What makes a Honda a Honda? Prologue engineers help us find out!
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Welcome to quick charge in november fifteen, twenty twenty four, and i'm your host job orus today's episode sponsored by blue ei, a leading supplier of sustainable energy solutions specializing in portable power stations, solar generators and energy storage systems as a provider of dependable and portable energy solutions, lady has become an industry leader with the presence in one hundred countries that is trusted by millions of customers worldwide.

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Now today's interview is really interesting because two new evs are really resetting the stage for the american E. V. market.

And talking, of course, about the heavy, equal, C B and the hundred prog, both of which combined to push E V market share to a new record in october. They're doing the same thing in november, approaching ten percent of the overall market nations right now. This is important because not only are both of these five passenger affordable three hundred plus range E S. There, both based off of G M O T M E V battery platform, which means that the vehicles should be incredibly similar or at least more some more than you might imagine, and given the fact that they do look pretty different on the outside.

So the question becomes, what makes a sevel A A severely and what makes a hara harda? And as you remove things like different displacement vates, different transmissions, the kind of internal combustion hardware were all used to, that becomes a question that more and more automated kers are going to need to ask themselves to help answer that question of what makes a hand a hand a, what makes a heavy, a heavy, what makes an accurate, accurate. We've got Jason hang ging in the media sances both parts of the hunter team that developed the co log and the X R Z D X and gave those vehicles their honest, their honor feeling.

Guys, thank you so much for being on the show and being a part of us. You're john wang, the chief engineer of honor prolog and accurate Z D X programs and honda north amErica and millions sanchez electrical project leader. nice. Thanks for being on the show.

Thanks for having us.

Thank you for having us. So obviously know where big fans of a lot of hunters products, nk, or as well, there's tone of motorsport history enthusiast history behind those brains. But these two products, specifically the prolog and the Z D X, these are interesting, right? Because they're not what a lot of people I think would call a, quote, pure hand product, right? They were code developed.

G, M. They use those altitudes. atterly. Can you talk to us a little bit about what parts of this were developed by honda and kind of the steps that you talk to make you feel more like A A pure hana?

Yeah let me start off with like um how we approach the entire development and exactly what you're are talking about. And then maybe you mean you can give some examples in the electrical space. So um when we started this code development four years ago, you know the key was leverage the work that um our partners already had done on platform the alt n platform and bring into market as quickly as possible.

You know good evs that we can have in the market this year. So so that kind of set in motion the the R T M platform so that the battery packed the power train um and then the hard points of that platform. And then from there, we really collaborated on what would make each brand or each a car unique and different because obviously we didn't want to have to be identical, right? You just put a new bed join IT. So um we kind of took all those hard points and we worked out what parts could be shared and what parts will be new and that's kind of how we divide of the work. Um and then hunter took the lead in the design, the styling, the studio work um making sure that IT IT is unique ly identifiable was hard wann after that kind of how we started that work.

Really you want to add to that?

yes. So I anna build of that. Um so what we I think something really interesting for this program, right you course work livery V G M but the placement of the elements, uh, so when you look at the switches that we have in the car, you know the the the places of the a of the meeting to display where the back controls are, all of that was basically done following hg guidelines.

Course there there were areas where we had to do some trade off or whatever, but basically, we wanted to have the home, ideally there, you know, to basically make the car or be useful, same as you would basically use any of our other cards. You know, you can name the billow, say anything like that. So anything you can think of you know from the from the the blaming the compose ders are the the our window reaches. And most importantly, of course, I think that this is both of .

them yeah and I think that that you know obviously critical because you're creating an identity here with something that doesn't have that traditional identity from the engineer from the power train, right? I think this presents a very unique chAllenge from brand to brand, from automatic er to automate ker on how you make an electric vehicle feel different. So obviously, you we we are talking a little bit about the the ultimate platform here and how we're making a feel more like honda. How do you make a hander feel different from an accurate, even when they have the same battery in the same poetry .

c for the prolog in the Z, D X, they are actually on a different power train in battery system um that however you write the even on a regular ice on or act, you know you have to prioritize that feeling difference or the behavioral al difference accurate is all about sporting ness and that performance um performance aspect of IT not just um how IT, how IT drives but also how IT looks.

