Honda Australia's electric cars are coming ... we're just not sure exactly when

Honda Australia is committed to the electric car future, but will not reveal exactly when it plans to bring in tailpipe emissions-free models to the local market.

Speaking to CarsGuide at the launch of the HR-V, Honda Australia boss Stephen Collins would not be drawn on what and when the brand’s EV plans look like, only that there are plans underway.

“Our focus over the next year or two is on hybrid, but you might have seen a month or two ago the president of Honda Motor talking about 30 BEV models by 2030,” he said.

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“The obvious question – I know you’re going to ask me this – is which one of those are we going to get?

“We’re still working through that.

“We’re extremely confident globally, we’ll have a good menu of BEVs to bring to this market.

“Whether that’s the e or whether it’s brand-new models that we developed for other advanced markets, we’re still working through that.

“It’s clearly a big part of our future.”

Globally, Honda has a number of full-battery electric vehicles to draw on, headlined by the e city hatchback launched in Europe and Japan in 2020.

The e remains off the table for Australia for now, but Mr Collins’ comments indicate it could still form part of Honda Australia’s future product rollout, potentially in facelifted or new-generation form.

Honda also offers up the e:NS1 in China as a full-electric HR-V-like small SUV that is built as a joint-venture with the Dongfeng brand.

As for the 30 global BEV models in the works, two will be sports cars with one likely to be the third-generation NSX.

Mr Collins reiterated that Honda Australia is committed to an all-electric future, but more information is expected to come over the next few years as the 30 new BEV models come into frame.

“The question is absolutely when, at this stage we can’t put a timeframe on it, but I think the other takeaway is that over the next one to two years, hybrid is our focus,” he said.

“Beyond that, we’re working on what models we can make work, what models will fit this market.

“I can’t give you a timeframe yet, but that will come.”

For now, Honda Australia sells hybrid versions of the Accord sedan and HR-V small SUV, with the petrol-electric Civic planned for later this year.

The new-generation CR-V mid-size SUV will also receive a hybrid powertrain, though exactly how that looks is still unclear.