PHarsenal1205
Rarely opens PHC
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe admits that executives who flew to Auto Shanghai had a rather unpleasant surprise: the Chinese brands are ahead of them.
Speaking at Honda’s annual business briefing, Mibe admits that Chinese EVs are “ahead of them [Honda], even more than expected.” He says that Chinese automakers made big strides during the coronavirus pandemic resulting in offerings that are becoming sophisticated and advanced.
Of course, Mibe and his team isn’t going to take this lying down. This has rekindled the fire in the belly for Honda, and recognizing that they’re slightly behind now, they’re determined to turn the tables.
This starts out with a redefined global brand slogan. The Power of Dreams slogan will now have a new tagline, “How We Move You” and three key words, “Create, Transcend, Augment.”
Mibe says 2025 will be a turning point for Honda’s global electrification strategy—a strategy wherein the brand will ditch the internal combustion engine altogether by 2040 in favor of full-electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
To do so, Honda will launch its in-house dedicated EV platform in North America for mid- and large-sized SUVs (E&E architecture). In China, meanwhile, they will start phasing out gasoline cars by 2027 with the introduction of 10 new EVs. By 2035, it will only sell EVs in China, an earlier timeline compared to the rest of the world. For its home market of Japan, Honda will launch an EV-powered kei car by 2025 and two other small-sized EVs by 2026.
Honda will also funnel back all profits generated by their gasoline- and hybrid-powered vehicles into developing EVs and other so-called “technologies of tomorrow.”
This includes the development and demonstration production of game-changing solid-state batteries by 2024 which will be introduced in production vehicles by the second half of 2020s.
Honda has also entered into a collaboration with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to ensure a stable supply of semiconductors, a vital part of the increasingly sophisticated vehicles.
With the new ship supply, Honda EVs starting with the 2026 model year will be equipped with a new automotive operating software that the company is developing internally. The software will enable a new user interface for drivers and passengers as well as more advanced driver-assistance systems and technologies.
FROM: CARGUIDE.PH
