Acura has joined many other automakers in moving towards producing more EV vehicles to reduce emissions. In January, the company announced that it will start phasing out gas-powered models and will eventually become an all-electric car brand by 2035. This will require changing the production process at many of its plants.
Acura anticipated that the company would release EV heavy-duty pickup trucks by 2040, but they've moved this date up to 2035 to remain more competitive and meet the demand of drivers. The company is hopeful that half of its vehicles will be electric by 2030. This is a part of the company's plan to return to its performance roots.
As Acura starts to overhaul its lineup, it can become more competitive with companies like Tesla and Volkswagen. Some brands like Toyota have stated they're more skeptical about moving as quickly towards only producing EV vehicles. However, they've still embraced manufacturing hybrid models, which has allowed them to continue to meet the demand of their customers who want to save more on fuel.
Although many car brands like Honda are transitioning to hybrids before manufacturing EV models, Acura is skipping this step altogether as it works hard to move at a faster rate. Instead, they'll have a greater shift to BEV, which will be one of their main focuses moving forward. Although some risk is involved, Acura hopes to attract new customers to the brand.
As one of the most popular models sold by Acura, the Integra has proven to be a successful car among drivers. Acura now plans to make an electric version of this model and has already released a prototype. An EV version of the Integra will accommodate new customers and establish loyalty. This iconic sports car is known to be fast and has expressive styling that looks futuristic. The pricing will be similar to the popular Honda Civic SI, which is a competing model on the market. It will also deliver up to 200 horsepower with 192 pound-feet, proving electric cars can deliver a similar level of performance to vehicles powered by fuel.
The company also plans to manufacture an electric SUV that delivers the same level of performance as gas-powered SUVs. They plan to sell approximately 30,000 units each year. The first electric vehicle sold by Acura will be built with General Motors' Ultium platform and will have a General Motors' Ultium platform. It will be released in 2024.
