The Honda Prelude Returns As A Sporty Hybrid With A New Drive Mode

Out to beryllium that nan sports coupe is acold from dead, Honda announced nan return of nan Prelude pinch an all-new hybrid-electric powertrain.

It’s been complete 2 decades since Honda past released a caller Prelude, but nan institution began laying nan groundwork for its return pinch nan merchandise of a conception type past year. Now, a hybrid Prelude is scheduled to get successful nan US successful 2025.

It will too group nan debut of Honda S+ Shift, a caller thrust mode that nan institution says “further advances Linear Shift Control to coming maximum levels of driver engagement.”

The institution is describing nan Prelude arsenic having “two motors,” but that doesn’t make it dual-motor aliases AWD. Honda’s hybrid powertrain has had 2 motors for respective generations, immoderate of which beryllium adjacent to nan psyche combustion engine.

“One electrical centrifugal acts arsenic a generator, creating power for nan artillery and propulsion,” Honda spokesperson Chris Naughton said, “and nan different is simply a traction centrifugal that propels nan conveyance — and captures regen erstwhile slowing.”

There’s not overmuch different to connection astir nan Prelude’s return; Honda is astir apt waiting until personification to nan accumulation to merchandise cardinal specs.

I’m judge location will beryllium immoderate bemoaning nan truth that Honda had an opportunity to merchandise a afloat electrical Prelude that would personification been rad arsenic hell. To beryllium sure, nan institution says it’s still committed to achieving c neutrality for each of its “products and patient activity” by 2050 — and that includes 100 percent of EV income by 2040.

But Honda too has a beautiful bully measurement grounds for hybrid vehicles, which it considers an important span to afloat EVs. And clearly, nan US is heading toward a acheronian play for EV income pinch nan incoming Trump guidance expected to rotation backmost a batch of nan incentives and regulations aimed astatine expanding EV adoption.

Hybrid-electric trims presently dress up overmuch than 50 percent of Accord and CR-V sales, Honda says, and nan precocious introduced Civic hybrid is expected to ultimately represent astir 40 percent of Civic sales. Cumulative income of Honda electrified vehicles apical 1 million.

Meanwhile, nan afloat electrical Honda Prologue (based connected GM’s Chevy Equinox EV) is already enjoying brisk income since its US motorboat earlier this year. And nan institution plans to unveil a production-ready Honda Zero exemplary astatine CES adjacent year.