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Ferrari’s New Luce EV Looks So Un-Ferrari We Tried It With Five Other Badges

  • Ferrari’s first EV launch sparked a styling backlash bigger than its powertrain.
  • Jony Ive’s LoveFrom studio shaped the Luce, breaking from Ferrari design tradition.
  • Our renders swap the Ferrari badge for Jeep, Dodge, Honda, and Xiaomi logos.

Few electric debuts arrive with this much aesthetic baggage. The debut of the Ferrari Luce turned out to be more controversial than expected, and surprisingly, the noise is louder about its styling than its all-electric powertrain. The car looks nothing like any Ferrari before it, which got us wondering how it would hold up wearing someone else’s emblem.

By now most of the world knows the Luce was shaped with help from LoveFrom, the studio led by former Apple designer Jony Ive. That explains the gulf between this car and anything Flavio Manzoni’s Ferrari Centro Stile team has produced before.

More: Ferrari Quietly Trademarked 10 New Model Names

Of course, this sudden break with tradition was completely intentional. After all, Ferrari doesn’t plan on becoming an EV-only brand anytime soon, meaning that the pioneer model had the privilege of carving its own path. With that out of the way, and since the internet is never short on critics, let’s get on with the face swapping.

 Ferrari’s New Luce EV Looks So Un-Ferrari We Tried It With Five Other Badges

At first glance, the Luce’s face brought to mind the 2008 Pininfarina Sintesi concept, a shape that would have suited a four-door Ferrari rather well. A second look made the resemblance to the Jeep Avenger headlights impossible to unsee.

More: Jeep’s Refreshed Avenger Gets A Classier Cabin And New Turbo Engine

The uncanny resemblance inspired our rendering of the Jeep Luce. In reality, all we had to do was to add the illuminated seven-slot grille and paint the bodywork in the vibrant Hawaii color from the new Compass. A lift kit would have sealed the illusion, but we will leave that to the imagination.

 Ferrari’s New Luce EV Looks So Un-Ferrari We Tried It With Five Other Badges

The next brand that inevitably comes to mind was Dodge, as the see-through grille of the Ferrari is similar in theory to the nose of the electric Charger Daytona.

The Luce’s short nose is hardly muscle-car territory, but it sits surprisingly well with the Charger’s full-width headlights and illuminated emblem. The deep Redeye paint from Dodge’s palette also plays nicely off the glossy black panels of the electric Ferrari.

 Ferrari’s New Luce EV Looks So Un-Ferrari We Tried It With Five Other Badges

Next up, a Japanese brand known for the clean lines of its concept work. Honda has recently axed a long list of high-profile EV projects, but it was hard to resist picturing the Luce with the ‘H’ emblem pinned to its nose.

More: Honda Won’t Touch The CRX, So Two Designers Did It Themselves

However, since this is a performance model, we decided to give it the Type R treatment, with a sharper carbon fiber aero kit and red bucket seats. Ironically, the Ferrari Luce doesn’t look as exotic as the cancelled Honda 0 Sedan.

 Ferrari’s New Luce EV Looks So Un-Ferrari We Tried It With Five Other Badges

The next and final stop in our face swapping journey is the Far East. Chances are that one of the countless automakers in China will copy the styling features of the electric Ferrari and bring something similar into production before the first examples come out of the Maranello factory.

More: The Nurburgring’s SUV Record Used To Be German. It Isn’t Anymore

Given the loose Apple connection and the way the Luce reads more like a tech product than a supercar, Xiaomi was the natural pick. The Lighting Yellow paint and silver stripes from the Porsche-inspired Xiaomi SU7 Ultra came first, followed by a set of Mi emblems.

In order to make a more convincing case for a Chinese EV, we added a roof-mounted Lidar sensor and several carbon fiber aero add-ons. Still, we didn’t need to touch Ferrari’s own aerodynamic wheels inspired by turbines that already come with yellow accents.

 Ferrari’s New Luce EV Looks So Un-Ferrari We Tried It With Five Other Badges

We will close out with a bonus, the rebadge a fair number of readers have already asked for. Turn the Luce into the Apple iCar that never made it to market. “Project Titan” was officially canceled in February 2024, having burned through billions in design and research chasing an autonomous, paradigm-shifting EV.

