The Honda Prologue Is 2024’s Shock EV Success Story

• Honda’s Prologue EV is new for 2024 and doing effectively in gross sales already.
• It was shut in gross sales to the Ford Mustang Mach-E in Q3 and even handed the Hyundai Ioniq 5 in the identical interval. 
• Will Honda’s future EV technique be capable to capitalize on the Prologue’s success?

It’s important to rise up fairly early within the morning to outfox the Ford Mustang Mach-E. It is spent a couple of years now as one among America’s top-selling electrical autos that do not come from Tesla, and it took the highest non-Tesla crown this 12 months after the Chevrolet Bolt bowed out of the market. However now, and maybe unexpectedly, an unlikely competitor is gaining quick on the Mach-E: the Honda Prologue.

The current evaluation of third-quarter U.S. electrical car gross sales knowledge from Cox Automotive has some very attention-grabbing pattern traces. One factor that stood out to us particularly was simply how effectively the Prologue is doing in its first 12 months available on the market and as manufacturing actually begins to ramp up.

In response to the information, the Prologue grew to become America’s fifth best-selling EV in Q3, behind, so as, the Tesla Mannequin Y, Mannequin 3, Cybertruck and Mustang Mach-E. So for non-Tesla EV gross sales, meaning the Prologue takes the silver medal. And with 12,644 Prologue gross sales in Q3, it was solely off the Mach-E’s numbers by 748 items. 

Granted, the Mach-E will in all probability hold the non-Tesla chief standing by the 12 months’s finish as a result of it is simply been on sale in quantity for for much longer. However the truth that the Prologue is catching up so shortly to a success just like the Mach-E says rather a lot about how a lot individuals need good electrical Hondas. 

I might additionally add that the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is not any gross sales slouch both, and, along with being one of many best-spec’d EVs round, appeared prefer it may probably take the non-Tesla gross sales chief place this 12 months. However now it has robust competitors too. 

This can be a good consequence for Honda’s first trendy EV, however maybe it is not too stunning. American automobile patrons nonetheless are likely to equate Honda and Toyota with being “inexperienced” automobile firms since each had been such pioneers within the hybrid enviornment (and nonetheless do very effectively sales-wise with electrified fashions.) This summer season, we featured a survey that indicated Honda and Toyota had been thought-about EV leaders within the U.S., regardless of each automakers being really reluctant to embrace full electrification.

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Jeff Perez / Motor1

However clearly, individuals need good EVs from these manufacturers; on the months when good offers and reductions might be discovered, Toyota’s bZ4X confirmed large development. It is a clientele that desires reliable and dependable know-how and might be extra inclined to “inexperienced” than followers of different automobile manufacturers. 

And the specs on the Prologue are fairly reputable. With front- or dual-motor all-wheel-drive, as much as 296 miles of vary from its 85 kWh battery and a design that does not scream “I am an electrical spaceship,” Honda’s EV crossover hits a whole lot of candy spots for mainstream success. Honda is even throwing in a house EV charger and assist with some set up prices on the Prologue, making it type of a turnkey selection for individuals going electrical for the primary time. 

Positive, beneath it really makes use of Common Motors’ EV platform and batteries, however I am undecided many shoppers know and even care. (And GM’s Ultium platform is powerful by itself, with electrical gross sales from the American automaker exhibiting critical beneficial properties too.) 

Oh, and it has Apple CarPlay, not like GM’s EVs. No marvel it is doing effectively. 

Honda

The query now could be what Honda’s electrical future will appear like. It is cleat that whereas the GM-based Prologue is well-liked, it is also type of a stopgap till Honda can get its in-house EV operations up and operating. That features enormous battery and automobile manufacturing hubs in Ohio and Canada and a novel method to EVs that goals to emphasise lighter weight, inside area and higher tech. However we’ve got questions on that method too, like whether or not these next-generation Honda EVs will look as on the market because the 0 Collection Ideas that debuted at CES this 12 months, and what it means in the event that they launch with a dearer flagship sedan.

Optimistically, Honda will be capable to ship one thing that may capitalize on the Prologue’s success. And as attention-grabbing because the 0 Collection fashions might be, a moderately-priced, good-range household crossover could be the confirmed play as an alternative. 

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