Honda announced it would partner with General Motors to develop "next-generation" batteries in 2018.[3] The BEV3 architecture was first announced by GM in January 2019,[4] with Cadillac announced as the lead marque,[5] and BEV3 was officially detailed on March 4, 2020, during the GM EV Day briefing in Warren, Michigan, and supports Ultium batteries and Ultium Drive motors.[6]
In 2021, Honda announced it would release two SUVs in 2024 under the Honda and Acura marques, developed in partnership with GM;[7] it was clarified in 2022 the new Honda SUVs would be built alongside GM SUVs, using Ultium batteries and GM's electric vehicle platform.[8]
The BEV3 platform is designed to support unibody passenger cars and crossover utility vehicles, while body-on-frame trucks and SUVs will be based on the General Motors BT1 platform.[9] BEV3 supports front-, rear-, and all-wheel drive configurations[5][10] using one or more Ultium Drive units, each of which combines the electric traction motor, reduction gear, and power electronics.[11]
GM claim that BEV3 will offer a larger footprint with lower height, greater energy density, and faster charging rate compared to BEV2. The modular design will allow from six to twenty-four battery modules under the floor, depending on energy storage requirements.[12] Premium vehicles that use the BEV3 platform have the option of a 4–6 in (100–150 mm) larger dash-to-axle ratio,[a] resulting in a longer hood that is intended to recall the classic proportions of personal luxury cars designed by Bill Mitchell for GM.[14]
^Dash-to-axle is defined as the distance between the cowl and the centerline of the front axle. The dash-to-axle ratio concept first received broad attention when Edsel Ford was directing the design of the Lincoln Continental in the late 1930s. Typically, a longer dash-to-axle ratio results in a long hood, with consonant implications of a more powerful engine and rear-wheel-drive layout.[13]
^Ewing, Steven (August 18, 2022). "2024 Acura ZDX Will Be the Brand's First EV". Road/Show. CNet. Retrieved December 30, 2022. When it goes on sale in 2024, the ZDX will ride on the same electric vehicle architecture as the upcoming Honda Prologue, which is being co-developed with General Motors. The ZDX will use GM's Ultium battery technology and should slot between the RDX and MDX crossovers in terms of size.
