Honda ute 2026: Why electric cars could open the door to new BYD Shark 6, Ford Ranger rival in Australia

Honda Australia’s new president and CEO Jay Joseph is responsive to the ute-shaped void missing in its native lineup, which is decided to develop in 2026 with a litany of hybrid and fully electric autos (EVs).

The latter would maybe be the principal instrument that would possibly maybe well in the end elevate a ute to Australia, as Honda prepares to originate its ‘Zero Series’ and assorted subsequent EVs, with the new devoted platforms doubtlessly opening the door to a accurate-hand power tray-reduction.

“Clearly, twin-cab utes are mighty sellers here in Australia, and we are responsive to that, even supposing it would possibly maybe well now not peek admire it from the originate air,” Joseph counseled Chasing Cars.

Joseph pointed to the achieve’s new generation EV platforms that can reduction as a smooth sheet for no longer accurate the capabilities of its autos, however also new potentialities in assorted segments.

“[The new platforms] would maybe be some distance more amenable to assorted body constructions built off of that,” he mentioned.

“We haven’t presented any autos on that platform. Zero Series can be a mighty step in that route, after which beyond that, there’s one more step that’s already deliberate.

“So, it very well would possibly maybe well, however it’s a small bit early to be explicit.”

Tesla has pointed to its steer-by-wire setup within the Cybertruck as making it more uncomplicated to interchange between accurate- and left-hand power markets. Right here’s due to there would possibly be no physical connection to the wheels or structural invent for the steering column.

Steer-by-wire is a technology also confirmed for Honda’s Zero Series EVs, however talking more broadly, manufacturers usually have in thoughts fully electric platforms to be more uncomplicated to adapt to accurate-hand-power than a combustion-engined vehicle.

With gross sales down 6.4 p.c thus some distance this one year and the bulk of Honda’s gross sales resting on the HR-V, ZR-V and CR-V SUVs, its no longer magnificent that it’d be eyeing the section that makes up 22.7 p.c of your complete market

The choose-up section is currently dominated by the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux, though it’s growing lickety-split including new names admire Kia Tasman and BYD Shark 6.

What would a Honda ute peek admire?

With Honda’s Zero Series serving as a pivot point for new salvage at some stage within the vary, Chasing Cars worked with digital artist Theottle to factor in what a capability ute would peek admire.

Honda’s ute is probably going to be fully-electric, plus its choose-ups (such because the US market Ridgeline) are more daily life than bush bashers. Our render’s styling reflects this.

At the front, the Honda ute borrows its fascia from the Zero Series SUV however with raised belt and bonnet strains matched with a steeply raked windscreen.

The ute also sits severely elevated than the low-slung SUV belief, with chunkier tyres to elevate its off-boulevard functionality. Its electric underpinnings aren’t too hidden, then one more time, with a charging flap chanced on accurate within the help of the motive force’s aspect front wheel.

At the rear, the ute one more time takes inspiration from the SUV belief with the sweeping U-shaped tail-gentle salvage. It doesn’t accurate peek splendid, it also permits the tailgate to be folded down for longer loads whereas driving, because the hind lights restful remain seen.

Eagle-eyed readers would possibly maybe furthermore field the shadow signs of a multi-link, self reliant rear suspension salvage equal to the new Ridgeline, to provide more car-admire handling than a conventional are residing-axle, leaf-sprung ute.

When it involves what’s under the bonnet, that continues to be maybe maybe the most advanced to predict, with Honda but to suppose its new generation of EV hardware, however outputs of around 200kW and 500Nm would possibly maybe well be anticipated for the kind of vehicle in twin-motor configuration.

Honda has promised its Zero Series will provide around 500km of vary, though electric pickups are an increasing number of gravitating towards hybrid or vary-extender vogue systems to provide higher versatility, which would possibly maybe well maybe better swimsuit the tastes of Australian investors.

Why no longer accurate elevate the Ridgeline to Australia?

On sale since 2005, Ridgeline is a Honda ute made within the US, for the US, however Joseph counseled Chasing Cars this unibody salvage in a combustion vehicle makes it drastically more advanced to reengineer for accurate-hand-power.

Throw on top of that the must promote the Ridgeline in more than one accurate-hook markets to clarify the dialog, adverse commerce rates between the US and Australia and the newly announced tariffs under President Trump, and Honda says it faces an uphill war to elevate the ute here.

Perchance more importantly, Joseph doesn’t mediate it suits the Australian market, which is currently dominated by a desire for diesel engines, heavy towing capacities and accurate off-boulevard functionality — one thing the more daily life Ridgeline would strive towards to match.

“The Ridgeline can be a broad vehicle, I’ve driven them a lot within the States and basically like it. But that doesn’t mean it’s maybe the most helpful fit for this market necessarily,” Joseph mentioned.

Veritably coined because the distinctive mass-market daily life ute, the Ridgeline’s unibody building is credited with its more car-admire driving demeanor and refinement that construct it a less advanced ute to power each day.

Ford noticed further capability on this section and launched its occupy competitor in 2021 within the Maverick, which has been a scuttle away success for the achieve.

Hyundai followed swimsuit, and launched the Santa Cruz the identical one year.

Love Honda then one more time, Ford and Hyundai comprise opted towards bringing their daily life utes to Australia of their fresh kinds, with the utes offering either tainted, or too complex to elevate to our market whereas preserving a lovely price that can provide them the sting over a more conventional body-on-body ute.