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Wednesday, January 29, 2025

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?

It’s important to rise up fairly early within the morning to outfox the Ford Mustang Mach-E. It is spent just a few years now as considered one of America’s top-selling electrical autos that do not come from Tesla, and it took the highest non-Tesla crown this 12 months 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 knowledge from Cox Automotive has some very fascinating development traces. One factor that stood out to us particularly was simply how properly the Prologue is doing in its first 12 months in the marketplace and as manufacturing actually begins to ramp up.

Based on the information, the Prologue grew to become 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, meaning 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 12 months’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 rapidly to successful just like the Mach-E says rather a lot about how a lot individuals need good electrical Hondas. 

EV Title Q3 2024 Gross sales Q3 2023 Gross sales Yr-To-Date (Q3 Finish)
Tesla Mannequin Y 86,801 95,539 284,831
Tesla Mannequin 3 58,423 53,251 131,975
Tesla Cybertruck 16,692 N/A 28,250
Ford Mustang Mach-E 13,392 14,842 35,626
Honda Prologue 12,644 N/A 14,179
Hyundai Ioniq 5 11,590 11,665 30,318

I might additionally add that the Hyundai Ioniq 5 isn’t any gross sales slouch both, and, along with being one of many best-spec’d EVs round, appeared prefer it might presumably take the non-Tesla gross sales chief place this 12 months. However now it has powerful competitors too. 

It is a good final result for Honda’s first fashionable EV, however maybe it is not too shocking. American automotive consumers nonetheless are likely to equate Honda and Toyota with being “inexperienced” automotive firms since each have been such pioneers within the hybrid area (and nonetheless do very properly sales-wise with electrified fashions.) This summer time, we featured a survey that indicated Honda and Toyota have been thought of EV leaders within the U.S., regardless of each automakers being really reluctant to embrace full electrification.

However clearly, individuals need good EVs from these manufacturers; on the months when good offers and reductions could possibly be discovered, Toyota’s bZ4X confirmed large development. It is a clientele that wishes reliable and dependable expertise and might be extra inclined to “inexperienced” than followers of different automotive manufacturers. 

And the specs on the Prologue are fairly respectable. 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 plenty 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 selection for individuals going electrical for the primary time. 

Positive, beneath it really makes use of Normal Motors’ EV platform and batteries, however I am undecided many purchasers 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, in contrast to GM’s EVs. No marvel it is doing properly. 

Honda Series 0 Prototype

Honda

The query now could be what Honda’s electrical future will appear like. It is cleat that whereas the GM-based Prologue is fashionable, it is also sort of a stopgap till Honda can get its in-house EV operations up and operating. That features enormous battery and automotive manufacturing hubs in Ohio and Canada and a novel strategy to EVs that goals to emphasise lighter weight, inside area and higher tech. However we’ve got questions on that strategy 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 12 months, and what it means in the event that they launch with a dearer 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 could possibly be, a moderately-priced, good-range household crossover could be the confirmed play as a substitute. 

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