Honda CEO touts EVs, but ICE could last until 2040

Honda is moving rapidly to catch up with electric-vehicle competitors in global markets, but the company's top executive said combustion engines could last through 2040 and beyond.

Regarding the Japanese automaker's accelerating transition to EVs, Chief Executive Toshihiro Mibe said, “I’ve been in the engine development business for more than 30 years, so personally it’s a little threatening. But I have to separate my own feelings from what is best for the business.”

That includes the establishment next month of a standalone business unit to oversee development of Honda's EV and battery business, which eventually could include an investment in charging stations, similar to Tesla's Supercharger network, Mibe said in Marysville, Ohio, at the hub of the company’s U.S. operations.

"The charging infrastructure is not at a place that it needs to be for our customers,” he said.