Honda announced that it plans to reach 100 percent electric car sales and cut all emissions globally by 2040 in a move that showcases the company's dedication to making its business model more sustainable. The company has previously set goals to increase electrification in 2030 and 2035 by 40 and 80 percent respectively, but has now set a goal to completely redesign its company model around electric vehicles.

The car brand is accelerating this goal in certain places, claiming that due to regional differences and existing infrastructures, Honda will move the plan forward at different paces in each market. The company hopes to see 100 percent electrification in Japan by 2030, ten years ahead of its global plan.

President and Representative Director of Honda Toshihiro Mibe outlined the company’s goals at last week’s press conference, where he explained that there are “three pillars” to the company’s plan: Carbon neutrality, clean energy, and resource circulation. Mibe hopes to spearhead the car industry into a new era of environmentally conscious production and industry, steering a heavily damaging market towards better practices.

“My hope is to hear people saying, ‘We are glad Honda exists,’ or ‘Honda will definitely do it.’ Honda wants to continue to be a company that people want to exist. That is what we want to achieve,” Mibe said.

The car brand is also developing ways to manufacture batteries from recyclable material. Honda hopes to improve its ability to reuse and recycle batteries while also creating products from 100 percent sustainable materials. Working within its manufacturing processes, the car brand will be working towards improving each sector of its production process in order to reach zero environmental impact.

Since 1959, Honda has remained the largest producer of combustion engines in the world, making the stark shift toward electrification significant for the global automobile industry. Even though the company is the largest manufacturer of combustion engines, Honda has a history of innovation regarding sustainable and electric car development. The company became the first major car company to bring a natural gas engine to the market. Now, the company is experimenting with fully electric vehicles that will set the foundation for its plans to leave behind combustion engines in the next couple of decades.

Honda’s promise may be the most all-encompassing, but many other companies have announced that electrification will define their future. For example, Volvo announced that it aims to go all-electric by 2030 and GM is hoping for 2035. With more companies becoming environmentally conscious, it is likely that the entire market will take on the challenge to redefine automobile manufacturing and the environmental standard on the market.

 

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