GaadiWaadi –
The first Honda electric model in India will be launched between April 2026 – March 2027, confirmed Kunal Behl, VP Sales & Marketing, Honda Cars India
Several mainstream automotive brands such as Hyundai, Tata and Mahindra among others retail EVs in the Indian market. A few companies like Maruti Suzuki and Toyota will start the sales of their first EV in India in the coming 3-5 months. However, Honda is one brand that has stayed away from all-electric vehicles in our market while focusing on strong hybrid models. Now, Kunal Behl, VP Sales & Marketing, Honda Cars India has finally confirmed that the first Honda EV in India will be launched by next financial year, i.e. late 2026.
Earlier this year, Takashi Nakajima took over as the president and CEO of Honda Cars India. During his first informal interaction with the media in Delhi, he had confirmed that the first Honda battery electric vehicle (BEV) is under development and it will go on sale in the next financial year. He further confirmed that the upcoming Honda EV will not be based on the Elevate SUV, contrary to the earlier reports.
It was widely speculated that Honda is working on Elevate EV, which is going to be its first all-electric model in the Indian market. However, it has been clearly denied by the top brass at the Japanese automaker. Though the company has not confirmed the exact body type, the first Honda EV in India is likely to be a midsize SUV to rival the likes of Hyundai Creta EV, MG ZS EV and Maruti e-Vitara.
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Traditionally, we have seen that popular brands such as Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Tata Motors have opted for an electrified version of their best-selling ICE-models in the form of Vitara, Creta and Harrier, respectively, in India. However, Honda seems to be taking a different approach by rolling out a fresh nameplate for its first electric vehicle in the Indian market.
It has also been learnt that Honda is working silently on establishing charging infrastructure so that when its EV is ready to hit the roads in the coming 8-12 months, it has the requisite charging network ready. The Japanese automaker has started equipping the dealerships with fast-charging DC chargers so that the buyers can quickly charge their e-SUV without any range anxiety.
Also Read: Honda Cars September 2025 Discounts – Amaze, City & Elevate
Presently, Honda Cars India retails four petrol-only models in the country in the form of City, Amaze, Elevate and old Amaze. It also sells the City e:HEV strong-hybrid in our market while the CNG derivatives of the Amaze and Elevate are sold. Hence, the company has quite a small model line-up in India as compared to other auto brands. It used to sell Brio and Jazz hatch models, Mobilio MPV and CR-V SUV earlier, but all of these were phased out due to dismal sales performance.
Apart from the first EV, Honda is also working on the new-gen City sedan which is likely to break cover in 2028. It will be based on a new PF2 architecture which will be compatible with hybrid powertrain. The PF2 platform will be highly localised in India for an aggressive pricing between Rs 15-25 lakh (ex-showroom) unlike the current-gen City hybrid which attracts quite a high starting price of Rs 19.90 lakh (ex-showroom).
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