The Acura Integra hatchback launched for the 2023 model year will be the brand’s final launch for a vehicle still equipped with an internal-combustion engine, Automotive News (subscription required) reported on Sunday following an interview with Emile Korkor, assistant vice president of Acura national sales.
“We are excited about what this latest [Integra] is going to do for building a loyal customer base as we build toward electrification,” he said.
Korkor in a separate interview with Automotive News published last December said Acura was committed to electric vehicles and would skip launching additional hybrid vehicles as it makes the transition from gas to battery power.
Teaser for Honda electric flagship sports car
The transition will start as early as the 2024 model year when Acura launches an electric SUV that will be built by General Motors on its Ultium platform found in the 2022 GMC Hummer EV and 2023 Cadillac Lyriq. Parent company Honda will also launch an SUV based on the Ultium platform for 2024. Honda (and likely Acura) also plans EVs based on its own e:Architecture platform starting from 2026.
In addition, we might see an electric NSX in the not too distant future. Acura boss Jon Ikeda confirmed plans for a third-generation NSX last summer when Acura rolled out the 2022 NSX Type S to mark the end of the current second-generation model’s run. His comments at the time implied that the next NSX would be powered by something other than a standalone internal-combustion engine like the first-gen car and a hybrid setup like the second-gen car.
Honda has since teased a pair of electric sports cars, one of which was described as a “flagship” model (shown above) and looks to have proportions like a mid-engine supercar. The other car looks to feature the proportions of a front-engine rear-wheel-drive sports car and as a result may serve as a spiritual successor to the S2000.
Keyword: Acura Integra reported to be brand's last gas-powered model launch