The Honda Prologue Was The Shock EV Hit Of 2024

I really feel like I’ve mentioned it one million occasions, and it is extra true each time I say it: individuals need good, cheap electrical autos from manufacturers they belief. And the Honda Prologue continues to show me proper. 

Numerous industry-watchers, critics and Honda followers wrote the Prologue off at first. In spite of everything, it is not even technically a Honda product; underneath the pores and skin, it is a Basic Motors EV, re-bodied and re-tuned by Honda with some software program tweaks distinctive to the household. Lots of the naysayers believed it would be an afterthought from one other EV-skeptical Japanese automotive firm, a glorified compliance automotive or a PR train to make it seem like Honda’s not completely behind within the electrical race. 

It seems they have been all fallacious. The Prologue is clearly discovering success all by itself with the energy of its specs, measurement, aggressive offers and the truth that Honda’s prepared to sweeten the deal by throwing in a house or moveable charger and masking a few of these set up prices. 

Honda’s 2024 gross sales knowledge, launched Friday, signifies that 33,017 Prologue EVs have been bought in 2024. That is not dangerous in any respect for a automotive that did not actually go on sale in power till concerning the center of the yr. It even outsold the marginally bigger, gas-powered Passport by about 500 models.

And maybe most notably, the Prologue ended up being the best-selling mannequin of all of the GM EVs: its gross sales trumped the Equinox EV (28,874 bought), Blazer EV (23,115) and even Cadillac Lyriq (28,402) in 2024. If these traits proceed into 2025, we might nicely see the Prologue change into one of many prime EV crossovers behind the still-top-selling Tesla Mannequin Y, a listing that features the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ford Mustang Mach-E.

I would say Honda’s onto one thing right here. However that is not stunning while you have a look at the specs. The Prologue is a really “regular”-feeling EV that appears and operates very similar to a traditional gas-powered automotive, proper all the way down to the door handles. Spec-wise, it is fairly stable too: powered by an 85-kWh battery pack, the Prologue is available in front- or all-wheel-drive kinds with between 273 and 296 miles of vary, relying on trim and gear. Its most charging velocity is a so-so 155 kW, and Honda says it may well cost from 20% to 80% in about 35 minutes on a commensurate quick charger. Nonetheless, with Honda opting to incorporate a Stage 2 house charger, a Stage 1 or 2 moveable charger or credit for public fast-charging, homeowners get quite a lot of flexibility on how they need to “gas” their new electrical vehicles. 

And whereas some will nonetheless ding the Prologue for being a GM automotive beneath, I say: do most individuals even know that, and do they care? GM’s EVs (née Ultium) are more and more spectacular in lots of segments, from household crossovers to luxurious vehicles and even pickup vehicles. Plus, Honda’s sellers are typically very well-regarded for customer support; there’s so much to love concerning the Prologue, rebadge or no. 

Previous analysis has proven that many American patrons assume that the Japanese automakers, who have been early pioneers with hybrid expertise, are among the many leaders within the EV area as nicely. That is not precisely true today, however that notion is probably going proof that folks need good EV choices from manufacturers they know to be reliable and reliable.

Honda is working to meet up with its personal EV {hardware} quickly and we’ll see the most recent developments there this week at CES. I would say that because it plans for an electrical future, it had higher be taking notes on how the Prologue is doing proper now, as a result of there’s so much to love right here.

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