Like all automakers, Honda is jumping into the all-electric game with a crossover-style SUV. While their effort won’t appear until 2024, the Big H has decided to release a sketch of the forthcoming electron eater, one which sports all the design cues one would expect from such a machine: black fender arches, dark cladding on the lower parts of its side doors, and a typical two-box silhouette found on just about every SUV from Boston to Budapest.
This is not to say it’s an ugly car, though we will take umbrage with Honda’s assertion in the marketing bumf that this Prologue shows a ‘hint of Honda e.’ That little scamp, you may recall, was a delightful little hatchback which made the auto show circuit complete with too-cool round headlights and a distinctive vibe which harkened back to Civics of the ‘70s and early ‘80s. The Prologue, while handsome, has none of those traits.
See? Suggesting the two have a ‘strong hint’ of similarity would be like your author saying his rapidly aging frame has a strong hint of similarity with Connor McDavid. We both walk upright, but that’s about all.
Nevertheless, it’s good to see progress on the EV front at Honda. “The Prologue is Honda’s first electric vehicle in Canada and is the result of a strategic North American plan announced 2 years ago that includes a collaboration with GM to produce EVs in a more efficient manner,” said Steve Hui, Vice President, Honda Canada. In this, the man refers to the collab between Honda and The General on efforts which will ultimately result in the Prologue being produced in mass-market numbers. It is widely expected Honda will license GM’s Ultium battery technology for use in the Prologue, permitting the Japanese automaker to bring an EV to market more quickly than if they worked solo.
In that regard, the company already has designs on EVs beyond the car teased today. “The Prologue signifies our transition to electrification, with more Honda engineered and manufactured EVs in North America coming in 2026.” That will be the year in which production and sales of Honda models based on the new Honda e:Architecture will begin.
Keyword: What is Past is Prologue: Honda teases styling of upcoming EV