The EV market's latest casualty just landed. Honda is pulling the plug on the Acura ZDX electric crossover barely a year after launch, making it the newest victim of federal tax credit uncertainty and shifting market dynamics. The $60,000 crossover becomes another casualty in what's shaping up to be a brutal Q4 for electric vehicle makers.
The EV retreat just claimed another victim. Honda confirmed it's canceling the Acura ZDX electric crossover, ending production of a model that had barely gotten started. The news, first broken by Car Dealership Guy, marks the latest automaker to abandon EV plans as the federal tax credit expires and sales projections turn pessimistic.
The ZDX's death comes with particularly brutal timing. The electric crossover had just debuted as a 2024 model with 325 miles of EPA-rated range and a $60,000 starting price. Built through Honda's partnership with General Motors at the Spring Hill Assembly plant in Tennessee, the ZDX was supposed to resurrect a nameplate that had been discontinued over a decade ago after poor sales.
"We made this decision to better align our product portfolio with the needs of our customers and market conditions," Honda spokesperson Chris Naughton told reporters. The corporate speak barely masks what's happening across the industry - a wholesale retreat from ambitious EV timelines as policy uncertainty and cooling demand force automakers to recalculate.
The ZDX's cancellation reflects the harsh reality facing EV partnerships. While Honda brought the brand and marketing muscle, GM provided the actual manufacturing and technology through its Ultium platform. But as automakers scramble to adjust to post-tax credit market conditions, these collaborative models are proving fragile.
The crossover had unique selling points that now seem quaint given market conditions. Acura made the ZDX its first model sold exclusively online, banking on direct-to-consumer sales that bypassed traditional dealerships. Reviews praised its spacious interior, though many criticized the cabin's materials and overall feel - a common complaint about GM-platform vehicles wrapped in luxury branding.
