On April 17th, Pulsestacks reported that Honda R&D Co., Ltd. has chosen to launch the all-new electric brand "Ye" at a time when the market conditions are ripe, marking Honda's proactive response to the unique demands of the Chinese market and its layout for the future electric vehicle market. Compared to the existing "e:N" and "Honda e" brands, the "Ye" brand is tailored specifically for the Chinese market, featuring a new rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive platform, namely the intelligent and efficient pure electric "W" architecture, to meet Chinese consumers' expectations for high-performance electric vehicles. By 2027, the "Ye" brand plans to introduce a total of 6 models, covering different segments of the market.
After the press conference, Mr. Masayuki Isogai, Head of Honda China, and Mr. Tetsuya Miyahara, Executive Vice President of Honda R&D (China) Investment Co., Ltd., gave an exclusive interview to the media, elaborating on the positioning, technological features, and future development plans of the "Ye" brand.
Yue brand is the first in the world to adopt the new generation H logo, embracing change with a more open attitude, embodying "Honda with open arms".
Localization Progress
"Honda's R&D team in China consists of a very young group of engineers, with an average age of only 32," said Tetsuya Miyahara when discussing the birth of the W architecture research center in China. Faced with fierce competition in the Chinese market and the trends toward electrification and intelligence, establishing strong local R&D capabilities and collaborating with excellent local suppliers is currently an effective way for Honda to quickly fill its gaps. Through partnerships with companies like Huawei, advanced in-vehicle technologies such as light field screens are being jointly developed.
At the same time, Honda is teaming up with battery suppliers such as CATL to advance the research and application of battery technology, ensuring that its "Ignite" brand vehicles meet the highest standards in performance and safety.
Tetsuya Miyahara also stated that Honda has a clear vision and roadmap for the development of core electric vehicle technologies. Particularly, in solid-state battery technology, Honda is making full efforts and plans to incorporate it into new models between 2025 and 2030.
"Still Very 'Honda'"
Yamaguchi Masayuki stated, "The e:N brand is built on a front-wheel-drive platform primarily used for compact and midsize cars, achieving agile and responsive driving performance with a seamless connection between driver and vehicle. The Yè brand, targeting the Chinese market, utilizes a newly developed rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive platform, representing a fresh platform for the next generation of electric vehicles: the intelligent and efficient pure electric 'W' architecture." Honda's youthful R&D team in China continues the Honda tradition of putting people first, emphasizing driving enjoyment, handling pleasure, and the 'Man Maximum, Machine Minimum' philosophy. Yè brand models continue to adhere to the principle of being "fun to drive" and "enjoyable."
The S7 and P7 models from Yè, along with the concept car GT, are set to be released by the end of this year, with the GT slated for mass production and market launch in 2025.
Here's an excerpt from the interview:
Q1: Minister Igarashi, why introduce a new brand now, and what sets it apart from previous electric-focused brands like "Honda 0" and e:N? What are Honda's expectations for this new brand, and what types of vehicles will be introduced to the Chinese market in the future?
Igarashi Masayuki: With all necessary conditions matured, now is the opportune time to launch our new brand. The main difference between the "e:N" and "Yè" brands lies in their platforms. The "e:N" brand is based on a front-wheel-drive platform primarily used for compact and subcompact cars, emphasizing agile driving performance with a "unified human-vehicle" concept. The "Yè" brand, tailored for the Chinese market, utilizes a newly developed rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive platform, designed for the next generation of electric vehicles: the intelligent and efficient pure electric "W" architecture.
Distinct from "Honda 0," the "Yè" brand is a wholly new electric brand developed specifically for China, leveraging Chinese resources and technology while inheriting Honda's "MM philosophy" and the joy of driving. It upholds Honda's consistent principles of high quality, safety, and reliability. While "Honda 0" is a global series set to debut in North America in 2026, the "Yè" brand will lead the way in China prior to that.
Q2: Mr. Igarashi, amidst skepticism from brands like Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and Toyota regarding electric vehicle development, Honda remains committed to its goal of achieving 100% electric sales by 2035. Today's launch of a new brand showcases Honda's courage. With approximately 200 new cars expected to hit the Chinese market this year, competition is fierce. How does Honda plan to advance its new brand and electric strategy in such a dynamic market? Do you have confidence in carving out a niche in this highly competitive Chinese market?
Masayuki Igarashi: In terms of the characteristics of the Chinese market, there are currently many emerging brands. You mentioned that there will be over 200 models launched in the market by 2024, but it's challenging to verify this number accurately. Considering the shrinking market share of traditional fuel vehicles and the expanding market share of new energy vehicles in China, Honda will swiftly take measures to adapt to these environmental changes.
From a management perspective, Honda currently has two strategies. First, we must quickly respond to the expanding market share of new energy vehicles. Second, considering the significant decline in sales of traditional fuel vehicles, we will evaluate whether adjustments are needed in our production capacity. These are the two issues we are facing and need to address.
