Honda will build not one, but two electric sports cars before the end of the decade, one of which is expected to be the third-generation of the hallowed NSX nameplate.
Revealed during a briefing of its future of electrification, Honda said the models will retain the brand’s sporty qualities, despite being electrified.
“While taking on challenges toward carbon neutrality and electrification, Honda always has a passion to offer FUN for its customers,” it said in a statement.
“The ‘joy of driving’ will be passed on to our models even in the era of electrification, and Honda will globally introduce two sports models, a speciality and a flagship model, which will embody Honda’s universal sports mindset and distinctive characteristics.”
This isn’t the first time Honda has indicated it will build an all-electric sporty flagship, with Acura vice-president and brand officer Jon Ikeda telling The Drive back in 2021 the NSX story is not yet finished.
“If you notice, we make an NSX when there’s something we want to say. The first-gen was gas. Second-gen was a hybrid. There’s going to be another one,” he said.
Mr Ikeda also told Motor Trend: “We didn’t want to let the NSX die on the vine either. To go quietly into the night is not what it deserves.”
Ironic, given if the NSX were to move to a full-electric powertrain, it would indeed be travelling in silence.
Honda also announced that 30 new global EV models will roll out by 2030, including some that will be for light-commercial applications, with more than 2 million units to be produced annually.
The EVs will be built in China, in Guangzhou and Wuhan in particular, with another production line earmarked for the US.
Whether any of these EVs make it to Australia is currently unknown, but the brand has pledged to bring to market an electrified version of each new model launch, starting with the HR-V small SUV due to touch down in showrooms early next month.
As a reminder, the second-generation NSX was on sale in Australia from 2016 to 2020, though the last new-car registered was in 2019 according to VFACTS data.
It was motivated by a hybrid twin-turbocharged petrol V6, outputting a total of 427kW/646Nm, and wore a pricetag of $420,000 before on-road costs.
Of note, Honda isn’t the only Japanese marque to make the move to electric power for its flagship sports car, with Lexus’ LFA successor to teased with the LES concept in early 2022.
Keyword: Honda NSX to return as an electric car! Lexus' LFA-succeeding EV to face strong competition from another Japanese sports car