Honda to electrify all of its models

Honda Australia has committed to releasing a hybrid version of every new model it releases from now on, and will soon outline a new pure-electric vehicle plan under its new ‘agency’ sales strategy from July 1.

The Japanese car-maker’s local chief Stephen Collins would not divulge which Honda EV or EVs would be released in Australia or when, but the battery-electric Honda e could be among them.

Speaking to carsales ahead of today’s dealer network announcement, Collins made it clear that Honda’s EV plans would not wait for government incentives for customers.

“I think our view is particularly that the market really needs to determine the EV market. So, we’re not calling on particular incentives or whatever it might be. The market needs to decide,” he said.

But Collins made it clear Honda Australia will soon confirm at least one new EV for the local market.

“We’ll be in the position in the next couple of months to detail with you what our EV strategy is, what products we’re bringing to the market, what that will mean in terms of CO2 and CO2 targets. [But] I think we might need to keep that one for another day.”

Honda was a petrol-electric hybrid pioneer in Australia with its original Insight in 1999, but the third-generation hybrid launched in 2018 was never sold here. Nor was the Honda CR-V hybrid ever offered in Australia and the NSX hybrid supercar is no longer available Down Under.

Honda has already ruled out the new all-hybrid Jazz hatch and its City sedan sibling for Australia, where the US-only MDX large SUV and Ridgeline dual-cab ute remain unavailable, and its only current hybrid model is its flagship Accord sedan.

However, that will change when replacements for its three core models – Civic, HR-V and CR-V – arrive over the next couple of years with hybrid power, followed by the next-generation Odyssey people-mover.

“Next-generation models is where we’ll be looking to introduce hybrids at every opportunity,” said Collins.

“Sooner rather than later we’ll get out and tell you exactly when that will be and how they will roll out over the next couple of years.”

Unlike Volvo, which will electrify every vehicle it sells in Australia via either mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid or full EV technology from July, Honda says it will introduce at least one hybrid variant in every new model range.

First cab off Honda Australia’s hybrid rank will be the new Honda HR-V, which was revealed last month exclusively with an e:HEV hybrid powertrain, and is due on sale here by February 2022.

It will be followed by the 11th-generation Honda Civic, which was leaked and then officially revealed in prototype sedan form last November.

Since then Honda Australia has confirmed it will come Down Under in hatch-only guise, which will form the basis of the next Honda Civic Type R, some time after the current model reaches the end of its lifecycle in mid-2021.

The third core Honda model to bring a hybrid powertrain will be the bigger new sixth-generation CR-V, which was recently spied in testing but is unlikely to arrive here before late 2022.

Beyond those three core models, Honda says Odyssey, Accord and Civic Type R will remain in their “supporting roles” and that “other new product lines will be added to the local line-up once the new operating model is fully embedded and underway”.

As part of its agency sales model, Honda Australia says it will focus on high-spec variants and axe entry-level grades, leading to higher but transparent prices and a reduction in sales volumes by more than half.