By outsourcing the Luce’s aesthetics to LoveFrom, Ferrari might have given former Apple design chief Jony Ive the platform to express at least a part of the spirit of the ambitious project by the tech giant. . For our imaginary take, the changes were minimal, an Apple logo on the nose and side gills, disc-style alloys, and a Cosmic Orange finish borrowed from the latest iPhone.

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Illustrations: Thanos Pappas for CarScoops

Honda Took A $16 Billion Bath On EVs, So Now Wants More EVs On A Platform That Can Switch Sides

  • Honda is developing a new platform that can adapt to EV and hybrid powertrains.
  • Despite recent U-turn, Honda still expects EVs to be more important after 2030.
  • New architecture additional to hybrid one revealed this month, Auto News reports.

Honda may have bonfired its original North American EV strategy, but it hasn’t stopped believing electric cars matter. Instead, the company’s preparing a different kind of future that gives it a bit more wriggle room if things don’t go to plan.

Fresh from writing off $15.7 billion in EV investment over the scrapped 0 Series North American EV program, the Japanese automaker is developing a next-generation electric vehicle platform. But this one will be capable of supporting both hybrid and fully electric powertrains, Automotive News reports.

Related: Acura Is Going All-In On Hybrids, Honda Is Keeping Gas Cars Affordable

That flexibility is a key attribute, and signals a major shift in how Honda views the industry’s transition toward electrification. Rather than locking itself into a single solution, Honda wants options. After changing market conditions, weakening policy support from the US government, and mounting political uncertainty, the company now appears far more cautious about committing exclusively to fully-electric vehicles.

That doesn’t mean Honda thinks EVs are dead. Far from it, actually. Company president Toshihiro Mibe reportedly said Honda still expects electric adoption to accelerate after 2030, even if hybrid demand remains stronger than previously predicted throughout the remainder of this decade.

“The market could change depending on the Trump administration over the next two and a half years and the outcome of the November midterm elections,” Mibe said, according to Auto News. “We are studying systems and next-generation EV concepts that would work no matter which way things evolve.”

Series 0 Too Inflexible

 Honda Took A $16 Billion Bath On EVs, So Now Wants More EVs On A Platform That Can Switch Sides

That philosophy explains why Honda’s future platform needs to handle multiple powertrain types, rather than just fully electric, as the Series 0 sedan and SUV (above) would have done. The company reportedly believes the balance between hybrids and EVs could continue shifting depending on regulations, incentives, charging infrastructure, and trade policies. A flexible architecture would allow Honda to react far quicker than manufacturers tied to expensive EV-only platforms.

In the short term, Honda’s strategy focuses on hybrids, and not EVs at all. The automaker recently revealed plans to launch 15 hybrid models by 2029 on a platform that’s different from the combined EV/hybrid one revealed this week. And it has mapped slightly different courses for Honda and Acura. The premium brand will push hybrids to its customers, while Honda will offer ICE and hybrid options to attract more cost-conscious buyers.

The report also says Honda will wait to learn the outcome of trade negotiations between the US, Canada, and Mexico before deciding whether to reactivate its plans for an EV production hub in Canada, which it put on hold earlier in May.

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Honda

Honda Won’t Touch The CRX, So Two Designers Did It Themselves

  • Independent designers revive the iconic Honda CRX.
  • Its retro stance echoes the second-generation model.
  • The study is envisioned as an electric hatch with 350 hp.

Honda’s product planners are deep in the weeds with the returning Prelude, but a sharper memory from the company’s back catalog has caught the internet’s attention. A digital concept drags the original CRX from the late 1980s into the present, and the result is the kind of car that makes you wonder why Honda isn’t building it.

More: Honda Previews New Fastback Sedan And Next Acura RDX, And Neither Is An EV

The modern CRX prototype comes from designer and modeler Vitaly Batalka, with CG artist Valentin Komkov handling the visualization. The reference point is the second-generation CRX sold between 1987 and 1991, built on a shortened Civic platform and remembered for being one of the more entertaining small Hondas of its era.

Original Silhouette Carries The Update

The proportions are all there: short wheelbase, low roofline, and the split rear window layout that gave the original its profile. Up front, the blocky sealed-beam headlights have been swapped for slimmer LED units that flank a grille-less nose with the new Honda emblem at the center.

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Illustrations: Vitaly Batalka and Valentin Komkov

The sculpted hood and the black trim on the bumpers are clear references to the original, joined by horizontal taillights and an illuminated CRX emblem at the back. The profile features clean surfacing with toned rear fenders, flush door handles, black pillars, frameless doors, and futuristic bi-tone alloy wheels.

