Honda Charges Up Its Electrification Strategy
The Japanese automaker says its vehicles will be fully carbon neutral by 2050.
By Liz Nastu •
This story originally appeared on Environment + Energy Leader
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has announced that the company will make organizational and operational changes, effective April 1, 2023, as it further solidifies the direction of the organizational changes made last year with an eye toward the realization of carbon neutrality by 2050.
Specifically, Honda will strive to further accelerate its electrification business and create new value by leveraging its broad and expanding range of mobility products and services.
Key changes include the creation of Electrification Business Development Operations for the company.
Related: General Motors and Honda create alliance to produce millions of electric cars
How Honda is plugging in
Established in April last year to strengthen Honda's electrification program, Electrification Business Development Operations will consolidate the business strategy and BEV product development functions of the automobile business and electrification-related strategy and development functions of the motorcycle and power products businesses to further strengthen and accelerate Honda's move towards a 100% battery and EV future.
Honda also recently announced a goal to make battery electric and fuel cell electric vehicles to represent 100% of its vehicle sales by 2040, progressing from sales of 40% by 2030 and 80% by 2035.
In the second half of 2022, Honda will launch a series of new EV models that adopt e:Architecture, a new EV platform led by Honda. These EV models will first be introduced to the North American market and then to other regions of the world. Honda is jointly developing two large-sized EV models using GM's Ultium batteries and is planning to introduce these SUVs to the North American market as model year 2024 vehicles, one from Honda brand and the other from the Acura brand.
Due to regional differences such as the level of customer acceptance, the readiness of infrastructure, and the availability of renewable energy, it is difficult to adopt a singular approach to the popularization of electrified vehicles globally. In all major markets for electrification, Honda will strive to increase the ratio of battery-electric (EV) and fuel cell electric (FCV) vehicles within overall unit sales to 40% by 2030, to 80% by 2035, and then to 100% globally by 2040.
