Launched for the 2023 model year, the Acura Integra hatchback will be the brand’s final launch for a car equipped with an internal-combustion engine. Automotive News (Subscription required) Acura was reported Sunday after an interview with National Sales Assistant Vice President Emil Corker.
“We are excited about this latest development [Integra] We are going to build a loyal customer base as we move towards electrification, ”he said.
In a separate interview with Automotive News published last December, Korkor said that Akura is committed to electric vehicles and would avoid launching additional hybrid vehicles as it converts from gas to battery power.
Honda Electric flagship sports car teaser
The transformation will begin early in the 2024 model year when Acura will launch an electric SUV that General Motors will have available on its Ultium platform 2022 GMC Hummer EV and 2023 Cadillac Lyriq. The parent company will also launch an SUV for the Honda 2024 based on the Ultium platform. Honda (and possibly Acura) has planned the EV based on its own e: architecture platform starting in 2026.
In addition, we may see an electric NSX in the very distant future. Acura boss John Ikeda confirmed plans for a third-generation NSX last summer when Acura launched the 2022 NSX Type S to mark the end of the run of the current second-generation model. His comments at the time suggest that the next NSX will be powered by something other than a distinct internal-combustion engine like the first-gen car and a hybrid setup like the second-gen car.
Honda has since teased a pair of electric sports cars, one of which has been described as a “flagship” model (shown above) and looks like a mid-engine supercar. The other car seems to feature a front-engine rear-wheel-drive sports car ratio and could consequently act as a spiritual successor to the S2000.