While it’s not due to arrive at your local Honda dealer for at least two more years, the Honda Prologue EV is already making headlines. In North America, this makes perfect sense; the Prologue will be the first EV model from the brand. Sure, other markets have the Honda e, but we’re getting the Prologue SUV and an Acura counterpart in 2024 to be the first pair of EVs from Honda in the United States. This should signify the beginning of Honda electrification and new models around the world.
How Can this be Only the Start?
Honda has been early to market with industry-breaking changes in the past, and it’s burned them. The first generation of the Honda Insight was all but forgotten when Toyota brought us something better in the Prius. While we can only speculate this is why Honda is late to the market with an EV, it could be part of the reason. In the pursuit of electrification, Honda went searching for a partner and found one in General Motors. The GM Ultium platform will be part of the first wave of Honda all-electric vehicles to arrive.
We Must Pay Attention to the Language Used
When a car company says they’re electrifying their model lineup, does that mean they intend to have nothing but electric vehicles in the future? No, it does not. Unless the brand announced a date by which they are going all-electric or pure electric, this is not the same as having an electrified lineup. Even though some of us don’t like to play the semantics game, it’s the way of the world. When you visit future Honda dealer locations, not all of the vehicles will be all-electric, but by 2040, the entire lineup will be electrified.
What Are the Semantics of Electrified?
Honda has committed to researching Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles as a potential future alternative to gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles. These hydrogen models use an electrified battery system to turn liquified hydrogen into useful electric energy and expel water vapor in the process. These vehicles also burn clean and offer zero harmful emissions when driving. Although bringing hydrogen vehicles to the market is still an uncertain territory, Honda could be a leader in this technology if it becomes widely used with a supportive infrastructure. Could hydrogen stations replace gas stations in the future? We’ll have to wait and see.
How Many Electric Honda Will Arrive in 2024?
Between the new Honda Prologue EV and the upcoming Acura EV, Honda is limiting its production of these two models in North America to 70,000 units. This should give them an idea of how well these EVs will sell and how much to ramp up each following year. If all goes well, these electrified SUVs should arrive at Honda dealer locations before the end of 2023 to be part of the start of the new model year.
How Big is the Honda Prologue EV?
Considering the variety of models now using the GM Ultium battery platform, understanding the size of this new SUV could be important. Early spy shots show the new Prologue with a size that appears to be similar to the Chevy Blazer EV. Styling cues that we can gather from these photos allow us to see that this new Honda might look a lot like the Blazer electric vehicle, but those could be early photos taken before the Prologue took on its shape. If this new Honda does have similar proportions to the Chevy, we could have an interesting midsize crossover SUV that fits right alongside the current Honda Passport.
Fuzzy Details Create an Interesting Conversation
The new Honda Prologue appears to be on track to be a good option when searching for an electric SUV. Early indicators tell us this new Honda could cost $45,000 when you visit your local Honda dealer. The early spy shots show a vehicle with large wheels, short front and rear overhangs, and simple but attractive lighting elements. The Prologue might be sized similarly to the Passport, but it should have a slightly lower roofline to give it a more aerodynamic shape.
What’s the Driving Range of the New Honda Prologue?
Considering the size is extremely similar to the Blazer EV, we expect the driving range to be similar as well. This new Honda riding on the GM battery platform could offer a driving range between 250 and 320 miles on a full charge. This will, of course, depend on the configuration, size of the batteries, number of electric motors, and size of the wheels. The new Acura SUV, which could be named ADX, will likely have the same platform and offer similar driving distances when fully charged.
Could Honda Use the Cadillac Lyriq Setup?
Another GM product that rides on the Ultium battery platform is the new Cadillac Lyriq. It’s entirely possible the new Honda Prologue EV could use the exact same powertrain as the Lyriq. If so, the Prologue would have a single rear motor that offers 340 horsepower and 325 lb-ft o torque. A second motor is an option for the Lyriq, and it could be the same for the Honda, allowing the electric SUV to offer AWD and have more power for the drive.
The charging time for the Lyriq shows it reaches 200 miles in about 30 minutes using a DC fast charger. The same could be offered for the Honda Prologue.
Mysteries Continue to be Plentiful
It’s always fun to talk about upcoming vehicles and what they could bring to the market. The new Honda Prologue is a mystery that will be solved in the near future. Even the design process, shown in the video below, takes a bit of new, and a bit of old and meshes them together to make something pretty cool. Will you look for the new Prologue at your Honda dealer when it arrives, or will you wait and see what else this brand has in store for the electric vehicles of the future?
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