Honda has ambitions to exclusively sell electric and fuel cell vehicles by 2040, meaning even performance models like the Civic Type R will have to lose their gas engines or be retired.
A Honda official already confirmed in 2023 that the Civic Type R will live on in the electric era, so long as it can deliver the same enjoyable driving experience as gas-powered examples.
Toshihiro Akiwa, who is in charge of Honda’s EV development center, has now backed up that statement, though he signaled that achieving the goal won’t be easy.
Speaking with Auto Express during the reveal of the new 0 Series EV prototypes at the 2025 CES event in Las Vegas earlier in January, Akiwa said an electric Civic Type R will only be launched if it can bring the “joy of driving.”
2023 Honda Civic Type R
He described this joy as not only huge power reserves but also the “sound, vibration, acceleration, and the human experience.”
Hyundai has already proven that EVs can be fun with its Ioniq 5 N, which relies on generated sounds and simulated shifts to create some of its emotion, and Honda appears to be investigating a similar path. Honda has already developed a system for simulated shifts for hybrids fitted with CVTs, which it plans to introduce on its next-generation hybrids, starting with the upcoming 2026 Prelude. The automaker has also developed a simulated manual transmission for EVs, as well as a sound generator that can make an EV—from the inside at least—sound like an NSX, a Formula 1 car, or even a jet plane.
Prior to the Civic Type R becoming an EV, we may see a hybrid version. Honda has previously stated that it plans to launch many more hybrids before it finally starts phasing out gas engines in the lead-up to the 2040 deadline.