More: This Practically New 1990 Honda CRX Could Be The Lowest-Mileage Example In The World

The designers also put together a retro-styled “Turbo 2026” collector card with fictional specs to round out the exercise. The card pitches the reborn CRX as a fully electric machine rather than a hybrid, with 350 hp (261 kW / 355 PS) on tap. A claimed top speed of 285 km/h (177 mph) feels wildly optimistic for an EV of that output, and it would handily eclipse what the original 1.6-liter VTEC could manage.

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Illustrations: Vitaly Batalka and Valentin Komkov

The two creators emphasized that the project was completed using traditional digital modeling workflows rather than generative AI tools. Batalka was responsible for the initial design and the 3D Alias modeling, while Komkov executed the final visualization in Blender.

More: Designers Are Doing What Honda Won’t With The S2000

The nearest thing Honda built to a true CRX successor was the short-lived CR-Z. The somewhat sporty three-door hatchback launched in 2010 with a self-charging hybrid powertrain and was discontinued in 2016 without a replacement. Projects like this one keep the idea alive, but the math gets harder every year. The current market gives Honda very little reason to spend the R&D money required to put a small, sporty three-door back on a showroom floor, and that’s a shame.

 Honda Won’t Touch The CRX, So Two Designers Did It Themselves

Illustrations: Vitaly Batalka and Valentin Komkov

Canada Pledged Honda $5 Billion For 240,000 EVs A Year. None Are Coming

  • Honda indefinitely paused its planned EV expansion in Ontario.
  • Existing Civic and CR-V production remains unchanged in Canada.
  • Hybrids are increasingly reshaping automakers’ future plans.

Only a few years ago, big spending on EV production made sense to many automakers. It’s why Honda was so willing to commit to its CA$15 billion (about US$10.8 billion) project in Alliston, Ontario, Canada. Now, it’s parking that program indefinitely. Hybrids that are already in production will continue rolling out of the factory, but the EV side of the business is officially on hold.

Honda Global CEO Toshihiro Mibe announced the change in plans during a press briefing on Thursday. The facility was originally pitched as Canada’s first fully integrated EV ecosystem, combining vehicle assembly and battery production under one ambitious umbrella. At one point, it was expected to create roughly 1,000 new jobs and produce up to 240,000 EVs annually.

Read: The Next Honda Civic Is Getting Lighter, Sharper, And More Hybrid

Mibe said the company plans to spend the next three years restructuring its automobile business while redirecting resources toward hybrid vehicles. As we’ve reported, demand for hybrids has remained strong while EV growth has softened domestically. Honda delayed the project only last year, saying it would revisit market conditions before making a final call. Now, “pause” has become “indefinite suspension.”

The timing makes sense despite it also being less than ideal. According to CTV News, Honda posted a $2.7 billion loss, its first full-year loss on record, with the company pointing toward high EV-related costs and changing U.S. policy. Under President Donald Trump’s administration, EV incentives have been rolled back, and emissions regulations loosened, altering the economic math for automakers betting heavily on battery-powered vehicles.

 Canada Pledged Honda $5 Billion For 240,000 EVs A Year. None Are Coming

At the same time, production of the Civic and CR-V at the Alliston plant will continue. In 2025 alone, Honda built around 400,000 vehicles in Canada, including approximately 198,000 Civics and 202,000 CR-Vs. More than 60 percent were hybrids.

Honda stressed that no current jobs are affected and no government money had actually changed hands despite roughly CA$5 billion in pledged support from federal and provincial governments. No doubt, this move will have implications for Honda for years to come. At least, for the time being, factory workers aren’t affected.

 Canada Pledged Honda $5 Billion For 240,000 EVs A Year. None Are Coming
Acura RSX prototype

Honda Previews New Fastback Sedan And Next Acura RDX, And Neither Is An EV

  • Honda will roll out 15 hybrid models worldwide by the end of 2029.
  • Two new prototypes appear to preview the next Accord or Civic, and RDX.
  • A $9.9 billion EV write-down forced Honda’s full strategic reset.

