Tori's questions to Honda Motor Co Ltd (HMC) leadership • Q1 2025
Question
Tori from Nikkei Shimbun asked for clarification on why total hybrid sales units decreased despite strong North American performance, and inquired about Honda's strategic positioning for HEVs in the challenging Chinese market.
Answer
Executive Eiji Fujimura explained that the overall decline in hybrid sales was entirely due to a sharp drop in China, where the ICE category, which includes hybrids, saw a 30% reduction. He noted that excluding China, HEV sales actually grew by approximately 60% year-over-year. In China, the strategy is to continue supporting the ICE segment, including hybrids, while simultaneously preparing for the full-fledged launch of a dedicated battery EV platform to compete more effectively in the growing NEV market.