It will be a while before the US sees an EV sedan from Honda or Acura like the e:N2 Concept—if ever.
Honda- Honda reveals e:N2 concept in Shanghai, slated to be produced in China, after previewing three EV concepts including the four-door e:N GT in October 2021.
- The e:N2 concept is based on the e:N Architecture F platform that Honda has developed for China.
- The automaker intends to begin production of EVs based on its own platform in the US in 2026, following the debut of the Ultium-based Honda Prologue.
An electric Honda Accord is still half a decade away at the earliest, but the automaker is already giving hints of what its battery-electric sedan could look like. Honda unveiled the e:N2 Concept at the Fifth China International Import Expo in Shanghai, China, this week, giving the world a preview of a sedan that will be produced for the country’s domestic market.
The sharp-edged concept is based on the e:N Architecture F platform created for the e:N series, which Honda intends to produce in China for that market.
The concept also features styling that many will immediately compare to that of the Cybertruck, albeit without an awkward pyramid-shaped greenhouse. The convex nose gives way to sweeping A-pillars and a flat roof, while the C-pillars feature an angular look.
Overall, the design sticks very close to the e:N GT concept that that automaker previewed back in October of 2021 alongside two others.
“The e:N2 Concept represents the value of our e:N Series, which will ‘redefine the fun EVs can offer to customers’ with their unique driving pleasure, the value as a mobility space and design,” said Toshihiro Mibe, director, president and representative executive officer of Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
Compared to the e:N GT concept, the e:N2 makes some notable concessions to production realities, including much smaller wheels, slightly flared wheel arches, and a taller overall height. It’s not quite a production-ready example, but it’s close.
The earliest we’ll see these Ohio-produced EVs will be in 2026—not an insignificant amount of time.
Honda hasn’t shared images of the concept’s interior, but the automaker promises an uncluttered cockpit of the digital variety, along with “the effective presentation of lighting and scents.”
It is worth noting at this point that Honda’s plans for EVs in China are much further along than they are for EVs that will be offered stateside. Honda and Acura will each offer an SUV in 2024 based on GM’s Ultium platform, but it will be a while before other electric models join the lineup. The automaker has revealed in October that it will retool several plants in Ohio for EV production on the e:Architecture platform, which will arrive only after 2025. Honda will also form a joint venture with LG Energy Solution (LGES) to produce batteries in the same state.
This means the earliest we’ll see these Ohio-produced EVs will be in 2026—not an insignificant amount of time in the EV industry—during which competitors will take advantage of gaps in lineups.
This means the earliest we’ll see these Ohio-produced EVs will be in 2026—not an insignificant amount of time in the EV industry—during which competitors will take advantage of gaps in lineups.
Honda’s joint ventures with China’s Dongfeng and GAC, on the other hand, have entered production this year, also based on the same e:N Architecture F platform.
“In China, Honda will continue delivering a broad range of electrified mobility products unique only to Honda and experience our rebirth into an electric mobility brand,” Mibe added.
Jay Ramey Jay Ramey grew up around very strange European cars, and instead of seeking out something reliable and comfortable for his own personal use he has been drawn to the more adventurous side of the dependability spectrum.
Keyword: Honda Previews Another Electric Sedan We Won’t Get in the States