Despite considerable market uncertainty in the U.S. in 2025, Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe affirmed that the Japanese automaker remains fully committed to an all-electric future, according to The Detroit News.
Legislation that passed in July officially ended a longstanding federal tax credit for electric vehicle purchases, effective Sept. 30.
Automakers weren't given much time to reassess their manufacturing strategies, which created industry volatility. Domestic auto giant General Motors was saddled with a staggering $1.6 billion third-quarter loss. Other automakers cut jobs.
However, on Nov. 4, CleanTechnica reported that EV sales in Europe had their second-best month ever. They captured 21% of the market, suggesting that global EV adoption remained steady.
Still, regressive American policy shifts have tilted the landscape somewhat, Mibe conceded. This had led manufacturers to reassess EV strategies in the short term — with a firm emphasis on "short."
According to The Detroit News, the U.S. is Honda's "biggest customer," accounting for 40% of the brand's global sales. As such, loss of momentum in the U.S. prompted a shift rather than a total reversal.
The outlet indicated that, alongside GM, Honda was the "most forceful in its commitment to ending the production of internal combustion engines" among major manufacturers.
In an October 2021 interview with Global Honda, Mibe spoke at length about an all-electric future, calling it Honda's "Second Founding."
In that wide-ranging discussion, Mibe spoke as an engineer. He said he'd known for a long time that EVs were the only way forward both environmentally and technologically.
"If zero environmental impact can be realized using engines, one of our greatest achievements, we would use them," Mibe explained to Global Honda.
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Yes — in the next 6 months 🙌 "As an engineer who has worked extensively on engines, I know: we have to change direction at some point," he added.
Mibe's remarks hinted at a potentially tumultuous breakup with fossil fuels. It was a clear-sightedness that appeared to inform his current view.
During the Japan Mobility Show, which kicked off Oct. 30 and ends on Nov. 9, Mibe addressed Honda's EV strategy. His thoughts considered American policy shifts, and he reiterated Honda's commitment to a clean future.
"Electrification now is a little bit different from what we were expecting before," a cautious but optimistic Mibe said, as reported by The Detroit News. "Maybe [there will be a] five-year delay as compared to our first expectations. And probably that means from 2040 on, the electrification will have to go faster."
"But as long as humankind has not abandoned efforts for global warming innovation, we have to keep up with our responsibility," he added.
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