Today, we unveiled the "Ignis" brand. Moving forward, we will face market competition by maintaining two different brands, e:N and Ignis, on separate platforms. During the presentation, it was mentioned that the Ignis brand will introduce 6 new models, which is part of our product lineup planning. We will further consider specific timing for their release and add corresponding value propositions that align with their positioning.
In summary, looking towards the future, we are committed to actively responding to the rapidly changing market environment.
Q3: I'd like to ask Mr. Igarashi about the intense competition in the Chinese market, which seems to be primarily driven by competition in core technologies of new energy vehicles. These include hot topics like 800V high-voltage fast charging, advanced driver assistance systems, CTB, battery architectures, and even solid-state batteries are frequently discussed. However, today's presentation didn't delve much into technical details. How will Honda address the current tech-centric atmosphere in China? Are there any specific technological highlights of the Ignis brand that you can share with us?
Tetsuya Miyahara: In the fiercely competitive Chinese electric vehicle market, especially in areas like fast charging and batteries, various OEM manufacturers are vigorously developing these advanced technologies. Of course, Honda is also conducting research and development with our own strategies and plans. However, in this process, we fully consider Honda's principle of car-making: we must steadfastly adhere to safety and quality, which are principles we will not waver on. Based on this foundation, we will accelerate our progress systematically.
Regarding solid-state batteries, we have already released information in 2022. Honda is fully committed to developing solid-state batteries and will integrate them into new models between 2025 and 2030. Honda recognizes that solid-state batteries are crucial technology for the next generation of electric vehicles, and we will promote technology development and integration based on the principles of "safety and peace of mind."
Question 4: I'd like to ask Mr. Miyahara, the Chinese market already possesses the world's leading electrification technology and component supply system, and major global automakers are strengthening their localization efforts in research and investment. The new "Ye" brand from Honda has partnered with several Chinese suppliers. Could you provide specific details on how this collaboration works and how Chinese technology and resources are utilized to empower the new brand?
Masayuki Igarashi: Currently, the Chinese automotive industry, including suppliers, is indeed at the forefront, particularly in autonomous driving and intelligent technology. Regarding autonomous driving, achieving commercialization still requires some time due to regulatory constraints. However, in terms of intelligence, China-centered suppliers are indeed very strong.
We collaborate with Chinese suppliers to varying degrees and scopes. As mentioned in today's conference, our partnership with Huawei on the light field screen covers a wide range of vehicle screen sizes. For more specific details, I'll defer to Mr. Miyahara for a response.
Tetsuya Miyahara: Allow me to add that Honda actively collaborates with excellent Chinese manufacturers on these advanced technologies. For batteries, we are partnering with CATL for project development. CATL is not only powerful and renowned in China but also globally recognized. We will continue joint research and development for models launched in the Chinese market.
In addition to batteries, we are exploring and collaborating on autonomous driving technology, which is rapidly advancing in the Chinese market. Honda is the first globally to incorporate L3 technology into vehicles and possesses basic autonomous driving capabilities. We are discussing how to select better partners and expand autonomous driving capabilities in cooperation with them, while further intensifying efforts and accelerating progress to create better products based on the needs of Chinese market users.
Question 5: Mr. Miyahara, the "W" architecture was specifically developed for the Chinese market. Could you share some insights behind this development? What are the characteristics of this architecture compared to previous ones or those of competitors? Currently, Honda is expanding some models to Europe and Southeast Asia. Are there plans for these three new models to expand to markets like Southeast Asia or Japan?
Tetsuya Miyahara: The "Ye" brand and "W" architecture unveiled today were developed by a young local team at Honda's China Research Institute. Honda, as an established automaker, has been accumulating technology and experience in automotive development, including electric vehicle research. Being a pioneer globally in developing electric vehicles for the Chinese market, the "Ye" brand was born from this background.
The "Ye" brand offers two drive modes: rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.
As is well known, electric vehicles are heavy due to battery integration. How can users experience a lighter, more comfortable driving experience with such weight? Leveraging Honda's long-term experience in automotive lightweighting, we have made significant efforts in performance and architectural integration to meet the demands of heavy battery integration while ensuring agile driving sensations. Unfortunately, there was no test driving session arranged for media today, but there will be opportunities in the future to experience the lightness, comfort, and sportiness of our new models.
Regarding exports, we currently do not have plans. However, if the new models are well-received by consumers in the Chinese market, they will undoubtedly gain popularity globally.
Masayuki Igarashi: We recognize that Honda's layout in the new energy product camp has been relatively slow compared to the market. With the launch of the new brand and platform today, we aim to accelerate our electrification strategy. The "Ye" brand and the e:N brand will coexist in the future, demonstrating our sincerity. We are confident in this endeavor and will continue to strive for excellence, hoping for your continued support.
