General Motors and Honda have agreed to jointly develop two all-new electric vehicles (EVs) for Honda, based on GM’s global EV platform powered by proprietary Ultium batteries.
The exteriors and interiors of the new EVs will be exclusively designed by Honda, and the platform will be engineered to support Honda’s driving character.
Production of the EVs will combine the development knowledge of both companies, and they will be manufactured at GM plants in North America. Sales are expected to begin in the 2024 model year in Honda’s U.S. and Canadian markets.
GM and Honda have an ongoing relationship around electrification. This includes work on fuel cells and the Cruise Origin, an electric, self-driving and shared vehicle. Honda also joined GM’s battery module development efforts in 2018.
“This collaboration will put together the strength of both companies, while combined scale and manufacturing efficiencies will ultimately provide greater value to customers,” says Rick Schostek, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co. Inc.
“This expanded partnership will unlock economies of scale to accelerate our electrification roadmap and advance our industry-leading efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” he adds.
As part of the agreement to jointly develop electric vehicles, 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.
Photo: GM’s modular platform and battery system, Ultium