Honda unveils first US-made EVs, plans for high-performance chip

HONDA Motor debuted prototypes of its two latest electric vehicles (EVs) – a sedan and an SUV – with a new software operating system that will be built at its plant in Ohio and sold starting in early 2026.

The Japanese carmaker displayed the near-production models of its 0 Series sedan and mid-size SUV at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Tuesday (Jan 7), saying both models will be equipped with an in-house operating system called Asimo that controls functions such as advanced driver-assistance.

They are part of a wave of 30 new EVs Honda plans to introduce globally by 2030. The company has committed to 100 per cent zero-emission automobile sales in North America by 2040, though it’s indicated it’s open to shifting gears if demand for EVs continues to wane.

The automaker’s Marysville, Ohio, plant will start building EVs this year alongside traditional gas-powered cars. The all-electrics will use batteries from a US$4.4 billion joint-venture factory with LG Energy Solution.

Honda also said on Tuesday it’s partnering with Japan’s Renesas Electronics on a high-performance system-on-chip for use in 0 series models later this decade. The chip is designed to simplify vehicles by integrating multiple functions into a single electronic control unit.

Overlaid with the automaker’s artificial intelligence (AI) software, the companies aim to develop a system “that achieves one of the industry’s top class AI performances”, Honda said. BLOOMBERG