Honda is the first non-Big Three automaker to dip its toe into the pool of multi-billion dollar EV writedowns. It’s completely throwing in the towel on its 0 Series SUV, 0 Series Saloon and Acura RSX, all of which were meant to be built in the U.S. and were very far along in the development process. We first saw 0 Series concepts back at CES in January of 2024, and the company has shown off a few more production-ready versions of the cars since then, but it seems the “concept” phase is where they’ll be frozen. It’s a similar story with the RSX, which Acura first showed off in January of 2025 along with a near-production prototype that August. That ain’t happening anymore, either. As for the $100,000+ Sony Honda Mobility Afeela 1, well, it’s technically in production as of this January, but I don’t have much hope it’ll be much of a success, to be honest.
Now, Honda says it’s going to focus mostly on hybrid development, which is sort of similar to what Ford is doing. It’s killing the electric F-150 Lightning with a range extending hybrid F-150 that’ll use a gas-powered motor to recharge a battery. It’s also scrapping a next-generation electric truck and van while pivoting hard to other hybrid models, as we reported. It expects the global mix of hybrids, EREVs and pure EVs to hit 50% by 2030.
GM’s plans are a bit less focused. It’s going to pivot its Orion assembly facility — previously slated for EV production — to building the Escalade, Silverado and Sierra. It’ll also reduce battery cell production capacity, slash shifts and lay off hundreds of workers at its Factory Zero EV plant. Its hybrid plans are sort of murky, as well. Earlier this year, CEO Mary Barra told Automotive News that the company was “evaluating” plug-in hybrids, but nothing has come of that so far. At the moment, the only hybrids that GM builds are the Corvette E-Ray and ZR1X, and those aren’t exactly economy cars.
Stellantis is selling a 49% stake in its joint battery venture to LG Energy Solution, and it has canceled the all-electric Ram 1500 REV — making it a plug-in range-extending hybrid instead. It’ll be similar to what Ford has done with its F-150 Lightning. It’s also going back to what it knows: the Hemi V8. Expect to start seeing the big bruiser of a motor in just about everything once again.
Porsche’s $4.5 billion writedown seems almost tiny in comparison to these behemoths, but they come with a lot of movement from the automaker. It’t had to completely rethink its electric 718 Boxster and Cayman strategy — electing to develop a gas-powered variant alongside it. The company is apparently considering turing the Panamera and Taycan into one model and its kept the gas-powered Macan going long after its expiration date.
I’m not sure how long it will take these companies to recuperate these losses, because I’m just about the furthest thing from an accountant that there is, but they’ve gotta be very sure that there’s no near-term future for EVs if they’re willing to just chuck this much money away in the hope something better is coming. For their sake, I hope they’re right