Honda has overhauled its product strategy and put hybrid technology at the center of the global lineup, a course correction triggered by the costly cancellation of several high-profile EV projects. The automaker pulled the wraps off two prototypes that appear to telegraph the next Accord sedan and Acura RDX SUV, alongside a commitment to launch 15 hybrid models by 2029

The Honda Hybrid Sedan Prototype and the Acura Hybrid SUV Prototype will both reach production within two years. Honda has not named either car or even confirmed a segment, but the proportions tell their own story. The fastback-style sedan looks like the next Accord, though the Civic can’t be completely ruled out, while the SUV is unmistakably the RDX successor.

More: Honda’s $15.9 Billion EV Disaster Just Delayed The Next Accord, Odyssey, And MDX

The sedan wears a five-door fastback profile, sharp surfacing, slim LED lighting, and a small amount of black cladding. The boxy nose recalls the Civic development mule Honda showed last year.

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Honda Hybrid Sedan Prototype

On the other hand, the Acura SUV has a more sculpted body with aggressive front bumper intakes, toned shoulders, and V-shaped taillights. Its silhouette matches the official teaser from January 2026, leaving little doubt this is indeed a successor to the discontinued RDX.

More: Acura’s Losing Its RDX For Two Years, And Dealers Know What Happens Next

Both vehicles sit on a next-generation hybrid architecture due in 2027. Honda is targeting a 30 percent reduction in production costs and a fuel-economy improvement of more than 10 percent over 2023 levels. A new electric all-wheel drive unit is part of the package, alongside what Honda promises will be sharper driving dynamics. The next-gen ADAS suite follows in 2028.

Honda said that North America will be one of the “key focus regions” of the hybrid rollout. In 2029, the company will debut large hybrid models in the D-Segment and above, tailored to the needs of the region.

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Acura Hybrid SUV Prototype

In order to support the rollout, Honda will “reallocate all excess capacity” at the Ohio plant to production of vehicles with gasoline and hybrid powertrains. Furthermore, all US plants will be converted to support production of hybrids.

Finally, the the joint venture between Honda and LG Energy Solution will switch part of the EV battery production to hybrid batteries while increasing local components by more than four times the current level to fight supply shortage and tariffs.

Other Markets

The Japanese automaker is doubling down on market-specific needs to stabilize its business foundation following a period of strategic realignment. In its home market, the focus shifts toward electrified kei cars, led by the upcoming N-Box EV scheduled for a 2028 debut. The next-gen hybrid and ADAS tech will be introduced in the updated Vezel, while the lineup will expand with Sport Line and Trail Line trim levels.

More: Honda Went To China, Saw The Future, And Reached Back To The 1960s

In India, the play is compact and midsize cars due in 2028, along with continued investment in the motorcycle business to expand local production. China is more complicated. Honda plans to use locally standardized components and roll out new electrified vehicles built on platforms supplied by Chinese partners.

Investing In Hybrids Over EVs

 Honda Previews New Fastback Sedan And Next Acura RDX, And Neither Is An EV

Honda is going through a challenging financial period, reporting its first annual net loss since 1957. The loss totaled ¥423.9 billion ($2.68 billion), largely driven by a massive ¥1.57 trillion ($9.94 billion) write-down following the restructuring and cancellation of EV projects.

Honda is still publicly optimistic about the recovery, targeting a record operating profit above ¥1.4 trillion ($8.86 billion) for the fiscal year ending March 2029.

More: Honda’s $11 Billion Canadian EV Plant Just Got Shelved Because America Wants Hybrids

The investment plan tells you everything you need to know about where Honda thinks the next decade is going. Of the ¥6.2 trillion ($39.25 billion) earmarked through 2029, ¥4.4 trillion ($27.85 billion) goes to gasoline and hybrid powertrains, with another ¥1 trillion ($6.3 billion) for software.

Spending on pure EVs has been trimmed to ¥0.8 trillion ($5.06 billion). Anything beyond that gets decided after 2030, and Honda has made clear it would rather partner with someone else than build its next EV platform alone.

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Honda

Honda’s $11 Billion Canadian EV Plant Just Got Shelved Because America Wants Hybrids

  • Honda has put a hold on plans to develop a new EV plant in Ontario.
  • Plans were announced in 2024, but then delayed by two years in 2025.
  • Honda recently scrapped three new EVs due to launch in North America.

Honda’s electric future in North America just took its second major hit in as many months. The company is now hitting pause on plans for a massive EV and battery plant in Canada, and it might not restart anytime soon.

