- Acura originally aimed for 60 percent of its sales to come from EVs by 2030.
- The vice president of sales confirms the brand is flexible with its EV goals.
- Honda may share its hybrid tech with the premium Acura lineup in the future.
Acura is still eager to go all-electric in the future, but the road to that goal is starting to look a little bumpier than expected. The company is now acknowledging it might need to introduce hybrid models before fully embracing an EV-only lineup. This shift reflects a broader trend in the industry, where hybrids are seen as the necessary bridge between traditional combustion models and the fully electric future that everyone’s been talking about.
The Japanese automaker had initially predicted that by 2030, 60% of its total sales would be EVs. However, during a recent interview, Mike Langel, Acura’s assistant vice president of national sales, admitted that the company’s plans are becoming more flexible. This is likely because the shift to EVs has been slower than many had expected.
Read: Acura Turned The RSX Into An Electric SUV
“Our long-term plan is to sell all electric vehicles, but we are very flexible on what that path looks like,” Langel told Auto News. “It could definitely be a windy road, but the end goal remains the same. There’s still a big market and we’re introducing more models, but I wouldn’t commit to a number [of EVs by 2030]– we’re flexible with that.”
Honda’s $300 Million Bet on EVs and Hybrids
Acura’s parent company Honda knows the shift to EVs won’t be without headwinds. It recently added an extra $300 million to its investment at an EV Hub on Ohio, where the company plans to produce both ICE and hybrid models alongside new electric vehicles.
While Acura hasn’t confirmed it has new hybrids on the horizon, AutoForecast Solutions analyst Sam Fiorani has told Auto News that, “An Acura hybrid is absolutely coming.” He explained that the market is “not moving fast enough for Acura to go all electric as quickly as it planned and they’re going to have to fall back on hybrids.”
Fiorani also speculated that Honda might be rethinking its entire powertrain strategy, citing the example of the RDX, which was expected to be phased out by 2026. However, Fiorani believes there’s still a market for the model, suggesting that it could be sold alongside a similarly sized EV “for years to come.”
Past Acura Hybrids
This wouldn’t be Acura’s first foray into the world of hybrids. It has previously offered hybrid versions of the MDX and RLX, but no longer sells them. Of course, there was also the hybrid Acura NSX, also sold as a Honda in some markets. By comparison, Honda currently has several hybrids in its local range, including for the Accord, CR-V, and Civic. The upcoming Prelude will also be sold exclusively as a hybrid.
For now, Langel says Acura remains focused on the electric ZDX it launched with the help of GM and its Ultium platform. It has also recently revived the RSX nameplate and will use it for a compact electric crossover due to hit the production line later this year. Acura has also launched its new ADX crossover, offered with a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder.
