Honda recently confirmed that it has canceled three pure electric models scheduled to be put into production in the United States: Honda 0 Series SUV, Honda 0 Series Saloon and Acura RSX EV. These three vehicles were originally developed based on Honda's new self-developed 0 Series pure electric platform and were planned to be put into production at the EV Hub plant in Ohio and launched between 2026 and 2027. This means that the entire project of Honda's latest generation "from scratch" global pure electric platform has been suspended before it can actually be put into mass production.
According to multiple media reports, Honda said in a statement to the outside world that the move was a re-evaluation of the company's electrification strategy. The reasons include the slowdown in the growth of the U.S. electric vehicle market, changes in tariffs and subsidy policies, as well as changes in the competitive environment and profitability pressures in major markets. This cancellation is expected to bring about US$15 to US$16 billion in related losses. The company said it will strengthen the layout of gasoline-electric hybrid models in the United States and other places, such as upgrading the Civic Hybrid, and develop a new generation of V6 hybrid assemblies for Passport, Pilot and Acura MDX to diversify the risks brought by pure electric business.
Before being canceled, the 0 Series and Acura RSX were seen as technology showcases for Honda's "new generation of electric vehicles." The Honda 0 Saloon and 0 SUV are derived from the early "Saloon" and "Space Hub" concept cars, emphasizing thinner battery packs, lighter body structures and new generation electronic and electrical architecture, while the Acura RSX EV is based on the evolution of the Performance EV concept car and is positioned as a compact coupe-style electric SUV under the ZDX based on Honda's self-developed platform. It is also the first to be equipped with Honda's ASIMO in-vehicle operating system for the 0 Series.
At present, Honda has not completely given up on electrification, but in markets such as the United States where the growth rate of electric vehicles is lower than expected, it has put the brakes on the high-investment path of "self-developed large platforms + local factory construction", and at the same time reinvested some resources into market segments that are more profitable or have more certain growth around the world. Some analysts pointed out that at a time when competitors are generally reducing or delaying the pace of pure electric investment, although Honda's move is costly, it reflects that Japanese car companies are turning to a more cautious mid- to long-term route of transitioning to hybrids in the face of policy uncertainty and demand fluctuations.