Tori's questions to Honda Motor Co Ltd (HMC) leadership • Q1 2025
Question
Mr. Tori from Nikkei Inc. asked for clarification on why total hybrid (HEV) sales units declined despite strong performance in North America and questioned the strategic positioning of HEVs in the challenging Chinese market.
Answer
Executive Eiji Fujimura explained that the overall HEV sales decline was driven entirely by China, where HEV sales fell by more than half as the broader ICE category, which includes hybrids, contracted sharply. Excluding China, HEV sales grew approximately 60% year-over-year. In China, he stated the strategic focus is shifting toward a new dedicated battery EV platform, while still working to support the struggling ICE and hybrid segments.