Honda Unveils First Original EV: Acura RSX Set for 2026 Launch

TORRANCE, Calif. — Honda announced Wednesday that its first original electric vehicle, the Acura RSX, will debut in 2026. The sporty SUV marks Honda’s transition to developing its own EV platform, moving away from reliance on General Motors’ technology.

The RSX will be the first EV built on Honda’s new vehicle platform and will feature the company’s in-house-developed Asimo operating system. Production is set to begin in late 2025 at Honda’s $4.4 billion joint venture plant with LG Chem in Ohio.

“In RSX, we turn to an Acura nameplate that communicates fun-to-drive performance, a great name for a sporty SUV with a coupe silhouette for our first original Acura EV,” said Lance Woelfer, VP of automobile sales at American Honda Motor Co.

The RSX revives a nameplate last used in the early 2000s for Acura’s performance version of the Honda Integra. Honda’s current EVs in the U.S., the Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX, are built on GM’s Ultium platform. The Prologue has outsold its GM counterparts, the Chevy Blazer and Equinox EVs, since its launch.

The Asimo OS, named after Honda’s retired humanoid robot, represents the company’s push into software-defined vehicles. At CES earlier this month, Honda announced that Asimo would control core vehicle functions through updatable software. The system will also power Honda’s upcoming 0 Series EVs, starting with the Honda 0 SUV.

“Acura is once again the tip of the spear for electrification and our digital future,” said Jessica Fini, Honda’s assistant VP for communications.

The RSX’s launch follows Honda’s recent decision to revive the Prelude nameplate for a sporty hybrid coupe, signaling a broader strategy to leverage nostalgic branding in its electrification efforts.