa Co. to ensure steady procurement of nickel, cobalt and lithium for batteries.
In North America, Honda will use batteries from General Motors and a joint venture with South Korea’s LG Energy Solution. Honda will build the electric models in the U.S. at its three plants in Ohio, including the Marysville plant.
Under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act signed into law by President Joe Biden last year, to receive the full tax credit, electric vehicles must be assembled in North America and a certain percentage of battery parts and minerals must come from North America or a free-trade U.S. partner.
Honda is also working on developing solid-state batteries for electric vehicles, Mibe said. Electric vehicles now primarily use lithium-ion batteries.
Honda’s 2025 platform is called “E&E Architecture,” which means “electrical and electronic,” referring to the software, connectivity and services that work while driving and are updated over time. Automakers will compete in this space.
Mibe said Honda has addressed a recent shortage of computer chips that has affected all automakers, in part because of restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic. Honda has reached a basic agreement with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world’s largest semiconductor maker, to prevent such shortages in the future.
“We want to lead the world in eco-manufacturing,” Mibe said. (AP) MRJ
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
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