Honda plans to take a different approach in the future as it pushes forward with its ambitious electric vehicle (EV) plans. The carmaker aims to sell 1.2 million hybrids this year, with its sub-brand, Acura, accounting for 160,000 units. However, starting in 2024, Acura will only offer online sales to buyers.
Mamadou Diallo, SVP of Sales for Honda, said in a press release, “In 2023, we will see the strategies we’ve been talking about, including growing sales of light truck models, increasing volume of hybrid-electric models and the start of digital sales at Acura. All this leads toward our vision of 100-percent electrified sales by 2040 to fulfill our ultimately goal of zero emissions by 2050.”
Acura’s first fully electric vehicles, the ZDX and ZDX Type S, will be available for purchase online only. However, Diallo did not provide many details on how the online sales system will work. He promised to provide more information to dealers and the press as the launch date draws closer.
In 2023, parent company Honda will also begin pre-sales for the Prologue, the automaker’s first electric SUV, with deliveries scheduled to start in early 2024.
Acura is joining a growing list of EV makers that are adopting Tesla’s online sales style, with Ford and GM also making similar announcements. Startups such as Rivian and Lucid already sell directly to customers. However, Ford and GM are also working to convert their dealers into EV sellers.
