The Electric Honda Prelude Concept Looks Weirdly Normal — And That's A Good Thing
Honda knows how to play the car show game, which is why the Honda Prelude Concept is so unusual. Making its debut at the Japan Mobility Show 2023, the electric coupe fits Honda's outline for a "specialty sports model" in its growing EV roadmap. The automaker teased its plans for two electrified sports cars early last year.
It's easy to get caught up in wild concepts bearing equally wild performance numbers at auto shows. After all, there are easy headlines to be made by 1,000 kW electric GT-R coupes, even if production intent is something most car companies would rather not discuss.
In contrast, you'd be forgiven for mistaking the Prelude Concept as something that inadvertently parked up from Honda's existing line-up. No crazy, swooping styling, no oversized wheels, and no outlandish proportions. Just a handsome two-door coupe that looks — from the outside, at least — positively production-ready.
Making no secrets of production potential
Honda itself made little attempt to downplay that possibility, too. On stage, Honda's Director, President, and Representative, Toshihiro Mibe, was blunt about the company's goals for the Prelude Concept. "This model will become the prelude for our future models, which will inherit the 'joy of driving' into the full-fledged electrified future and embody Honda's unalterable sports mindset," Mibe said. "In order to offer the 'joy of driving,' only Honda can realize, we are diligently progressing with development, so please keep your expectations high for this model."
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What shape those expectations should take in terms of drivetrain is still nebulous. Honda made no mention during its press conference of what sort of electric platform it envisages for the Prelude Concept. There's been no discussion of battery size, range, or performance, though it seems unlikely that Honda would envisage using the GM Ultium underpinnings of its upcoming 2024 Prologue EV SUV. Instead, think along the lines of the e: mobility architecture Honda is developing itself.
A big opportunity for a beloved nameplate
Nonetheless, even with those details absent — and no interior yet — the automaker's restraint stands head and shoulders above wilder cars at the Japanese show. From its sensible headlamps to its passenger-friendly proportions, it's really not hard to imagine Honda building something like this. And if it did, it's not like the new Honda Prelude would face a huge amount of competition.
Electric coupes are still a relatively untapped category as the auto industry looks to EVs. While SUVs and sedans are reasonably well catered for right now, the same can't be said for two-doors. There, balancing things like range and performance — and avoiding excessive curb weights from heavy battery packs — have left car companies cautious.
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Honda, then, faces an opportunity. The original Prelude, in its five generations, was arguably the automaker's secret weapon for refined and attainable performance. If it can do that for two-door electrification, it could be a fitting return for a much-loved nameplate.