Honda emphasized that environmental responsibility and safety remain central to its mission, describing them as essential to sustaining the “joy and freedom of mobility” for future generations. The company reaffirmed its ambitious targets: achieving carbon neutrality across all products and operations, and eliminating traffic fatalities involving Honda vehicles globally by 2050. As outlined at the May 2025 Honda Business Briefing, the automaker is intensifying its efforts to strengthen its lineup of hybrid-electric and electric vehicles, while integrating intelligent technologies to create unique driving experiences. Central to this strategy is the “man maximum, machine minimum” (M/M) design philosophy, which maximizes space and efficiency while keeping the driver at the heart of the experience.
The next-generation mid-size hybrid platform represents Honda’s most comprehensive advancement in chassis and drivetrain design to date. By combining high body rigidity with lightweight engineering, the platform aims to deliver a driving experience that is both sporty and precise. Honda introduced a new approach to body rigidity management that optimizes cornering performance by controlling how the vehicle’s structure flexes, improving roadholding while reducing overall weight by approximately 90 kilograms compared with current models. This platform will eventually support both hybrid and fully electric vehicles, allowing the company to maintain the dynamic handling characteristics Honda is known for.
Engineers have also implemented a modular architecture, separating common elements such as the engine compartment and rear underbody from model-specific components like the cabin, to increase parts commonality across multiple models. Honda anticipates more than 60 percent parts commonality, enabling efficient production while preserving distinct design identities for each vehicle. In addition, the platform incorporates advanced driver-focused technologies such as a Motion Management System derived from Honda’s robotics expertise and an upgraded Agile Handling Assist with new pitch-control capabilities, ensuring that vehicle responses closely match driver intentions under a wide range of road conditions.
Large-size hybrid systems are another cornerstone of Honda’s electrification strategy, particularly for the North American market, where demand for high-performance HEVs remains strong. Honda unveiled a next-generation hybrid system featuring a new V6 engine, optimized drive units, and an advanced battery pack designed to balance power, efficiency, and cost. By combining these technologies with energy management systems that intelligently adjust drive modes according to road conditions, Honda projects a fuel efficiency improvement exceeding 30 percent compared with conventional internal combustion models in the same segment, while also enhancing acceleration and towing capacity.
Meanwhile, Honda’s compact Super-ONE Prototype EV, which will enter production first in Japan in 2026, embodies the company’s vision for a playful yet practical EV. With a dedicated lightweight chassis, widened stance, and low-mounted thin battery, the Super-ONE achieves exceptional handling and responsiveness, rivaling even small gasoline-powered vehicles in driver feedback and stability. The production model will feature an exclusive “Boost Mode” that synchronizes power output, a simulated seven-speed transmission, and Active Sound Control to recreate the engagement and sensation of a traditional ICE-driven car, blending the linear smoothness of EVs with the excitement of conventional engines.
Across all vehicle categories, Honda intends to uphold its guiding principle: the joy of driving. By merging electrification, intelligent control technologies, and human-centric design, the automaker aims to deliver experiences that are enjoyable not only for the driver but also for passengers, creating vehicles that are comfortable, safe, and spirited. With these next-generation platforms and systems, Honda is charting a course toward an electrified era while remaining faithful to the qualities that have defined its brand for decades