Honda Motor will introduce a China-manufactured electric vehicle (EV) in Japan as early as spring 2026, marking the first time a domestic automaker sells a China-built EV locally.
According to Nikkei Asia, the company plans to import a model from its China-focused EV brand e:N, which was launched in 2022, and modify it to comply with Japanese standards.
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The vehicle, designed in a sport utility vehicle style, is produced in China through a joint venture with a local partner.
The imported model will be marketed in Japan under the ‘Insight’ nameplate.
Honda originally introduced the ‘Insight’ in 1999, while production of the third-generation version ended in 2022.
Honda has primarily focused on electric minicars and presently sells two such models in Japan – the N-One e: and the N-Van e:, both classified in the minicar segment.
The company earlier launched its first standard-sized EV, the Honda e, in 2020.
Production of that model concluded in 2024, and its driving range of 259km was viewed by some drivers as a constraint, the report added.
The China-built EV planned for Japan is expected to deliver a driving range of about 500km per charge.
Honda’s new-car sales in China declined 24% year-on-year in 2025 to 645,345 units, extending a downturn that has now continued for five consecutive years.
Separately, the automaker said it will begin selling two vehicles manufactured in the US in Japan during the second half of 2026: the Acura Integra Type S and the Honda Passport TrailSport Elite.
Both vehicles are produced by Honda Development & Manufacturing of America (HDMA).
The Acura Integra Type S, currently sold in North America, is a performance-focused variant of the Integra equipped with a six-speed manual transmission and a 2-litre turbocharged engine.
Meanwhile, the Honda Passport TrailSport Elite is a midsized SUV designed to combine off-road capability with everyday driving comfort.
