Parent American Honda Motor Co. is targeting sales of 800,000 EVs by 2030 in North America, with 500,000 earmarked for the Honda brand.
Acura has not been specific about its electrification goals, saying only that its transition will be more aggressive than sibling Honda’s, and it expects 60 percent of its volume to come from EV sales in the same time frame. For 2023, Acura estimates it will achieve sales of 160,000.
Though Acura’s pivot to EVs lags rivals such as Kia and Ford, Korkor said customers shopping for performance vehicles such as the Integra Type S are unlikely to be considering EVs just yet.
But Acura is keen on keeping them engaged until they’re ready to make the switch, and the lineup will continue to deliver on the brand’s performance philosophy.
The ZDX is coming through collaboration between American Honda and General Motors. It will ride on GM’s Ultium battery-electric platform and is expected to be based on the Cadillac Lyriq — possibly configured with an all-wheel drivetrain — but its design and driving characteristics will be distinctly Acura.
No details have been released on what performance features the ZDX Type S will offer, but it could carry more power and forgo range in favor of power.
“We still have a lot of [engineering] space when it comes to the agility and performance characteristics of EVs, so outside of streamlined acceleration, dynamic performance will be another clear strength for Acura as we move into the future,” Korkor said.
He said that a common complaint about EVs is that they all feel the same, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
“The last thing you want is a numb feeling in a car,” Korkor said. “You put the pedal to the metal and it goes great in a straight line, but what good is that in the street where you have speed limits?
“You can do all kinds of things with battery power, like how much you draw from that battery to generate performance, or how you tweak the suspension system. Those will be defining characteristics so you’re not in a sea of sameness.”