Farewell, Honda Zero. We never knew thee.
Honda, which is grappling with President Trump’s tariffs, had been one of the most aggressive automakers in pursuing EVs. The company said it was aiming for 30 new EVs by 2030 with 2 million units sold, 100 percent zero-emission auto sales by 2040, and carbon neutrality “for all products and corporate activities” by 2050. Now its recording a loss on its EV investment of ¥340billion-570 billion ($2.14 billion-$3.58 billion).
Honda’s Zero series was meant to thread the needle on affordability and futuristic tech. The Saloon and SUV both drew from the automaker’s Formula 1 racing experience, with designs similar to iconic vehicles from the ’70s and ’80s, like the Lamborghini Countach, AMC Gremlin, Aston Martin Lagonda Shooting Brake. The Zero EVs were expected to have around 300 miles of range.
Honda said it killed the EVs, along with the Acura RSX, to avoid incurring future losses, citing the “current business environment where the demand for EVs is declining significantly.” Instead, the company plans on leaning more into hybrids. (Where have I heard that one before?)
