Dead: Honda Pulls the Prologue’s Plug After 2026
With the Prologue and Zero canceled, Honda will be without a BEV option in the U.S.
The electric vehicle (EV) market is looking a bit grim in the U.S. Since the end of the federal EV tax credit, manufacturers have slowly canceled, or simply have not brought, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) here in the 10 months since it disappeared. Now, The Honda Prologue is the latest casualty of this situation, with the company announcing production of the SUV will end at the conclusion of the 2026 model year.
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Honda added, “Sales will continue through 2027 based on expected inventory. Prologue customers will continue to receive full support through our dealer network, including service, parts, and warranty coverage.”
No More Honda BEVs for North America
Yes, the news is disappointing for Honda fans who wanted the Japanese automaker to compete in the BEV market in the U.S. and Canada. In Europe and Asia, BEVs remain part of Honda’s sales strategy with the e:Ny1, NS1, e:NP1, and N-Van e.
However, the joint venture that brought about the Prologue was never meant to last forever. Working in conjunction with General Motors and its Ultium platform, the Prologue, essentially
a Chevrolet Blazer EV with a Honda top hat, was meant to be a stopgap until Honda began producing its own all-electric vehicles based on the Zero Series.
Unfortunately, that plan was canceled for the North American market, including the cancellation of an EV and battery production hub in Alliston, Ontario, Canada, and the end of the Prologue was already part of the plan. Although this means Honda will not have a BEV for sale in the U.S. or Canada, and helps explain why it is not taking part in California’s state EV discounts, the move does not mean electrification is totally off the table.
Hybrids and Hydrogen Are Still Alive
Hybrids and hydrogen-powered vehicles are still part of Honda’s reduced-emissions strategy going forward. A new Accord Hybrid was teased recently, and a new V-6 hybrid powertrain is coming for models like the Passport, Pilot, Ridgeline, and Odyssey. The Civic recently started offering a hybrid option, and it is more powerful and quicker than the sporty Si model.
And although Honda recently discontinued a joint venture with GM for hydrogen fuel cell development, the Japanese manufacturer is still moving forward with its own hydrogen fuel cell system technology and continues to produce the CR-V e:FCEV, a plug-in hydrogen fuel cell hybrid EV.
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Having experience in many forms of the automotive industry, Justin Banner has done more than just write about cars. For more than 15 years, he's had experience working as an automotive service technician—including a stint as a Virginia State Inspector—service advisor, parts sales, and aftermarket parts technical advisor (a fancy way of saying he helped you on the phone when you had trouble fitting your brakes over your aftermarket wheels and the like). Prior to his tenure as a full-time editor, Justin worked as a freelance writer and photographer for various publications and as an automotive content creator on YouTube. He’s also covered multiple forms of motorsports ranging from Formula Drift, drag racing, and time attack, to NASCAR, short course off-roading, and open desert racing. He's best known for breaking down complex technical concepts so a layperson can more easily understand why technologies, repairs, and parts should matter to them. At MotorTrend, Justin is part of the news team covering breaking news and topics while also working as a judge for MotorTrend Of the Year events and other major comparison tests.
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