Acura ZDX, future electric vehicles sold online only

Future Acura electric cars will only be sold online, parent company Honda said in a press release on Wednesday.

“Acura will serve as the pinnacle of specification for digitalization at American Honda,” the press release reads, “with 100% of Acura EV sales occurring online, beginning in 2024 with the ZDX and ZDX Type S.”

Last seen in the form of a coupe-like version of the mid-size crossover MDX, which was discontinued in 2013, the ZDX will be Acura’s first EV, with the Type S performance version also planned. Pre-sales will begin in 2023 ahead of the planned start of deliveries in 2024, Acura said.

Acura Precision EV concept

Acura Precision EV concept

Acura has announced that the ZDX will feature styling cues introduced by the Precision EV concept unveiled in August 2022 during Monterey Car Week. While being styled in-house, the ZDX’s engineering will come via a partnership with General Motors. The Acura will draw from GM’s Ultium component set and will likely ride on the BEV3 architecture used by the Cadillac Lyriq and Chevrolet Blazer EV.

In the same partnership, GM will also provide engineering for the 2024 Honda Prologue electric SUV, which is expected to arrive in the same timeframe as the ZDX. However, it seems that Honda is sticking to conventional dealerships on this model.

Honda plans to introduce electric vehicles for both its main brand and Acura based on an internal architecture in 2026. The automaker is developing an “EV hub” in Ohio and plans to build a $3.5 billion joint Venture battery plant to support North American electric vehicle production. including the new brand Afeela EV, launched in partnership with Sony.

2024 Acura ZDX Type S prototype

2024 Acura ZDX Type S prototype

The shift to electric vehicles has prompted other automakers to reevaluate the way they sell cars, though most plan to convert existing franchised dealerships rather than switch to online sales.

Ford and General Motors have asked dealers to make significant investments to sell electric vehicles, with Ford also requiring dealers to agree to no-haggle pricing. Two-thirds of Ford dealerships have reportedly opted to sell EVs, along with a smaller number of Lincoln dealerships of the Blue Oval’s luxury brand. GM has offered buyouts to Cadillac and Buick dealers who want to stop selling electric vehicles.