Honda is killing its EVs • Hacker News Board

Re: Honda is killing its EVs

#181

Post by dyauspitr » Tue, Mar 17, 2026, 9:48 PM UTC

jacquesm wrote: post #150

dyauspitr wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

India is looking to produce 6000 tonnes of NdFeB magnets per year with the first batch coming out in mid 2026. This is great news because India has large rare earth reserves and are producing using the full supply chain of ore to oxide to magnets. 6000 tonnes is like 3% of the global supply but that’s not bad for year one.

That's super good news, do you have any info on the name of the manufacturer?

IREL Limited and Sona Comstar.

Trafalgar will be the first large scale NdFeB magnet plant looking to start production in 2027

https://www.fastmarkets.com/insights/trafalgar-sets-sights-o...

Re: Honda is killing its EVs

#182

Post by otikik » Tue, Mar 17, 2026, 9:49 PM UTC

billfor wrote: post #129

"Here, Honda is setting itself up for failure on the second disruption sweeping the automotive industry: the software-defined vehicle (SDV), which has core capabilities that can be upgraded and improved over time." I'll pay triple for a non software defined vehicle that doesn't track me and can't be touched by the dealer once I purchase it. My one SDV (Tesla) is still on FSD from 2023 because the newer versions are t…

> software-defined vehicle (SDV)

I hate that expression. It's software-limited, not defined.

Re: Honda is killing its EVs

#183

Post by slfnflctd » Tue, Mar 17, 2026, 9:51 PM UTC

bryanlarsen wrote: post #123

OTOH, it really looks like Toyota is Goldilocks. Most companies invested too much too early and had to write off a substantial amount, but Toyota is rolling into 2027 with a small but nice selection of EV's. Over 25% of vehicles sold world-wide were electric in 2025, and that percentage is steadily increasing. So VW & Ford were "too hot", Honda is looking like "too cold" and Toyota might be the "just right" of the th…

Observers and technologists have also consistently failed to appreciate the continuing value proposition of hybrids, and Toyota makes some of the best, top selling models.

Re: Honda is killing its EVs

#184

Post by Yizahi » Tue, Mar 17, 2026, 9:52 PM UTC

TrackerFF wrote: post #85

I live in a top EV market, Norway. ICE cars have been planned out for years now, and something like 96% of all new cars in Norway were EV last year. Basically, if you plan on keeping selling ICE cars, you're removing yourself from the market here. There's no future for new personal ICE cars here. I figure most other countries will be the same.

EVs are fine and dandy, but it is a luxury class of cars for now and it shows really. Most other countries are far far away from mass deployment of EVs or restricting ICE cars. EVs can win if either a) the car is cheaper than the same class ICE, or b) operational expenses of using EV car would be cheaper. Neither of which is happening yet. And the car do need to have some advantage, since EVs already come with inherent disadvantage of long and inconvenient charging, small batteries, limited locations for charging with buggy and broken stations, not working apps or cards etc.

Re: Honda is killing its EVs

#185

Post by fpoling » Tue, Mar 17, 2026, 9:52 PM UTC

raegis wrote: post #161

steve-atx-7600 wrote: post #33

“Many automakers have found that dropping batteries into a car originally designed for an internal combustion engine”. Reminds me of idiotic hybrid variants of Subaru and Honda vehicles that don’t have spare tires because the battery was slapped into the existing vehicle platform as an afterthought. Eg. Subaru forester hybrid. Car bought by educated, practical folks.

New Honda Accord hybrids do not include a spare tire. The manufacturers copied the idiocy.

For Toyota a spare tyre became on optional extra in Europe even on ICE models. They charge 200-300 Euro for having it.

Re: Honda is killing its EVs

#186

Post by storus » Tue, Mar 17, 2026, 9:53 PM UTC

celsoazevedo wrote: post #130

storus wrote: post #122

Are they killing their EVs because of vibrations?

lol. Their new F1 engine seems to be a mess (I'm assuming you're referring to that).

Yes, precisely. /r/formula1 was not leaking here yet ;-)

Re: Honda is killing its EVs

#187

Post by speedgoose » Tue, Mar 17, 2026, 9:53 PM UTC

I expected better from the company that entered the EV market with an impressive aquarium simulator in its Honda E.

Time will tell, but I think it’s a long term mistake.

Re: Honda is killing its EVs

#188

Post by billfor » Tue, Mar 17, 2026, 9:54 PM UTC

mperham wrote: post #159

billfor wrote: post #129

"Here, Honda is setting itself up for failure on the second disruption sweeping the automotive industry: the software-defined vehicle (SDV), which has core capabilities that can be upgraded and improved over time." I'll pay triple for a non software defined vehicle that doesn't track me and can't be touched by the dealer once I purchase it. My one SDV (Tesla) is still on FSD from 2023 because the newer versions are t…

> My Tesla is still on FSD from 2023 because the newer versions are terrible judging from the comments on the Tesla forums. I've had FSD since 2020; the latest version is noticeably better than 2020. I wouldn't put too much stock in forums which tend to skew negative.

2023 is better than 2020. 2026 is not necessarily better than 2023. Shifting speeds abruptly in the modern FSD notwithstanding, what happened especially for people with HW 2.5/3 (circa 2018/19) is the change in behavior of adaptive cruise control and FSD -- you can go look it up. Essentially they "removed" a useful feature that let the car seemlesly move between the two -- I think because they didn't want to support the drivers "stalk" on the steering wheel anymore - new Teslas don't have it. So basically for me, SDV is not all that it's cracked up to be -- yeah and all that privacy stuff too...

Re: Honda is killing its EVs

#189

Post by sys_64738 » Tue, Mar 17, 2026, 9:54 PM UTC

Anything you need to plug into a power source is doomed to fail. EVs are simply not designed properly which is why hybrids are the best of both world. A Camry hybrid has some genius technology as the EV part is used at low speed and ICE at higher speed. That is the perfect balance and you see why it's a success for them. Toyota make the best hybrid vehicles. Honda makes hybrids too so they're not throwing all their EV technology into the e-waste bin.

Re: Honda is killing its EVs

#190

Post by speedgoose » Tue, Mar 17, 2026, 9:55 PM UTC

jacquesm wrote: post #177

expedition32 wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most of the profits come from rich countries. And even then especially the more expensive cars. (Personally I am fine driving a 10 year old shit box because for me it is just a means of going from A to B and rather spend my money on other things)

My daily driver is approaching the ripe old age of 30, my main reason is a lack of software.

I’m what part of the world do you live to have a carbureted car from the late 90s?