Honda has the Civic, Accord, and CR-V, which are some of the most popular vehicles in America. However, it’s now having to transition to electric cars as global regulations change, and what better way to draw attention to your future EVs than by reviving a famous nameplate like the S2000?
The S2000 remains this unique RWD sports car from the company known for FWD. Sales were discontinued in 2009, and ever since then, people have been asking for a replacement. There have been many rumors, as well as patent images suggesting Honda might approve a sort of mid-engined S2000 successor, like a baby NSX. However, new reports suggest internal combustion is off the table.
The Japanese scoop website Spyder7 has just reported an “S2000” successor is coming in 2026. While it might be RWD, this sports car is actually a battery-electric vehicle which we believe will serve as a halo EV.
What Spyder7 is saying is that the S2000 is supposed to be based on the e: Architecture which is Honda’s own technology. However, it’s supposed to have the lithium battery from the Ultium platform, which is the one they have with GM. The two platforms weren’t supposed to mix, but I believe Honda had to rethink its strategy after the new tax incentive regulations, with the Ultium battery potentially coming from Ohio.
S2000 EV: the specs
Our source claims the S2000 EV will have a single electric motor at the back producing 296 hp (300 PS). That sounds like a lot for a normal EV, but it’s less than a Civic Type R, plus the EV will be noticeably heavier than the hot hatch or the original VTEC roadster.
It’s pretty unusual to have that much power on an EV just at the rear wheels. The Ioniq 5, for example, gets 320 hp from AWD. Obviously, Porsche is a noticeable exception to this rule with its base Taycan. And once again, the S2000 is going to have to compete with the Boxster, this time in the EV market.
The rumored dimensions are 4,250mm of overall length for the 2026 Honda S2000, which would make it over 4 inches longer than the original. Crucially, overall height is said to stay roughly the same, which sounds unbelievable on an EV.
Honda’s official EV plans
Back in 2021, Honda did announce a major push into electrification with $40 billion earmarked just for EV development. The Japanese automaker wants to have 30 models by 2030 and be fully electric by 2040.
They even showed two new sports car concepts under tarps and said these would become available by mid-decade in Japan. So by that account, they’re actually behind schedule.
Not many people know this, but Honda made EVs as early as 1997. The “EV Plus” was this small 3-door hatch, and they only made about 300 as a test bed for battery technology, similar to the General Motors EV1.
In the past year, we’ve also reported on a Honda Prelude successor arriving in 2028. At the same time, the next Nissan GT-R and Toyota Supra are both said to become battery-powered, while the GR86 will become a hybrid.
