Honda has axed three electric vehicles that were nearly ready for U.S. production. Gone. The company confirmed it’s canceling the Honda Prologue SUV, the Acura ZDX SUV, and a CR-V-sized electric crossover — all of which were slated to roll off the line at Honda’s new EV hub in Ohio within months. The decision, first reported by Engadget, marks one of the sharpest strategic pivots in Honda’s recent history.
The Prologue and ZDX were built on General Motors’ Ultium platform as part of a co-development deal between the two automakers. Honda had already started selling the Prologue in early 2024, and it was actually gaining traction — the company moved over 50,000 units in the U.S. last year, making it one of the better-performing new EV entries. But Honda is walking away from the GM partnership for its next generation of electric cars, choosing instead to build on its own in-house platform.
That platform is called Honda 0 (pronounced “zero”). And it changes everything about how Honda approaches electrification.
Why Honda Pulled the Plug
The calculus here isn’t complicated. Honda wants full control over its EV technology stack — batteries, software, vehicle architecture. Relying on GM’s platform meant Honda was essentially selling a rebadged product, constrained by another company’s engineering choices, supply chain, and update cadence. For a company that prides itself on engineering independence, that was always going to be temporary.
Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe has been signaling this shift for months. The company announced in late 2024 that it would invest $4.4 billion to retool its Ohio manufacturing complex — including the Marysville Auto Plant and the East Liberty Auto Plant — to produce EVs on the Honda 0 platform starting in 2026. A new battery plant, a joint venture with LG Energy Solution, is also under construction in the state.
So the GM-based models were always stopgaps. But killing them this early, before the Honda 0 vehicles are ready, leaves a gap in the lineup. A deliberate one.
Honda appears willing to accept that gap rather than continue investing in vehicles built on someone else’s architecture. The CR-V-sized EV, which hadn’t yet been publicly named, was reportedly further along in development than many realized. Its cancellation suggests Honda isn’t interested in half-measures.
What Honda 0 Actually Looks Like
Honda showed two production-intent Honda 0 models at CES 2025: the Honda 0 Saloon (a sleek sedan) and the Honda 0 SUV. Both run on a purpose-built EV platform developed entirely in-house, with a new proprietary operating system Honda calls ASIMO OS — yes, named after the robot.
The specs are ambitious. Honda is targeting a thin, low-profile battery pack that allows for a lower center of gravity and sportier proportions than most current EVs. The company claims the 0 Series will feature Level 3 autonomous driving capabilities at launch, which would put it ahead of most competitors in the mass market. Range targets haven’t been finalized publicly, but Honda has indicated it’s aiming for over 300 miles.
Production is expected to begin in Ohio in 2026, with the first Honda 0 models hitting U.S. dealerships by early 2027. That’s a roughly 18-month window where Honda will have essentially no new EV product in the pipeline for North America — just remaining Prologue inventory working through dealer lots.
It’s a risky bet. But Honda is making it with eyes open.
The broader context matters here. The U.S. EV market has cooled from its 2023 peak of hype, and traditional automakers are recalibrating their timelines. Ford scaled back its EV investments. GM delayed several models. Toyota continues to hedge with hybrids. Honda’s move is different in kind — it’s not slowing down, it’s ripping out the foundation and pouring a new one.
There’s also the tariff question. With the Trump administration imposing steep tariffs on Chinese EVs and parts, domestic production has become more strategically important than ever. Honda’s decision to consolidate EV manufacturing in Ohio, rather than importing platforms or components from GM’s broader supply network, positions it well for a protectionist trade environment. The LG battery joint venture further insulates the supply chain.
For dealers, the near-term picture is uncomfortable. The Prologue was selling. Customers were ordering. Now those customers will need to be redirected — likely toward Honda’s hybrid lineup, which remains strong, or told to wait for the 0 Series. Neither option is ideal.
For suppliers, the cancellations send a clear message: if you were tooling up for Ultium-based Honda production, those contracts are done. The new opportunities will center on Honda’s proprietary platform and its Ohio manufacturing footprint.
The Bigger Picture
Honda’s decision reflects a broader reckoning across the auto industry. The first wave of EV partnerships — born from urgency and a fear of falling behind Tesla — is giving way to a second phase where automakers want ownership of their electric futures. GM and Honda’s partnership produced functional vehicles, but it didn’t give Honda what it ultimately needs: differentiation.
The Honda 0 platform is designed to be that differentiator. Whether it delivers remains to be seen. The company’s track record with the Honda e — a charming but commercially irrelevant city car sold in limited markets — doesn’t inspire universal confidence. But the scale of investment in Ohio, the seriousness of the ASIMO OS development, and the willingness to kill nearly-ready products all suggest Honda isn’t treating this as a side project.
Three EVs, canceled. Billions of dollars, redirected. A partnership with GM, functionally over for passenger vehicles. Honda is betting its electric future on itself. That’s either disciplined strategy or a very expensive leap of faith. Probably both.
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