- Honda set a gross sales document in August, with 28% of its gross sales coming from hybrid or electrical fashions.
- Most of these vehicles are hybrids, however the all-electric Prologue is off to a powerful begin with 5,401 deliveries in August alone.
- It is already outselling vehicles just like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, however we’ll need to see if Honda can maintain on to that momentum after the preliminary wave of consumers is glad.
Honda could also be late to the long-range EV market, however it’s off to a helluva begin. The corporate posted document gross sales this August, buoyed by robust SUV and truck gross sales, lots of hybrids and the all-new Honda Prologue EV.
Honda bought 127,900 vehicles final month, 35,886 of which have been electrified. The overwhelming majority of these are hybrids. Honda’s new technique has been to supply hybrid powertrains because the improve possibility for its mainstream vehicles. With the intention to get a loaded Touring mannequin of the Accord or CR-V with the great audio system, it’s important to get a hybrid. Positioning them because the premium possibility not solely helps soften the perceived value improve of the hybrid powertrain, it additionally precisely suggests {that a} hybrid is usually a extra luxurious, higher long-term possibility. Skeptical consumers who desire a loaded CR-V will doubtless be stunned by how good it feels with the two-motor hybrid system helping the four-cylinder gasoline engine.
A pair years into this technique, 51% of CR-Vs bought are hybrid. Honda sells lots of hybrid Accords, too, although it did not get away the quantity. And electrified gross sales are getting a lift from the newly launched Civic Hybrid. Anticipate its contributions to develop over the subsequent yr.
Nevertheless it’s the electrical Prologue that is the true information. Honda was sluggish to launch a long-range EV, and when it did it plucked a GM-sourced Ultium mannequin off the shelf. The Honda Prologue is actually a rebadged Chevy Blazer EV. That is effective, as I just like the Blazer EV. Hell, I leased one. I simply did not anticipate a rebadged Chevy EV to make a lot of an impression out there.
I broke rule primary within the auto market: By no means underestimate the ability of branding. Honda has been constructing hybrid automobiles for 20 years, making customers belief its electrical choices greater than they belief these from manufacturers which might be much less related to gas effectivity and frugalness. So Honda managed to maneuver 5,401 Prologues in August alone. For reference, Chevy bought 6,634 Blazer EVs in the entire second quarter. So even when it is promoting the very same EV as Chevy, Honda sells it quicker.
That could possibly be attributable to model loyalty or belief. It could possibly be as a result of the Prologue did not have the Blazer’s launch troubles. It could possibly be as a result of the Prologue got here out a number of months later, and Honda continues to be satisfying the preliminary wave of demand, or due to good lease offers final month. Or it could possibly be that, whereas virtually every little thing in regards to the Blazer and Prologue is equivalent, the Honda consists of Apple CarPlay, and the Chevy does not.
To seek out out whether or not this lead is enduring, we’ll need to see whether or not Honda can hold the Prologue promoting by the subsequent yr. By that time, it also needs to have introduced its first home-built long-range EV, made within the U.S. It might have been sluggish out of the gate, however do not rely Honda out of the EV race simply but.
