NEW YORK MOTOR SHOW: Honda to debut Clarity electric car

Honda will unveil the next phase of its green car strategy at next month’s New York motor show - in the form of the Clarity electric car and Clarity plug-in hybrid.

Confirming the development this week, the Japanese car maker said the Clarity “is at the vanguard of Honda's commitment to address society's energy and environmental concerns as the company expects significant growth in sales of electrified vehicles”. The new model will also be a key platform in Honda’s ambition to make two-thirds of global sales from electrified vehicles by 2030.

However, that plan is yet involve Honda’s Australian arm, which has confirmed to motoring.com.au that its green line-up will only encompass the petrol-electric NSX supercar for the foreseeable future.

Honda Australia spokesman Neil McDonald said the Clarity pairing had been slated for the North American, European and Japanese markets only. And while the latter region, Japan, is a right-hand drive market just like Australia, McDonald said there wasn’t enough demand or infrastructure locally to warrant either vehicle making it Down Under.

It was the same line of thinking that led to Honda dumping its entire hybrid vehicle line-up in Australia in 2016.

Nonetheless, the Clarity teaser gives some insight into the car’s edgy design, punctuated by and angular front grille, bonnet and bumper, the latter outlined by prominent LED daytime running lights.

Honda claims the Clarity Electric will be the first affordable, mid-size, five-passenger battery electric vehicle. The electric model and the plug-in hybrid will join the existing fuel cell Clarity model already offered within some regions of the United States.

Honda is yet to provide specific drivetrain details at this point, but we’ll be sure to investigate from the stands of the New York show in April.