Honda needs affordable EVs as it plans for electric Civic successor

For Honda to compete as the industry shifts to electric, CEO Toshihiro Mibe explained, “We need more affordable EVs.” Honda is set to expand its lineup with an electric replacement for its all-time best-selling Civic.

Honda to launch an affordable electric Civic replacement

The company revealed two new EV concepts as part of its new “0 series” electric brand at CES earlier this month.

Honda “went back to the basics,” including a “design for the new era” for the EV series. It features a “bold and pure” design unique from other EVs on the market.

Its first passenger EV from the new brand will be a sedan based on the flagship concept. The new electric sedan is expected to roll out in 2026, followed by an SUV shortly after.

According to Autocar, the sedan could be an electric replacement for Honda’s all-time best-selling model, the Civic.

Mibe said, “To increase volumes, we need more affordable EVs.” Honda is working to lower EV prices with next-gen batteries that cost and weigh less.

Instead of reducing the size of batteries, “we want to think about battery tech,” Honda’s leader explained.

Although Honda teamed up with GM to build affordable EVs, the $5 billion plan was abandoned as GM moved to make its “vehicles less expensive to produce” in the future.

Mibe said that even if it were jointly developed, “it would have been a challenge” to bring an affordable EV to market. Instead, “We decided to work on the affordable EV on our own.” The automaker has “other alternative strategies to fulfill this,” according to Mibe.

Honda’s recently revealed Sustaina-C concept could give us our first look at the company’s vision for an affordable EV.

Meanwhile, Honda pulled its E minicar in Europe after just three years, its first attempt at a mass-market affordable EV.