Honda CEO Warns of Lag in Global EV Competition

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Honda Chief Executive Officer Toshihiro Mibe has raised concerns about the company’s competitiveness in the electric vehicle segment following a visit to a highly advanced EV manufacturing facility in China, according to SlashGear.

The report states that the visit took place in February, at a time when the automaker was already facing mounting pressure amid shifts in key global markets. Like several other major industry players, Honda was forced to revise its strategy in mid-2025 after the unexpected removal of long-term EV tax incentives in the United States.

These policy changes had a significant impact on the financial performance of the automotive sector. Major U.S. manufacturers Ford and General Motors reported multi-billion-dollar losses, while Honda’s losses exceeded 15.7 billion US dollars.

At the end of last year, Mibe acknowledged that the shift in U.S. policy may have slowed the global transition from internal combustion engines to electric technologies. At the same time, he reaffirmed that Honda continues to view decarbonization as both a strategic and moral objective.

Shortly after his visit to China, Honda reported its first annual loss. According to SlashGear, the CEO was particularly impressed by the level of automation and operational efficiency at the Chinese plant. Citing Nikkei Asia, Mibe noted that all processes—from component procurement to logistics—are fully automated, with minimal human involvement on the production floor. “We don’t stand a chance against this,” he was quoted as saying.

The comments sparked wide discussion on Reddit, particularly in the r/Technology community. Many users criticized the instability of U.S. policy, arguing that it hampers the development of the EV market.

Participants noted that while demand for electric vehicles exists, supply remains constrained. Some shared personal experiences of switching to electric transport, expressing willingness to abandon internal combustion engine vehicles.

Overall, the discussion reflected a broad consensus that inconsistent policy support for the energy transition in the United States could create long-term economic risks and further widen the gap with countries heavily investing in the electric vehicle industry.