Photograph Courtesy Honda • Illustration by Colin Wood
One way to keep future electric cars inexpensive? Co-develop them with another car company–at least that’s what Honda and GM are banking on:
The companies [Honda and GM] are working together to enable global production of millions of EVs starting in 2027, including compact crossover vehicles, leveraging the two companies’ technology, design and sourcing strategies. The companies will also work toward standardizing equipment and processes to achieve world-class quality, higher throughput and greater affordability. The compact crossover segment is the largest in the world, with annual volumes of more than 13 million vehicles.
Besides the aforementioned “compact crossover vehicles,” no specific details are offered as to what sort of vehicles we could expect to see in five years, though we do know that they’ll be sporting GM’s Ultium battery tech.
As well, the release notes that both companies will discuss future collaboration opportunities in order to “drive down the cost of electrification, improve performance and drive sustainability for future vehicles.”
What sort of cars are you hoping to see–and what sort of cars do you think we’ll actually get–out of this EV joint venture?
Well, sometimes they make the cars possible when they wouldn't have been otherwise. So, yes?
I think this is good. GM's good at powertrains. GM's not good at a lot of other stuff that Honda is good at. These are two really big companies, which means a lot of volume which bodes well for cost and servicing. This could go well.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
Also, another opportunity for Colin to Photoshop a battery onto a car.
I'd like to take this moment to remind everyone of the last Honda/GM joint venture, the Saturn Vue with the CVT...
David S. Wallens said:In reply to Keith Tanner :
Also, another opportunity for Colin to Photoshop a battery onto a car.
It was so well done I thought that was a prototype!
In reply to David S. Wallens :
I'll never pass up the chance.
Javelin said:I'd like to take this moment to remind everyone of the last Honda/GM joint venture, the Saturn Vue with the CVT...
Not so much a joint venture. GM used Honda V6/Automatics in the VUEs.
The CVT was awful, but unrelated to Honda. I guess I shouldn't find this part suprising (from wikipedia) "The VTi is assembled at a General Motors/Fiat joint venture plant"
The Vibe/Matrix worked very well for both GM and Toyota. I can see this working if they do it well. If it results in an EV Odyssey with 400 miles of range for $30K, I am in. I'd also accept a Civic EV (esp hatch) with Bolt-esque specs. If it results in a Honda badged Equinox with 250 miles of range for $40K, I am out.
A Honda badged Equinox for $40k with 250 miles of range is pretty much exactly what the mass market wants.
400 miles of range in an EV Odyssey for $30k will never happen, the economics don't work. The MSRP of the ICE Odyssey is 10% higher than that.
Agreed on both of Keith's points.
I wouldn't mind a Civic Si hatch with a bolt-ish drivetrain though. But again, not for $40k.
Keith Tanner said:A Honda badged Equinox for $40k with 250 miles of range is pretty much exactly what the mass market wants.
400 miles of range in an EV Odyssey for $30k will never happen, the economics don't work. The MSRP of the ICE Odyssey is 10% higher than that.
I didn't speak for the mass market, I spoke for me. Check back with me in a decade on the last line, though, and adjust for inflation.
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