We could see electric Type R models from Honda in the future, says a consultant to the brand.
At Honda, performance comes in the form of the Type R variant of the Civic sedan. With electrification on the horizon, it's fair to wonder whether we'll see the Type R treatment applied to a future model.
According to Ko Yamamoto, the automaker's technical advisor, we should see the Type R logo survive electrification. He spoke in an interview with Autocar.
But he added something very important. These eventual Type R electric models will have to offer the same enjoyable driving experience as that delivered by the current Civic Type R.
“The Type R is an attribute that maximizes the pleasure of driving and operation,” Yamamoto said. “If that pleasure can be transported with an electric car, then that car could be called a Type R.”
Asked whether we might see other Type R models appear in the brand's catalog, he ruled out any possibility of the company's current offerings, such as the CR-V or HR-V, receiving the Type R treatment.
And it will certainly be some time before we see a Type R electric model, as the electric Honda E and e-Ny1 that are sold in other markets will not be modified into Type R variants. However, the company is working on other electric creations, and that's where we could possibly be surprised.
Honda said last year that it planned to launch 30 electric vehicles worldwide by 2030. Some of these will reach our market, starting with the Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX SUVs, scheduled for 2024. These two SUVs are based on General Motors' (GM) Ultium structure and will be manufactured by the American manufacturer. However, Honda plans to design its own electric vehicles using its own architecture, starting in 2025. The first model will be an SUV.
There will also be another collaboration with GM, this time for the development of more affordable vehicles. The Japanese automaker is also working with Sony to develop Affela, a new brand of electric vehicles.
As for a possible Type R electric model, we'll have to be patient, of course, but the company will certainly want to respond to Hyundai, which has just presented an ultra-high-performance version of its Ioniq 5 SUV, the Ioniq 5 N.
It will also be interesting to see how well Honda catches up in terms of electrification.