Honda Motor Co. is inching closer to bringing an all-electric sports car to life, but CEO Toshihiro Mibe says enthusiasts will have to wait a bit longer. Speaking at the Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo, Mibe confirmed that the automaker has developed several EV sports car prototypes behind closed doors. The challenge now is timing.
“We do have research on EV-based sports cars, and we have many prototypes already made internally,” Mibe said. “But we have to decide when the market is ready to make that available as a product.”
With global electric vehicle (EV) sales showing signs of plateauing, Honda appears cautious about launching a niche performance EV too early. Mibe emphasized that the company’s research and development teams are continuing to advance electric powertrain technologies, laying the foundation for a future “electrified GT” that could redefine Honda’s performance legacy.
Following the Prelude and the Legacy of the NSX
Honda’s sports car lineage runs deep, from the legendary NSX to the reborn Prelude. Mibe, who personally approved the Prelude’s comeback as a hybrid sports coupe, says the company’s future electric GT will carry forward that same spirit — combining design, precision, and technological innovation.
He even revealed that he drives a 2026 Prelude himself, calling it “a symbol of where Honda performance is headed.”
The company’s most recent performance car, the second-generation Acura NSX, ended production in 2022. That model paired a hybrid system with a twin-turbo V6 engine, setting the stage for Honda’s continued experimentation with electrification in high-performance vehicles.
Waiting for the Right Market Moment
Honda’s hesitation to rush an electric sports car to market reflects a broader reality: consumer enthusiasm for EVs is cooling in several regions. Rising prices, charging infrastructure gaps, and uncertain incentives have slowed demand.
Mibe said Honda doesn’t intend to simply “build for the sake of building.” Instead, the brand aims to launch an EV sports car when both technology and market conditions align — when customers are ready to embrace electric performance as much as electric practicality.
That approach underscores Honda’s strategy of measured progress rather than aggressive expansion in the EV space. The company has already committed to introducing a new global EV platform, called Honda 0, and its first production models are expected to arrive next year.
Formula 1: The Test Bed for Electric Power
While the world waits for Honda’s next great sports car, the company will showcase its electrified engineering on one of the world’s biggest stages — Formula 1.
After briefly stepping away from the sport, Honda is returning as a full works partner with Aston Martin for the 2026 F1 season. The decision was driven by new regulations that require F1 power units to derive 50 percent of their output from electric motors — a sharp increase from the current 20 percent.
“Sports cars and racing have always been key domains for Honda,” Mibe said. “That won’t change in the EV era.”
Through F1, Honda hopes to accelerate innovation in battery systems, hybrid integration, and energy recovery — technologies that could directly influence its next-generation electric road cars.
The Road Ahead
Honda’s message is clear: the electric sports car is coming, just not yet. The prototypes exist, the technology is evolving, and the intent is real. What’s left is patience — waiting for the perfect intersection of market demand, affordability, and engineering readiness.
When that moment comes, Honda’s long-promised electric GT could finally take its place alongside the NSX and Prelude — a new chapter in the brand’s performance story, built for the electric age.
