3 Things You Should Know About the Honda Prologue SUV
The Honda Prologue will be Honda’s first electric SUV for the American market. The Prologue is scheduled to release in 2024. Here are three important Prologue details that will provide you with some context about Honda’s new electric vehicle.
The Honda Prologue isn’t Honda’s first EV
The Honda Prologue is far from Japanese automaker Honda’s first fully electric vehicle. Some previous electric Honda models include the Fit EV-Plus, Fit EV, MC-B, and Clarity Electric. The Clarity Electric made the most impact on the American market, and frankly, the EV did not perform well.
The Clarity Electric had a measly 89-mile driving range that was just too impractical for the average consumer. Today, a practical electric vehicle driving range is considered between 200 and 250 miles on a full charge. The Clarity Electric is one of the EVs that gave many potential buyers range anxiety and deterred them from considering electric vehicles. It was axed because of poor sales.
Honda has fallen short trying to produce a successful electric vehicle platform for the American market in recent years. The brand’s failure to produce an EV for consumers in the U.S. has allowed competitors to take up more of the new vehicle market share. American automakers Tesla, Ford, and Rivian have all made huge impacts on the EV space in 2022. Japanese automaker Toyota is offering the Toyota bZ4X electric SUV. Japanese automaker Nissan has teased the Ariya electric SUV.
Honda is quickly falling behind. The Prologue may not be the first Honda EV, but it had better become the most popular Honda EV for the company’s sake. The stage is set for electric vehicles to take up a much larger percentage of the new vehicle market share by the next decade. Companies like Volkswagen are investing billions into EV charging infrastructure. The electric future may not be as far away as you think.
Honda is partnering with General Motors to manufacture the Prologue
RELATED: The Honda Prologue EV SUV is Coming in 2024
Developing a successful electric vehicle platform can be challenging. Plenty of EV nameplates have bit the dust. Honda has chosen to partner with big three American automaker General Motors to develop its electric vehicle. The Honda Prologue will share a platform with the Hummer EV and Cadillac Lyriq. The Acura EV will use the Ultium GM platform as well.
GM experienced early success in the electric vehicle space with the Chevy Bolt nameplate. Today, the Chevy Bolt is much more controversial than when it first arrived in 2017. Reports of battery fires have circulated, and GM was forced to recall all Bolt and Bolt EUV electric vehicles. Will this partnership actually be fruitful for Honda?
The Honda Prologue will cost around $40K
Experts expect the 2024 Honda Prologue to start at around $40,000. The Toyota bZ4X starts at $42,000, so Honda’s electric SUV will likely be within the same price range. It should be eligible for a $7,500 federal electric vehicle tax credit.
The Prologue shouldn’t break the bank. One of the advantages of being so late to the game is that consumers should be able to claim a full EV tax credit for the Prologue since Honda has yet to sell many EV units in America.
Will the Prologue make Honda a true contender in the race to produce the best electric vehicle, or will the Japanese automaker suffer a crushing defeat as the electric vehicle segment heats up. According to Car and Driver, Honda aims to sell 500,000 electric vehicles in North America by 2030.
Read about one of the Honda Prologue’s future rivals, the Toyota bZ4X, in the next article below.
