GM and Honda to go on in EVs together

Tuesday, 7 April 2020

Teaming up is the name of the game for automakers these days, with the likes of Ford and VW joining forces and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles merging with PSA Groupe to create a new unified entity. Now it looks like General Motors and Honda are linking up to tackle electric vehicle development together.

The tie-up will see Honda designing the exteriors and interiors of the new vehicles, while GM will provide the electrified drivetrain technology, 'super cruise' autonomous tech, and production lines. Expect GM's new Ultium battery technology to feature.

Honda had previously invested around US$2.75 billion (NZ$4.6b) in GM's autonomous vehicle subsidiary Cruise. The investment helped the development of Cruise's first vehicle, the Origin, described as a 'purpose built self-driving car'.

The two manufacturers are also working together on hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles to catch up with Toyota, Hyundai and other German rivals like Audi working in that field.

GM is set to reintroduce the Hummer brand with an all-electric model in late May.

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Honda will be responsible for the interior as well as the exterior for the new vehicles, while GM will provide the powertrain expertise as well as autonomous tech.

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Hopefully Honda will take design cues for its upcoming EVs from the e hatchback here.

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We won't be seeing a vehicle like Cruise on the roads for a while yet but the pairing should result in more GM and Honda-branded electrified vehicles coming to market sooner.

The two brands have been notable behind the trend of EVs, with Honda's CEO, Takahiro Hachigo, saying last year that he does not believe EVs will 'become mainstream anytime soon.'

'I do not believe there will be a dramatic increase in demand for battery vehicles, and I believe this situation is true globally,' he said.

Right now, Honda's only fully electric offering is the cute e hatchback, which is on sale in Europe but unlikely to make it here. The new Jazz could dot down this year with a hybrid powertrain though.

Meanwhile, GM has the Chevrolet Bolt EV and the Volt plug-in hybrid on sale overseas. Larger GM EVs are selling over in China exclusively.

GM is also set to reintroduce the Hummer brand with an electric model debuting in late May.

We're only really interested in the Honda side of things as GM has exited our local market with the closure of the Holden brand. It will still be interesting to see how the partnership shapes up, though.