PLUS: Genesis GV60 arrives, EA bets on solar power, and Mercedes Vision AMG shows off sleek design.
Honda's next EV is not quite around the corner just yet, but it is on the way. This week the automaker revealed more details about its upcoming electric crossover that it is developing along with GM, one that is expected to relaunch Honda's electric lineup in the states.
Due in 2024, the Prologue crossover was previewed this week with a rendering showcasing the upcoming model's adventure-ready design. The Prologue itself was penned by the Honda Design Studio in California, working alongside the automaker's design team in Japan. The result, which is a computer model showing the vehicle's general design direction, is quite detailed for this stage in the process—an unusual move by Honda. Usually we don't see such detail until weeks before a reveal at an auto show, but this sketch looks quite production-ready. The rendering certainly gives away the design of the model's front fascia, pointing to a new direction for the automaker's EVs.
"We announced a plan two years ago, positioned as a smart strategy, to co-develop an electric vehicle with GM. What will result is not just a more efficient process, but a great looking new vehicle, the Honda Prologue," said Mamadou Diallo, vice president of auto sales, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
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Honda plans to introduce a new dealership concept for EV sales. |
One little-advertised fact is that Honda already offers EVs in a number of countries, and has recently launched a duo of electric crossovers in China produced in not one but two plants simultaneously, with models even receiving different names. So Honda's US image as an EV holdout is perhaps undeserved, even though we'll still have to wait another two years to see the Prologue on sale.
"Our dealers are excited about Prologue and the fact that it is just the first volume Honda EV, with more Honda engineered EVs we will begin building in North America coming to market in 2026," Diallo added.
Read on to find out how Honda is getting ready for its next crop of electric vehicles.
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Kia has more in the works than EVs for private buyers, as it seeks to cater to businesses large and small. |
Speaking of upcoming EVs, we're certainly familiar with the Kia EV6 by now, but electric models aimed at private owners aren't the only direction in which the automaker is headed. This week Kia revealed plans to launch a whole lineup of electric purpose-built vehicles, or PBVs, set to arrive in a few years.
Just what are these PBVs? Their uses range from delivery vehicles—the type of PBV that's seen the most attention in recent years—to mobile shops. They can also be passenger shuttles or food delivery vehicles. Kia plans to address all of these segments aimed at business customers, just as other automakers are busy getting EV delivery van production up and running.
"When operation begins in the second half of 2025, the new PBV facility will build a mid-sized PBV, Kia's first dedicated PBV model," the automaker said. "Kia's first dedicated PBV will be based on Kia's 'eS' skateboard platform, explicitly developed for PBVs. The new platform can flexibly accommodate various PBV model sizes in response to diverse customer demands."
So Kia won't be the first automaker to offer purpose-built delivery vehicles, but it should have one of the largest annual outputs of such models when the first ones arrive in a few years.
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Loping twins and screaming fours once dominated the soundscape of city traffic. Now, all you'll hear is a whine. With a flat-track inspired look and approachable dimensions, LiveWire launches its second bike as the new S2 Del Mar model. With all 100 launch-edition models sold out in 20 minutes, the new EV bike is set to shake up the electric motorcycle market.
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Towing a trailer is not great for range, with the added weight and increased drag from pulling something large making your vehicle work harder—and using more energy. While internal combustion rigs still dominate the towing space, electric vehicles are becoming more common on the road. Naturally, EVs will be increasingly called upon to handle a family's towing tasks. With that in mind, the team at Bowlus, a luxury travel trailer manufacturer, strapped one of its trailers to a Tesla Model X to see how much of a range penalty customers would expect. |
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