Tuesday 5 March 2019
Honda has announced its ambition to electrify all its vehicles in Europe by 2025.
It builds on the company's previous goal of ensuring two-thirds of its sales are electrified by 2025 and a global electric range by 2030.
The news follows its recent announcement to close its vehicle manufacturing plant in Swindon in the UK in response to “unprecedented” global changes and the need to launch electric vehicles (EVs).
The car manufacturer also intends to build a portfolio of energy management products and services offering a “comprehensive solution” for both EV customers and service operators in the region.
It has announced an agreement with two partners: Moixa, who specialises in resource aggregator technology, allowing customers to benefit from sharing the control and capacity of their EV battery; and Ubitricity, a supplier of charging solutions, including an innovative approach to on-street charging in urban areas.
The carmaker will conduct feasibility studies for its technologies in London, UK and Offenbach, Germany.
It also unveiled the Honda e Prototype for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show today, its first production battery EV for the European market.
The car features a range of more than 200km and a fast charge functionality, providing 80% in 30 minutes.
Tom Gardner, Senior Vice President, Honda Motor Europe said: “Since we made that first pledge in March 2017, the shift towards electrification has gathered pace considerably. Environmental challenges continue to drive demand for cleaner mobility. Technology marches on unrelenting and people are starting to shift their view of the car itself.”