By Steve & Tamami Laser
While Toyota, with the new bZ4X, and Nissan, with its new Ariya, have taken futuristic design approaches for their all-electric crossovers, Honda is embarking on a more conservative and familiar road for its upcoming 2024 Prologue Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV).
In these images revealed by Honda, we can see that the Prologue is dressed with a clean and simple design that embraces “Neo Rugged” aesthetics. Larger than the CR-V, preliminary specs indicate that the new Prologue will be about the same size as the Honda Passport, yet with a greater overall length and a lower ride height.
Honda says that its Los Angeles-based design team took the lead in crafting the exterior and interior design for the Prologue. The new EV is said to be Honda’s first model designed primarily through virtual reality visualization technology.
Honda says it employed virtual reality to envision the Prologue in different environments, and to collaborate virtually with Honda design and development team members in Japan.
While the front fascia brings to mind the Honda e electric vehicle sold in Europe and Japan, the rear gains a new H-O-N-D-A badge to replace the traditional H-mark.
On the inside, the new Honda Prologue electric SUV is designed to offer generous space for both passengers and cargo, while an available panoramic roof contributes to the ambience for both the front and second rows.
Honda says the new model will come standard with a fully digital 11-inch driver display plus an 11.3-inch audio and connectivity display.
The Prologue is co-developed with General Motors and is based on the GM Ultium platform. Honda previously announced an initial annual sales target of 70,000 units for the Prologue. It plans to offer the new EV on a regional basis at first, focusing on California and the ZEV states, plus Texas and Florida, with other areas of the country to follow.
Honda plans to introduce some 30 new EVs globally by 2030, with a target global sales volume of 2 million units. Beyond the Prologue launch planned in 2024, sales of Honda models based on Honda e:Architecture, and to be produced by Honda in North America, are expected to start in 2026. Then, in 2027, sales are planned to begin on a new series of “affordable” EVs, co-developed with GM, and produced by Honda in North America.
Note: Prologue product information, features, specifications and launch timing are subject to change without notice. Prologue images in this story show prototype and pre-production models; while production models may vary.
News sources and photos courtesy of American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
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