You don’t see this often, but American Honda has pulled the plug on the Acura ZDX after just one model year, ending production of the midsize electric crossover before it ever had a chance to gain traction. Fewer than 20,000 were sold in North America, and the move underscores how quickly the auto industry’s enthusiasm for EVs has cooled.
The ZDX was born out of Honda’s collaboration with General Motors and shared its foundation with the Cadillac Lyriq. GM assembled the vehicle at its Spring Hill, Tennessee, plant beginning in early 2024. But with plans for a second production cycle this fall, Honda abruptly canceled the project, leaving the ZDX’s short run as one of the briefest in modern Acura history. Owners who did take delivery will continue to be supported with parts, service, and warranty coverage through the brand’s dealer network.
For GM, the decision represents another shift in an industry full of them. Production of the Cadillac XT5 will carry on in Spring Hill, and Chevrolet has announced that its next-generation Blazer will move into the Tennessee facility in 2027. The news isn’t a reflection on the plant or workforce but rather another sign of the turbulence facing automakers trying to balance EV promises with market realities.
The demise of the ZDX also highlights the broader pullback underway in the EV market. With federal tax credits for electric vehicle buyers scheduled to expire at the end of September, demand has softened and the market has become oversaturated. Automakers are finding themselves with more EVs on dealer lots than buyers willing to commit, even as inventories of traditional vehicles continue to move at a steady pace.
Other manufacturers have been making similar moves. Stellantis dropped its plans for an electric Ram 1500 and a plug-in hybrid Gladiator. Nissan is winding down the Ariya crossover in the U.S. after the 2025 model year while canceling two electric sedans it had on the drawing board. Ford has shelved a pair of three-row electric crossovers and pushed back development of its next electric full-size pickup to 2028. Taken together, these changes paint a clear picture: the EV boom that was once expected to transform the industry overnight is now running into serious resistance.
Honda insists that the decision to end the ZDX will not affect production of the Honda Prologue, another EV created with GM that rides on the same battery architecture. The Prologue is built in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, alongside the Chevrolet Blazer EV, and is just now reaching customers. Still, analysts believe the Prologue may not last long either, given the slowing pace of EV growth and consumer skepticism.
Dealers have been vocal about the challenges of selling battery-powered vehicles without the support of government subsidies or penalty-driven mandates. Many argue that artificial demand created by incentives doesn’t reflect what customers truly want, and that without those levers, the market is deciding on its own. For Acura, that means doubling down on products more in line with buyer expectations.
Enter the upcoming Acura RSX. Scheduled to arrive in the second half of 2026, the RSX will be the first model to use Honda’s own in-house EV platform. Unlike the ZDX, it will be built in Marysville, Ohio, at one of three Honda plants undergoing major upgrades to support electrification. Acura says lessons learned from the ZDX program will help shape the RSX’s development, and this time it will have the advantage of being engineered entirely within Honda’s system rather than through an external partnership.
At the same time, Honda is not abandoning hybrids. Demand for that technology remains strong, particularly among Acura buyers who want better efficiency but aren’t ready to go all-in on battery power. Expect to see more hybrid models filling the gap as the brand prepares for its next generation of fully electric products.
For now, the ZDX will be remembered as a brief and somewhat awkward entry in Acura’s history. Launched with high hopes but undone by shifting market conditions, it lasted just one model year when most crossovers typically enjoy at least four or five before redesign or replacement. Its short life may not have moved the sales needle, but it has provided Acura with a stepping stone toward what comes next.