Honda Prologue EV will come with charging options

American Honda Motor Co. wants to make the EV puzzle less complex when its Prologue midsize electric crossover goes on sale next year.

Prologue buyers will be able to select one of three different charging packages that offer solutions based on lifestyle or preference.

The charging solution options are an added benefit for consumers who want to switch to electric from gasoline, but are still uneasy about the still-developing charging infrastructure in the U.S.

The first package comes with an 11.5-kilowatt home charging station, a $500 installation incentive and a $100 public charging credit. It's targeted toward buyers who can easily outfit their home for charging.

A second package will provide a 7.6-kW portable charging kit, $250 toward installation and a $300 public charging credit, an option more suited to EV drivers who live in multifamily homes, condos or apartments where there is space for overnight charging.

A third package will offer a $750 public charging credit, intended to appeal to those on the go or who live in tighter urban quarters.

Honda is attempting to be proactive about encouraging wider EV adoption. It has also created a new partnership with EVgo and Electrify America, two of the biggest charging network facilitators in the U.S., to provide access to their networks through the Honda Link app.

The charging credits in each package are exclusive to EVgo. Electrify America is giving Prologue owners 60 kilowatt-hours of charging access to its network, no matter which package they select.

Prologue owners will be able to use the Honda Link app to find available chargers, pay for charging and enroll in subscription plans.

They will redeem the EVgo and Electrify America credits included in their charging package through the app. The installation incentives are redeemable via Honda Home Electrification, an online marketplace designed to connect buyers with local installers.

Honda also has joined forces with six other automakers to install 30,000 DC fast chargers at 1,350 stations in the U.S. and Canada by 2030. The first stations will open next year in the U.S. and will include the Combined Charging System (CCS) ports as well as Tesla's North American Charging Standard (NACS) port, making it a universal network.

The 2024 Honda Prologue will be equipped with a CCS port but will be compatible with NACS through a charging adaptor.

Starting in 2025, Honda's EVs will come with the NACS port, which will open up access to the Tesla Supercharger network.

In 2025, Honda will introduce a midsize to large electric crossover based on its e:Architecture platform. That model is expected to be a three-row kid hauler that will compete with the Kia EV9 and the Volkswagen ID Buzz.

Honda is building an EV manufacturing hub in Ohio comprising its existing plants that are being upgraded to produce electric vehicles as well as EV batteries through a joint venture with LG Energy Solution that will have 40-gigawatt-hour annual capacity.

The EV plants are expected to start production in 2026 and the battery facility is scheduled for completion in 2024.