Honda has confirmed the discontinuation of its all-electric Prologue SUV in the United States, effectively removing the last fully electric vehicle from the automaker's US lineup. This move, officially announced on 16 July 2026, underscores a growing trend of electric vehicle models being withdrawn from the American market, despite a global push towards electrification.
The decision to cease Prologue production follows a series of strategic shifts by Honda regarding its EV ambitions in the US. Earlier in March 2026, the company cancelled the development of its Acura RDX, Honda O sedan, and SUV models, citing US tariffs and increasing competition from Chinese manufacturers as key factors. Furthermore, a joint venture with Sony to produce the Afeela-branded EVs was also abandoned in March 2026, despite extensive marketing efforts for the prototype.
The broader context for these withdrawals includes a significant decline in US electric vehicle sales. Data from Kelley Blue Book and Cox Automotive published in July 2026 revealed that 247,226 EVs were sold in the second quarter of 2026, representing approximately 5.8% of the total market. While sales saw a modest increase between the first and second quarters of this year, they remain notably lower than the same period in 2025, and before the expiration of a crucial $7,500 federal tax credit in autumn 2025.
The end of this federal incentive has had a substantial impact on consumer demand, alongside other contributing factors such as tariffs, evolving consumer preferences, production costs, and regulatory pressures. The Prologue itself, a product of a partnership with General Motors and closely related to the Chevrolet Blazer EV, saw sales of around 33,000 units in 2024 and 39,000 in 2025 before experiencing a sharp decline after the tax credit ended.
Despite these challenges, the US EV market is not entirely stagnant. New models, such as the Rivian R2, are still making their debut, and there are signs of a gradual recovery. While fourth-quarter 2025 sales were 36% lower than the same period in 2024, this gap has narrowed, with second-quarter 2026 EV sales being 20.5% lower than the equivalent period in 2025, indicating a potential slowdown in the rate of decline.