General Motors and Honda will jointly develop two new EVs for 2024 model year

General Motors announced today that it will work with Honda to produce two next-generation EVs. Honda will develop the two models with unique interior and exterior designs – and they will be powered by GM’s recently unveiled Ultium battery system. The vehicles, to be sold as Honda models, are expected to go on sale in the United States and Canada in the 2024 model year.

Rick Schostek, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., said:

This collaboration will put together the strength of both companies, while combined scale and manufacturing efficiencies will ultimately provide greater value to customers. This expanded partnership will unlock economies of scale to accelerate our electrification roadmap and advance our industry-leading efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Doug Parks, GM executive vice president of Global Product Development, Purchasing, and Supply Chain, commented:

This agreement builds on our proven relationship with Honda, and further validates the technical advancements and capabilities of our Ultium batteries and our all-new EV platform.

Importantly, it is another step on our journey to an all-electric future and delivering a profitable EV business through increased scale and capacity utilization. We have a terrific history of working closely with Honda, and this new collaboration builds on our relationship and like-minded objectives.

GM and Honda have an ongoing relationship around electrification. This includes work on the Cruise Origin, an electric, self-driving vehicle, which was revealed in San Francisco earlier this year. Honda also joined GM’s battery module development efforts in 2018.

As part of the new agreement, Honda will incorporate GM’s OnStar safety and security services into the two EVs, integrating them with HondaLink. Additionally, Honda plans to make GM’s hands-free advanced driver-assist technology available.

Honda’s forays into EVs – such as the introduction of the compact Honda e in Europe in 2020 – has mostly focused on compliance. Despite interest in the Honda e from American consumers, the cute retro compact electric car will not be sold in the US.

In December, Honda CEO Takahiro Hachigo cast doubt on consumer demand for EVs and questioned the readiness of the EV technology and infrastructure.

In March, Honda discontinued the Honda Clarity Electric, its sole remaining all-electric vehicle in the United States. For three years, starting in 2012, Honda offered the lease-only Fit EV in the United States. In July 2014, Honda announced the end of production of that model.

The two now EVs produced in collaboration with General Motors represent the return of the Honda to the US electric-vehicle market in about late 2023.