The project, originally announced in 2024, was going to be huge, with $15 billion CAD ($11 bn USD) earmarked for a new factory in Alliston, Ontario. But Honda has decided to shelve the plan indefinitely while it reassesses the market, Nikkei Asia reports.

Related: Honda’s $15.9 Billion EV Disaster Just Delayed The Next Accord, Odyssey, And MDX

It’s not hard to see why the plans collapsed. EV demand in the US isn’t where Honda expected it to be, and that’s forcing a rethink. Instead of going all in on electric, the company is doubling down on hybrids, which are selling strongly right now.

Policy changes haven’t helped either. The removal of federal EV incentives in the US has made electric cars more expensive overnight, while relaxed efficiency rules have reduced the urgency for automakers to push EVs hard. There’s also the issue of tariffs and trade uncertainty between the US and Canada, which adds another layer of risk to any long-term investment.

“American tariffs and changes to US domestic policies are creating real pressures for automakers, prompting some to delay or scale back investments in electric vehicle and battery projects,” Industry Minister Melanie Joly told Canada’s CTV News.

Already Delayed

 Honda’s $11 Billion Canadian EV Plant Just Got Shelved Because America Wants Hybrids

Honda had already delayed the Alliston EV project once, pushing the timeline for the car plant and related battery plant back by two years in May of 2025, despite having already acquired the land and locked in financial help from Canada. Now it’s taking things further by putting everything on ice while it watches how the market evolves, though it will still build the Civic and CR-V at its existing Alliston plant that was opened in 1986.

Multiple Future EVs Scrapped

The shift in powertrain philosophy is already showing up in Honda’s new EV product plans. The company is winding down the Prologue EV, which it co-developed with GM, and earlier this year scrapped three exciting new Honda and Acura electric cars and SUVs destined for North American roads, even though they were in the final stages of development. Not long after that, Honda and Sony confirmed they were abandoning their plans to launch EVs under the Afeela brand.

Instead of EVs, Honda will focus on hybrids in North America, which are gaining popularity with buyers, and extend the life of existing models to save cash. That doesn’t mean Honda is abandoning EVs completely. It still has flexible production lines in Ohio that can build gas, hybrid, or electric models depending on demand, having spent $1 billion to upgrade the site. But for a while at least, fully electric models won’t be part of Honda’s future in the US or Canada.

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Honda

Honda Couldn’t Give Away Its Electric SUV In Europe, So Now It’s Killing It

  • Honda is withdrawing the e:Ny1 SUV from most European markets.
  • Global EV plans, including the Sony Afeela, have been canceled.
  • A new Super-N hatchback will arrive in Europe and the UK in July.

Honda is preparing to pull the plug on its only fully electric model currently sold in Europe. As part of a rethink of its EV strategy, the automaker will take the e:Ny1 off sale just three years after it arrived. That sounds abrupt, and it is. This is not a full EV retreat, though. The new Super-N hatchback is waiting in the wings, set to step in where the e:Ny1 leaves off, even if it targets a very different slice of the market.

A product of Honda’s joint venture with Dongfeng, the e:Ny1 arrived in Europe in mid-2023 as the electric counterpart to the local-spec HR-V. It looks closely related to the hybrid crossover, but its roots trace back to China, where it has been sold as the e:NS1 and e:NP1 since 2022.

More: Honda’s 1.2 Million-Car China Peak Is Now A 720,000-Car Retreat

As reported by German newspaper Handelsblatt, the e:Ny1 has already disappeared from configurators in several major markets, including Germany, Italy, and Spain. The SUV remains available to order in France and Austria, but Honda is reportedly directing remaining stock toward the UK and Nordic regions, where demand has been stronger.

The model struggled to gain ground against newer, more affordable rivals from both European and Chinese brands. Even after a price cut in Germany from €47,590 ($56,100) to €38,990 ($46,000), Honda managed to sell just 105 units of the e:Ny1 last year.

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The e:Ny1 rides on the “e:N Architecture F” platform and uses a single electric motor producing 201 hp (150 kW / 204 PS). A 68.8 kWh battery delivers a WLTP range of 412 km (256 miles). Compared with the EU-spec HR-V, it features a redesigned front end with a charging port integrated into the grille, clear taillights, and a 15.1-inch portrait touchscreen inside.

Honda Takes A Step Back

This European scale-back mirrors a wider global pivot. Honda recently confirmed it has canceled several planned EVs intended for North America, including the Acura RSX, the 0 Series Saloon and SUV, and the Afeela sedan and SUV from the Sony Honda Mobility joint venture.

