Honda Plans Modular Midsize EV Platform

Honda Motor Co. is developing a new platform to carry future all-electric cars and crossover vehicles designed for the Chinese and U.S. markets.

The chassis, due in about 2024, is being designed to accommodate a variety of electric powertrains, battery suppliers and vehicle body shapes for C- and D-segment vehicles.

Honda has been slower than most carmakers to embrace electrification. It now aims to electrify all models sold in Europe by 2025 and two-thirds of its entire worldwide lineup by 2030.

The company predicts that EVs will contribute 15% of its global unit sales by 2030. That is more than double the current ratio but still relatively modest compared to the goals of many other major carmakers.

Honda’s first all-electric the “e” city car, is being rolled out now in Japan and Europe. That car rides on its own chassis—one that Honda says is too small for the larger sizes favored in China and the U.S. The car’s diminutive size also limits its driving range, and it was designed specifically for Panasonic’s battery cells.

Honda emphasizes that its upcoming EV platform will support vehicle production in multiple markets, with batteries supplied locally by an array of producers.