Honda is developing its next-generation hybrid system expected to debut globally in 2027, according to Kunal Behl, Vice President - Sales and Marketing at Honda Cars India. As reported by Zee News Digital, the technology aims for a roughly 20 percent efficiency improvement alongside lower costs. Prototypes of this advanced hybrid system have already been tested with journalists last year, with the technology expected to reach India in the years following its global launch.
Honda's model lineup has shrunk significantly in recent years due to disruptions like COVID and supply issues, but the brand is now expanding again. According to Zee News Digital, Honda's global CEO announced in October 2025 that the brand plans to launch more than ten new products by 2030, with a stronger SUV focus. The company recently announced its first sub-4-metre SUV, due in 2028, with a larger SUV to follow after that. Behl confirmed Honda is deliberately staying out of the shrinking hatchback segment and instead doubling down on SUVs, planning to add both mass-market and premium SUVs going forward.
On the E20 fuel debate, Behl emphasized that Honda has nothing to worry about, as all Honda cars have been E20 material compatible since January 2009, well before any government mandate existed. As reported by Zee News Digital, this was simply Honda's internal quality standard, not a reaction to regulation. Regarding fuel supply pressures following the West Asia crisis, Behl pointed to India's low car ownership density of 34 cars per 1,000 people compared to hundreds more in developed markets as a sign of long-term growth headroom. He noted that rising fuel costs make hybrids and EVs more attractive, citing the City hybrid's claimed 27kpl efficiency.
Asked about EV adoption in India, Behl acknowledged that EV adoption is held back mainly by charging infrastructure gaps, including public chargers that often don't work. According to Zee News Digital, he suggested state-level incentives like Maharashtra's subsidised "green meter" for EV charging as a model worth expanding. The company currently sells only petrol and hybrid powertrains in India, skipping CNG entirely, with Behl explaining this decision goes back to Honda's long-term shift from petrol to hybrid to electric.