More: Honda Plans To Sell 3,000 Rebadged Chinese EVs As The New Insight In Japan

Despite the gloomy outlook for its larger EVs, Honda isn’t pulling the plug entirely. The Super-N will reach UK and Europe shortly after its initial roll-out in Japan. The pint-sized electric hatchback draws inspiration from the Honda City Turbo II, pairing a sporty body kit with a 94 hp motor. Pricing is expected to start below £20,000 (€23,000 / $27,100), aiming to attract buyers with a more accessible entry point and a distinct character.

The rest of Honda’s European lineup is exclusively available with self-charging hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, as all ICE-only offerings were phased out in late 2022.

 Honda Couldn’t Give Away Its Electric SUV In Europe, So Now It’s Killing It
Honda Super-N

Honda’s 1.2 Million-Car China Peak Is Now A 720,000-Car Retreat

  • Honda and GAC will reportedly close one of the plants they operate together.
  • The report comes as Honda continues restructuring after betting big on EVs.
  • Honda’s Dongfeng joint venture may also see a plant closure due to low ICE sales.

Hot off the back of Honda’s $15.7 billion restructuring costs and a broader EV strategy overhaul announced last month, things aren’t looking good for Honda’s Chinese venture either. At least one of its automobile manufacturing plants in China will be closed by the end of June, according to a recent report.

The plant in question is part of their joint venture with Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC), following Honda’s China sales fall by some 24% in 2025 to just under 647,000 vehicles, roughly half of the 1.2 million sold in 2023.

Read: Honda Went To China, Saw The Future, And Reached Back To The 1960s

According to Reuters, another plant from Honda’s other JV with Dongfeng Motor may be shut soon, as the Japanese automaker tries to keep pace with a rapidly changing market. Demand for traditional petrol vehicles has dropped significantly, and local electric vehicle brands are increasingly taking market share from foreign manufacturers, putting them under increasing strain.

A Turning Point For Honda In China’s Evolving Market 

 Honda’s 1.2 Million-Car China Peak Is Now A 720,000-Car Retreat

Honda has six plants as part of its alliances with GAC and Dongfeng, but sustaining ICE production looks increasingly difficult. Estimates indicate that closing a single ICE plant in each joint venture would halve Honda’s petrol car production capacity in China, dropping from 960,000 to approximately 480,000 cars per year. This would also reduce Honda’s total annual vehicle capacity in the country from 1.2 million to around 720,000.

This comes on the heels of a rough year for the automaker in China, where it posted a steep drop in sales. As yet, there have been no official announcements of closures by the company or its partners, but analysts expect some slowdown.

Honda’s ICE offerings have seen some impressive offers, indicative of their poor sales performance. For instance, GAC Honda was offering returning customers a hefty discount of $14,610 (100,000 yuan) off a new Accord e: PHEV earlier in the year.

The bigger picture is to shift investment toward electric vehicles, although Honda’s EV growth in China will likely remain slow, as competitors already outpace them in tech and consumers increasingly prefer cars better optimized for local integration and cutting-edge software.

 Honda’s 1.2 Million-Car China Peak Is Now A 720,000-Car Retreat

Toyota Was Mocked For Going Slow On EVs, Honda And VW Are Now Paying For Going Fast

  • Automakers in the US are taking sharply different paths toward EV adoption.
  • Some, like Toyota and Mercedes, continue with a measured approach to new EVs.
  • Others, such as Honda and Stellantis, are cutting back on their planned EV launches.

The auto industry is at a crossroads with EVs, and this is becoming increasingly evident. Nearly every automobile manufacturer has been forced into some level of self-reflection as far as electric cars are concerned. Some are forging ahead in hope, while others are slowing down and reassessing their plans as market demand fluctuates and prices rise.

Also: These Are The Best-Selling EVs In America This Year So Far

The recent developments in the industry portray the picture of how fragmented everything has become. Some have already abandoned or delayed EV projects since it has emerged that the growth they were envisaging was not that imminent. Others are in the process of doubling down and are taking this as a chance to leapfrog, as competition takes a breather.

Slow And Steady Wins The Race?

Toyota is one of the companies that continues to go on the offensive. It will launch four electric models in the U.S. towards the end of the year, including the bZ, bZ Woodland, C-HR, and a three-row Highlander EV.

