Honda Motor is developing a new platform for mid-size hybrid vehicles along with a hybrid system for larger models, aiming to stay competitive amid slower adoption of fully electric cars. Scheduled for vehicles from 2027 onward, the platform will primarily support hybrids but also accommodate petrol-only models, and is expected to be around 90 kg lighter than current designs.

The automaker plans to share over 60% of parts across models using a modular architecture, reducing costs, speeding development, and improving handling and driving stability. Batteries will be mounted near the vehicle centre for better weight distribution, and load-bearing will be optimised with fewer unique components.

Honda also revealed a prototype hybrid system for D-segment and larger vehicles, targeting markets like North America, with expected gains of over 30% in fuel efficiency compared with petrol models, while enhancing acceleration and towing capacity.

This follows Honda’s earlier plan to launch 13 next-generation hybrid models globally from 2027, with a target of 2.2–2.3 million hybrids sold by 2030, up from 868,000 in 2024.

The move highlights Honda’s reliance on hybrids as EV demand grows more slowly than anticipated, in a competitive landscape that includes rivals like Toyota and Hyundai, which already offer three-row hybrid SUVs in the U.S.