As with many other car manufacturers, Honda has reduced his EV ambitions. Last year the 10 trillion Yen ($ 68 billion) assigned for electrification, only to reduce that by 30 percent a few months ago. The company also focused on pure electric cars to make up for 30 percent of the annual turnover towards the end of the decade, but that target is no longer present. In a new explanation, Honda makes it clear that it does not see EVs as the only route to carbon neutrality.
For the sake of clarity, Honda is still on his goal of ‘reaching all products and business activities’ for all products and business activities’. But as the old saying reads, it believes, there is more than one way to peel a cat. Speak with that of Australia Motive Magazine, the head of the company’s local arm, suggested that EVs are not the only solution to reduce carbon emissions. Recently appointed Honda Australia CEO Jay Joseph explained:
“A point that I want to make with that is that EVs are not the goal. Battery-electric vehicles are a route to reach CO2-neutral not necessary the only route. EVs will continue to improve solid-state batteries but our goal is carbon neutral, no battery-electric vehicles. The infrastructure is there.”
Although the clarity has come and gone, Honda did not leave the hydrogen. The CR-V e: FCEV is a fuel cell vehicle with a spin, doubled as a plug-in hybrid thanks to a rechargeable 17.7-kw battery with 29 miles of electric range. Toyota and Hyundai also remain dedicated to hydrogen, and even BMW is planning to launch a fuel cell vehicle in 2028 with the help of Toyota. Stellantis, on the other hand, recently left all hydrogen efforts and called it a ‘niche segment’.
Colleague Japanese brand Toyota believes that there is room for even more powertrain diversity. The world’s largest car maker is convinced that the combustion engines of hydrogen-burning engines can serve as an alternative to all-in on battery EVs. Together with domestic partners Mazda and Subaru, the carbon -neutral engines that can run on liquid hydrogen, biofuel and synthetic fuel develops.
Hydrogen tank infrastructure is seriously underdeveloped
That said, the elephant in the room remains infrastructure or the lack of it. Every type of hydrogen-driven vehicle would be difficult to possess how underdeveloped the tank network is. According to H2stations.orgjust about 1,160 gas stations Were operational worldwide at the end of last year. Infrastructure for synthetic fuels practically does not exist, with only a few exceptions, such as Porsche’s pilot factory in Chile.
Some claim that car manufacturers hit a dead horse with hydrogen and synthetic fuels, but others remain skeptical that battery -EVs are the ultimate answer. One of the most controversial claims comes from Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda. At the beginning of 2024 he predicted that traditional EVs would never exceed a market share of 30 percent. But all signs suggest that he can be proven incorrectly in the not too distant future, because battery EV’s grip will continue to get grip.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that conventional electric cars have been made up 20 percent of global turnover in 2024 And are on schedule to exceed 25 percent this year. Although China largely stimulates demand, Europe also achieves considerable profit. According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, EVs accounted for 17.5 percent of the new car sales In the first half of 2025, an increase of 13.9 percent in the same period last year.