After teasing a brand new EV idea for Monterey, Acura made good on its promise Thursday with the disclosing of its fairly plainly named Efficiency EV Idea. Excellent news: Acura’s first in-house EV shall be a efficiency automobile. Unhealthy information: It is not the one all of us hoped it will be. As a substitute, we’re getting one other mannequin within the grand custom of the ZDX — pronounced entrance finish and all. It appears that evidently look is right here to remain, so get used to it, as a result of Acura says it plans to construct a manufacturing mannequin based mostly on this idea beginning in late 2025.
That is noteworthy not simply because that is Acura’s first in-house EV, however as a result of it’s going to be the primary manufacturing automobile to experience on any variant of Honda’s new BEV structure. The mainstream model is planning to place one thing based mostly on its 0 Collection “Saloon” idea into manufacturing in 2026. That is fairly the coup (no “e”) for Acura, which spent a lot of the previous two years speaking concerning the Ultium-based ZDX challenge, which by all accounts would be the first and final product of Honda’s tie-up with Basic Motors and its Ultium EV platform.
As you’ll be able to in all probability surmise, Acura stays tight-lipped about specifics. Honda (and by extension, Acura) “idea” autos have a humorous behavior of being put into manufacturing virtually precisely as they sit, so what you see right here is probably going fairly near the thriller CUV’s closing bodily type, however battery and motor specs stay nebulous in the intervening time. We count on a multi-motor setup engineered to imitate the habits of the SH-AWD system Acura presents in its ICE autos. The idea’s huge 23-inch wheels encircle a set of four-piston calipers and crossed-drilled rotors — the 2 most important hints that we’re taking a look at one thing meant to maneuver shortly.
If you happen to’re in Northern California for Automobile Week, you’ll be able to take a look at Acura’s idea at The Quail. The corporate’s presentation is scheduled for 10:36 a.m. native time (What is that this, a practice schedule?) on Friday.