Honda has unveiled a sleek new electric SUV concept in China, and the automaker claims that it’s an indication of a “future mass-production model.”
At the 2020 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, Honda unveiled the “Honda SUV e:concept.”
Unfortunately, the automaker didn’t reveal any spec or clear plan to bring the electric SUV to production.
However, Honda notes that the concept is “indicating the direction of a future mass-production model”:
“Honda today exhibited the world premiere of the Honda SUV e:concept at the 2020 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition (Auto China 2020). The Honda SUV e:concept is a concept model indicating the direction of a future mass-production model of the Honda brand’s first electric vehicle (EV) to be introduced in China.”
Here are a few pictures of the concept unveiled on state this weekend (via Povozcar on Youtube):
Electrek’s Take
We are not the biggest fan of Honda’s EV strategy.
In North America, they only have a low volume electric car based on a three-powertrain platform.
Their only electric car built to be electric from the ground up is a short range EV only available in Europe.
It’s clear that the Japanese automaker is focusing its EV strategy in Europe and China, where regulations force them to do so.
Now we get this electric concept, which seems to be more of a design exercise than anything.
In my opinion, this strategy is too weak in 2020.
I am still hopeful that we are going to see a change in strategy over the next couple of years as Honda’s bet on hydrogen is not paying off and it is feeling a lot more pressure on battery-electric vehicles from the competition.
They have a deal with GM to help them bring new EV in North America, which could help, but at the same time, they are not gaining the battery-powered vehicle expertise for these programs.
Is it going to be too late for Honda? We will see.
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Author: Fred Lambert
Source: Electrek
