After confirming its existence last year, Honda has finally given the world a glimpse of its first battery-electric vehicle, a crossover called the Prologue. This will be the first fruits of Honda’s collaboration with General Motors meaning the Prologue will be underpinned by the Ultium suite. Based on the single teaser sketch, the 2024 Honda Prologue will be a big vehicle, closer in size to a Pilot instead of the bestselling CR-V.
Unlike most fully electric crossovers, the 2024 Honda Prologue looks conventional. It features an upright greenhouse, big glass areas and lots of plastic cladding on the fenders and lower part of the vehicle. The front end is typical Honda with curved headlight clusters and vertical black inserts on the lower portion. Unlike Honda’s current SUVs, there’s no traditional grille; instead, you get a blacked out bar connecting the headlights. There’s a small opening in the lower part where you’ll find the sensor for the driver assistance technologies and openings to cool the powertrain.
The Prologue also appears to have knobby tires, which could hint that Honda will offer this SUV with a rugged, off-road-oriented model similar to the Passport Trailsport. Expect standard and upscale models, which should be more on-road focused. Honda hasn’t disclosed powertrain details but if the Cadillac Lyriq is any indication, both the single- and dual-motor variants will be potent. The Cadillac makes 340 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque in RWD configuration while the AWD variant makes a whopping 500 hp. Honda could use a less potent iteration and will likely be more focused on driving range and getting the most out of a single charge.
Together with the teaser sketch, Honda also reaffirmed its electrification plans. Following the Prologue, which arrives in 2024, BEVs on Honda’s in-house-developed architecture called the e: Architecture will go on sale in 2026. In 2027, production and sales of affordable electric vehicles co-developed with General Motors will start. By 2030, Honda aims to sell 500,000 BEVs in North America. It is also working with dealers to create a new flexible and modular space as consumers change the way they buy vehicles. This will also result in smaller inventories as more people order cars instead of buying what’s on the lot. Dealers will also be required to install BEV charging stations based on their expected sales volume through 2030. Honda will also put out guidelines regarding tools and equipment dealers need to acquire to service electrified vehicles.
The Prologue will be designed in the U.S. and sold mainly in North America. Virtual reality technology played a key part in its design as the team in the Los Angeles studio worked through the pandemic and continued collaborating with their counterparts in Japan. Following closely will be Acura’s first BEV, which will be released in 2024, the same year as the Prologue. It will also use the Ultium suite and could be the sportier model
Between now and the debut of the 2024 Honda Prologue, more hybrids and plug-in hybrids will join the lineup. The next-generation Accord, Civic, and CR-V are all getting electrified models using Honda’s unique two-motor system that doesn’t have a transmission. The CR-V will be the first Honda crossover to offer a plug-in hybrid powertrain and could be the most powerful one to date.
