Superstreet: If there's one thing you guys hate with all of your soul, it's the idea of OEM vehicle manufacturers teaming up with one another on new vehicle offerings, the way that GM and Honda/Acura have agreed upon. We've seen it with the Subaru and Toyota "86" experiment that was lit ablaze when first announced though it eventually settled down. More recently, the BMW and Toyota joint venture is consistently chastised as enthusiasts somehow feel cheated by the Bavarian powered A90.
In this instance, it's the juggernaut that is the EV market barreling downhill and with it comes Honda and GM shaking hands and planning multiple new electrified SUV and, this isn't the first time Honda has requested the assist. If you remember back to the early '90s version of the Honda Passport which was produced by Isuzu, it served as the group's initial toe-dip into blossoming SUV waters of that era.
MotorTrend: Last year, General Motors and Honda announced plans to use the former company's Ultium electric vehicle tech in forthcoming battery-electric vehicles sold by the latter. Now, a report by Automotive News sheds a little light on the upcoming fruits of this partnership. According to AN, GM is due to produce two EV models for the Japanese automaker: a mainstream Honda SUV and a luxury-oriented Acura SUV. Production of the Honda-badged model reportedly begins in 2023 at GM's Ramos Arizpe, Mexico plant, which currently builds vehicles such as the Chevrolet Equinox and Blazer compact and midsize SUVs. About a year later, the Acura EV SUV will start production at GM's Spring Hill, Tennessee plant that today builds the likes of the Cadillac XT5 and GMC Acadia SUVs, and is set to build the Cadillac Lyriq electric SUV.
Per AN's sources, the Honda and Acura EVs will cast shadows close to that of Lyriq, which was revealed in show-car form late last year and promises a driving range of more than 300 miles on a full charge of its battery pack. We expect the Honda and Acura EVs to offer similarly impressive driving ranges.
Although the timelines and production facilities GM and Honda intend to use are merely rumors at the moment, the fact remains that Honda is working with GM on its forthcoming EV models. Likewise, GM continues to move forward in its plans to expand its presence in the EV marketplace. The automaker intends to update its Chevrolet Bolt for the 2022 model year, while also adding the Bolt EUV crossover SUV to the mix. Meanwhile, the company intends to initially bring its Ultium tech to market in the 2022 GMC Hummer EV pickup. Other upcoming Ultium-based GM models include a GMC Hummer EV SUV, the aforementioned Cadillac Lyriq SUV, and a Chevrolet pickup.