• The sixth generation Prelude marks the return of the iconic nameplate to the Honda lineup
• Prelude will bring the “joy of driving” to the electrified future with Honda’s award-winning two-motor hybrid powertrain
• The electrified sports coupe will be equipped for the first time with the innovative Honda S+ Shift function, which is intended to improve the driving experience
• First introduced in November 1978, the Prelude nameplate has long attracted enthusiasts with its sporty looks and performance
• Honda Celebrates 25 Years of Electrification – Honda introduced America’s first hybrid-electric model a quarter century ago

Honda announced today that it is introducing an all-new Prelude hybrid-electric sports coupe the US market One of the brand’s most iconic nameplates will return to the range at the end of next year. The stylish new Prelude marks the debut of Honda S+ Shift, an innovative new riding mode that further evolves Linear Shift Control to enable the highest level of rider engagement, in keeping with the tradition of the Prelude line.

“The return of the Honda Prelude as a hybrid-electric sports model demonstrates our continued commitment to offering a variety of exciting products to meet the needs of our customers,” said Jessika Laudermilk, assistant vice president of Honda Auto Sales. “The first three products in the Honda lineup in the 1970s were the Civic, Accord and Prelude, and soon all three will be back in our passenger car lineup as hybrids.”

The hybrid-electric Honda Prelude Concept made its first North American appearance at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show following its global debut at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show, 45 years after the first generation Prelude entered production in November 1978. A popular favorite of automotive enthusiasts, the sports coupe consistently introduced innovative new technologies to the Honda lineup and industry throughout its five generations, including Four Wheel Steering (4WS) and the Torque Vectoring Active Torque Transfer System (ATTS).

Honda’s electrification strategy
Honda has set a global goal of achieving carbon neutrality across all of its products and corporate activities by 2050. To achieve this goal, the company’s vision is for battery electric and fuel cell electric vehicles to account for 100% of its vehicle sales by 2040.

Hybrid electric vehicles are an important step in Honda’s electrification strategy, which includes equipping its core models with hybrid electric powertrains – and the company is celebrating 25 years of hybrid sales in America. Honda achieved record electric vehicle sales in 2024, now accounting for more than a quarter of the brand’s total sales. Hybrid-electric trims currently account for more than 50% of Accord and CR-V sales, and the newly introduced Civic hybrid is expected to ultimately account for about 40% of Civic sales. Cumulative sales of electrified Honda vehicles are over one million.

This month Honda celebrates 25 years of hybrid sales in America. Honda began selling the first-generation Honda Insight, America’s first hybrid-electric model, in December 1999.

Honda began selling the Honda Prologue this year, the brand’s first all-electric SUV. And late next year, Honda will begin producing the first electric vehicles based on the new electric vehicle platform developed by Honda at the Honda EV Hub in Ohio.

At CES 2024 in January, Honda unveiled two Honda 0-series concept models, the Saloon and the Space Hub. The launch of a production model of the sedan, positioned as the flagship 0-Series, is scheduled for 2026 and will be built at the Honda EV Hub in Ohio. Additionally, Honda has announced plans to introduce a total of seven Honda 0 Series models worldwide by 2030, including small, medium and large models.

In October, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. held its 2024 Honda 0 Tech Meeting in Tokyo, Japan and introduced some of the next-generation technologies that will be applied to the Honda 0 series. . Honda plans to unveil a new Honda 0-series model at CES 2025, scheduled for January 2025. This new model will be the embodiment in product form of the technologies and electrification concepts presented at the Honda 0 Tech Meeting.

For more information on next-generation Honda technologies, click here.

About Honda
Honda offers a comprehensive line of clean, safe, fun and connected vehicles sold through more than 1,000 independent Honda dealers across the United States. The award-winning Honda lineup includes the Civic and Accord models, as well as the HR-V, CR-V, Passport, Prologue and Pilot sport utility vehicles, the Ridgeline pickup truck and the Odyssey minivan. Honda’s electric vehicle lineup, which accounts for more than a quarter of total sales in 2024, includes the all-electric Prologue SUV, the hybrid-electric Accord, CR-V and Civic models, and the fuel cell electric CR-V e:FCEV. with a hybrid Prelude due to be added to the product range at the end of 2025.

Honda has been producing automobiles in America for over 40 years and currently operates 18 major manufacturing facilities in North America. In 2023, more than 99% of all Honda vehicles sold in the United States were manufactured in North America, with approximately two-thirds made in America using domestic and globally sourced parts.

For more information about Honda, see the Digital FactBook.

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