 Toyota Was Mocked For Going Slow On EVs, Honda And VW Are Now Paying For Going Fast

Speaking to Automotive News, analysts from iSeeCars and Edmunds expressed positivity on Toyota’s approach. Toyota had attracted criticism for its slow approach towards EVs, but its measured approach seems to have left it in good standing. The ratio of hybrids, gas cars, and EVs the company has had over the years is finally starting to pay off because it will be able to be flexible as the market readjusts.

Pull Backs And Uncertainty

One of the biggest shifts in EV planning has to have been from Honda. The Japanese company has scrapped a number of future electric models and is shifting to hybrids. This move comes with a financial hit, but the company believes that it is a more prudent short-term decision since EV demand has not yet evened out.

Read: Toyota’s bZ Outsold The Prius, And Now A Second US-Made Electric SUV Is Coming

Stellantis is taking the same route, scrapping its electric Ram pickup and delaying other EV plans in Europe. Ford and General Motors are not giving up on electric vehicles, but instead, they are streamlining their production to suit demand rather than overloading it too soon. It is not about quitting but timing things.

 Toyota Was Mocked For Going Slow On EVs, Honda And VW Are Now Paying For Going Fast

Meanwhile, Volkswagen has canceled its production of the US-made ID4 electric crossover. Besides the ID Buzz minivan, there are no plans to expand the VW EV lineup stateside for the next couple of years. On the other hand, Mercedes-Benz still plans to introduce more EVs to the US, but their approach will continue to incorporate gas and hybrid options too.

See Also: A 96% Sales Collapse Is Why VW Just Killed US ID.4 Production

These different avenues are reduced down to the situation of the firms, according to industry analysts. Some have the financial cushion to keep on investing, but others are choosing to save and avoid incurring more losses.

 Toyota Was Mocked For Going Slow On EVs, Honda And VW Are Now Paying For Going Fast

Mugen’s Super-One Looks Like A Race Car. Its Motor Disagrees

  • Mugen reveals upgrades for the Honda Super-One EV platform.
  • A widebody kit with carbon aero parts adds visual aggression.
  • Changes focus on style and dynamics rather than outright power.

The new Honda Super-One taps into a growing appetite for retro-flavored EVs, borrowing heavily from the irreverent charm of the City Turbo II from the ’80s. While the standard model already leans into a sporty aesthetic, Mugen has taken it further with a more aggressive bodykit, interior tweaks, and a set of performance dampers to back up the look.

Starting with the exterior, the Japanese tuner injects a dose of motorsport attitude into the Super-One. Up front, it gains a black chin spoiler and a vented hood, but the real standout sits along the sides, where vented wide fender extensions are mounted over the already flared arches.

More: Mugen Turns Honda’s Tiny EV Into A Pocket-Sized Street Fighter

Those arches are complemented by carbon mirror caps, deeper side skirts, and a set of 16-inch forged aluminum wheels with a five-spoke design. Around back, Mugen adds a sizeable roof spoiler and sharper extensions to the rear bumper.

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Inside, the front seats have been swapped with semi-buckets from Recaro, complementing the track-ready stance. Buyers can also get special floor and luggage mats, scuff plates, and protective door trim with Mugen branding, which can also be found on the rim of the two-spoke steering wheel. Other accessories include the hydrophobic mirrors and the window visors.

More: The Manual Honda That Thinks It’s A Baby Type R

Under the skin, Mugen is offering Performance Dampers developed in collaboration with Yamaha, which are said to improve handling and reduce vibrations. Note that the Super-One has a more aggressive chassis setup compared to the N-One e: kei car, featuring a lowered suspension and wider tracks.

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Unfortunately, the zero-emission powertrain is left untouched. The Super-One sticks with a single electric motor producing 94 hp (70 kW / 95 PS) in Boost Mode. It is not a headline-grabber, though Honda tries to add some theatre with an Active Sound Control system that pipes in simulated gearshifts and engine noise through the speakers.

More: Honda’s Tiny £20k Super-N EV Lands In UK Like A Half-Scale Ioniq 5 N

Mugen has yet to put a price on any of these upgrades, as they remain under development. A market launch in Japan is scheduled for late May 2026.

Beyond Japan, the Super-One is headed to the UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Asia, which raises the prospect of a one-make series. It would suit the car rather well.

 Mugen’s Super-One Looks Like A Race Car. Its Motor Disagrees

Mugen

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