Today, Honda announced key targets for sales of electrified vehicles in North America, with a plan to make battery-electric and fuel cell electric vehicles represent 100% of its vehicle sales by 2040, progressing from sales of 40% by 2030 and 80% by 2035. Toward these targets, Honda also plans to launch a series of new EV models based on a new E-Architecture, beginning from the second half of the decade. These plans for North America are in line with Honda's new global and regional targets, which were announced today by Honda global president & CEO Toshihiro Mibe, as part of the company's renewed commitment to advances in safety and environmental technology.
In making the announcement, Mibe said that Honda sees reducing the company's environmental impact and realization of safety advances to protect human lives as the two significant challenges facing the company. Accordingly, Honda is formalizing its goals for achieving carbon neutrality for all products and corporate activities by 2050 and zero traffic collision fatalities involving Honda automobiles and motorcycles globally by 2050.
Starting from the second half of the 2020s, Honda will launch a series of new EV models which adopt E-Architecture, a completely new EV platform led by Honda. These EV models will first be introduced to the North American market and then to other regions of the world. Moreover, Honda is jointly developing two large-sized EV models using GM's Ultium batteries.
Global Electrified Vehicle Sales
Due to regional differences such as customer acceptance, the readiness of infrastructure, and the availability of renewable energy, it is challenging to adopt a singular approach to globally popularising electrified vehicles. In all significant markets for electrification, Honda says it will increase the ratio of battery-electric (EV) and fuel cell electric (FCV) vehicles within overall unit sales combined to 40% by 2030, to 80% by 2035, and then to 100% globally by 2040.
To ensure the advanced competitiveness of future Honda EVs, Honda also announced the goal to make all-solid-state batteries available for new Honda EV models to be introduced in the second half of the 2020s. Honda is conducting independent research on all-solid-state batteries to increase the capacity and lower the next-generation batteries' cost for its electrified vehicles. Based on the success of this lab research, Honda will undertake the verification of production technology using a demonstration line, starting this fiscal year.
Honda says it continues to view fuel cell technology as another pillar supporting the challenge toward carbon neutrality, expecting that hydrogen will become more widely accepted as a renewable energy source. Honda has a long history in the research, development and commercialization of fuel cell technologies. While continuing its current collaboration with GM, Honda says it will strive to reduce costs and realize a "hydrogen society" by expanding its lineup of FCVs and using fuel cell systems for many applications. This will include commercial trucks, stationary and movable power sources.
Safety Initiatives
In safety, Honda has determined to strive for zero automobile and motorcycle collision fatalities globally by 2050, involving Honda products. Since many motorcycle collision fatalities involve automobiles, Honda will strive to apply its omnidirectional ADAS to all new automobile models the company introduces in major markets by 2030. The new omnidirectional ADAS is an advanced driver-assistance system envisioned beyond the current Honda Sensing™ suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies. Honda is leveraging the knowledge and know-how amassed through research and development of its Level 3 automated driving technologies, which recently began sales in Japan to enhance ADAS technologies' intelligence further.
Honda says it will continue to strengthen its research on safety technologies that enable motorcycles and automobiles to coexist safely. In this way, Honda will seek to continue to lead the way in realizing a collision-free society from the standpoint of both hardware and software.
Honda Commitment to the Environment & Safety
Honda's vision for a carbon-free society is leading to comprehensive efforts to address society's environmental and energy concerns across the company's products and business operations. Honda has the highest fleet average fuel economy and lowest CO2 emissions of any full-line automaker in America, according to the latest data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Honda also is working to reduce the environmental impact of its business operations and promotes environmentally responsible business practices with its suppliers and retail dealer partners across North America.
Based on its vision for a collision-free society, Honda improves safety for everyone sharing the road. The company operates two of the world's most sophisticated crash-test facilities in Ohio and Japan. It is responsible for numerous pioneering efforts in the areas of crashworthiness, collision compatibility and pedestrian safety. Advanced safety and driver-assistive systems found in Honda Sensing® and AcuraWatch™ technologies are now on over 5 million vehicles on U.S. roads, designed to reduce the frequency and severity of collisions while serving as a technological and perceptual bridge to the more highly automated vehicles of the future.
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