Honda Just Axed Its Last EV In The U.S.
Say goodbye to the Honda Prologue. With that and the Acura ZDX both canceled, Honda is left without an electric offering in America.
Say goodbye to the Honda Prologue. The automaker confirmed on Thursday that it will discontinue sales of its sole electric vehicle in the U.S. market later this year. The move follows the demise of the Acura ZDX in late 2025, and it will leave Honda without a fully electric offering in America.
"Honda will conclude sales of Prologue later this year following completion of the 2026 model year," a spokesperson told CarBuzz. "Prologue customers will continue to receive full support through our dealer network, including service, parts, and warranty coverage."
Policy changes advanced by the Trump administration and Congress have upended America's EV industry. As clean-car regulations eased and the loss of the tax credit dampened demand, carmakers have yanked a slew of EVs from the market. EVs are broadly unprofitable for legacy auto manufacturers, so in some ways it's not surprising that they jumped at the opportunity to pump the brakes. Honda was an early mover, killing the Acura ZDX last September, just before the $7,500 tax credit's untimely expiration.
The Prologue was Honda's last EV in the U.S.
The Ford F-150 Lightning, Nissan Ariya, Volkswagen ID.4, Volvo EX30, and many others followed. In the second quarter, EV sales showed their strongest signs of recovery since the EV tax credit shock last year. But it looks like the devastation isn't quite over yet.
During the Prologue's first year on sale in 2024, it was a surprise smash hit, selling over 33,000 units and quickly becoming one of the top-selling non-Tesla EVs. Earlier this year, Honda slashed its pricing by $7,500 to make up for the end of the federal incentive. Now it's the latest EV model to kick the bucket.
What's different about this decision, though, compared to all the others undertaken by other manufacturers, is that this leaves Honda without any semblance of an EV strategy in the United States. In March, the automaker pulled the plug on its next-generation "0-Series" EV platform on the one yard line. That was supposed to yield a software-defined sedan this year, with at least two crossovers to follow. The decision also put Honda's joint venture with Sony—and that collaboration's Afeela EV project—on ice.
Honda's EV plans have been market by fits and starts. At one point, Honda and GM were set to collaborate on affordable EVs. That never panned out. Then the companies joined forces again, with GM manufacturing the Prologue and ZDX on its Ultium platform at its factory in Mexico. Now that's over with too. Ultimately, the fact that Honda had farmed out the models' development and production to another manufacturer could have made the decision to pull the plug a bit easier.
The company said that canceling its upcoming 0 Series models was its best financial option in the face of declining profits, and that "starting production and sales of these three models in current business environment where the demand for EVs is declining significantly would likely result in further losses over the long term." The risk, especially with the Prologue gone too, is that EV sales pick back up someday and the company has nothing to offer customers. Over time, most industry watchers expect electric cars to get more popular in the U.S. Right now it's not clear how Honda will meet that moment.
You Might Enjoy...
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
'We Will Not Survive': Toyota Boss Wants Japanese Automakers To Team Up To Beat Chinese EVs
Toyota And BMW Are Testing Renewable Gas As An Alternative To EVs
Honda Has A New Partner For Solid-State EV Batteries
One Of Our Favorite Hyundai EVs Is Suddenly Cheaper Than Ever
Americans Can't Have These Affordable Chinese EVs. But They're Coming To Canada
Hyundai’s $5 Billion EV Battery Plant In Georgia Powers Up
Volvo Could Bring An Electric Sedan And Wagon To U.S. By 2028: Report
Source link