So that really how you differentiate and pro log in being a honer is always going to be useful. Um is gonna package very well perfect for a Young family and other gear. So that kind of the image nutz not only just a packaging and how how big the interiors but also how IT looks and how to purchase the image of that uh target customer were looking for yes.

So basically for for all um what was really bored and on the on the user interface over the h my of the vehicle, right. So when you talk about prolog, we of course start to discussing uh um what is the layout of the elements that we want to basically show the customer you know um so this is not talking about performance, are renting like that.

This more talking about how the car feels to the customer, right, with the things they are going to interact with. So when you look at the center display, for example, you know the the the the choice of scholars that we went with, the arrangement of the elements, we think that center display, you know, we basically took elements from our current vehicles, but kind like modernize them. So when you look at, again, you know, a ilog and a board, you will see the center display has little dials with the apps, right? So we basically took that and then did the same thing for proof.

But of course, with proof, we're going with a more like modern look. You know we're basically stepping away from that. Uh uh from the black background on the display in the mean are bringing, I don't know, like a lighter background, you know a more fun background, you know kind of like or three in the image of like K B is a new year, you know this the new but forward for us um and also like some as small elements, right for example, when you look at the uh uh all the elements, uh, on the meter or the center display, the hand the font is there, you know, the font, even those like something read more, something really tiny, the font is different. You know, the phone is the honey phone, so that makes IT feel like a honda when you look at IT.

And also there's something new like um I I don't know, joe, if you notice as you walked up towards the car, there's a movie that place when you walk up to the car. And we spend a lot of time kind of working on that movie to just make sure you purchase the newness and the and the beginning of this electrified era and how we wanted to portray how we thought the customer and where the customer could use the car that has outdoor kind of imagery, uh, a city center imagery and all kind of next team with a hard logo at the end that really says, hey, this is A E V. That you can use for your families of venture anywhere .

yeah and I have seen that and I think it's IT does a really good job of painting this picture of I don't know if accessibility is the right word but a kind of says like, hey, no, we're along for the ride. We're here with you wherever your adventures gna take you and I think that that you know it's a very different message from the, you meet the nicest people on a hana that you know, classic campaign from the sixties.

I mean, it's all about being a partner and enabling the customer and their family and friends to do what they want to do. And really, this is an E V that has long range and you know and good packaging so you can load up by your gear. So really there's no excuse for not being able to do what you wants to do every day.

No, I love that. So I wanted ask a question. We're talking about the the hardware in the face, the the H W I, the the goobie and all the other stuff there.

So you know two questions. General motors, obviously at the other partner is using alt m platform. They kind of are very famously walking away from things like android auto or, uh, apple car play.

Is the hunter prolong? Is the accuracy x are those still vehicles that i'll be able to use those kind of a you phone based or third party interfaces with? Or is this vehicle also kind of want to stand alone platform?

No um you know the both cars have apple car play and android auto um wireless as well. And however, also as part of that alt n platform, we do have google automotive services. So that is also enabled and really does allow full innovation.

So you have both. You can do both. So a customer kid, the owner can just use their car play as they do on their hunger or accurate today exactly how they want.

But also um you can use the google automotive services as built tons of google maps and ways and all that APP store stuff is already available and they can download those things and use them. And it's really integrated well with especially the E V part of IT. You know you can set A D C fast charger as your destination and conditions the battery packs. So it's really A N effective, uh, way to use the cars i've i've use both when I used, when I drop the car.

That is A Q you're right. Like at least the google map. You know, having that integration google map will help you do the rock planning, you know find the charger if you're not going to make IT, you know a long grow three for whatever. So I think that's key that's a key element. Of course, as you on you know, the company has uh, the opportunity to go back to other, but then you're going to miss out on those features, you those specific T B features um for exam, my personal experience you know um i'm add user out but uh when I was riding C D X or prolog, um I was referring to just just logging to my google account, you know for google maps and then just don't load spotify for the car because that basically what I use out for you know maps and sort fy and then that that will see.

Now that's a really solid point also that you know if the functionality is there and it's one less connection, one less screen, you can still have that access. I think that works. Uh, I I think that's a sod approach.

Now I know you guys can't talk too much about future product and upcoming product. I totally get that. Um but you know we have seen at the last C E S O, we saw the hunt to zero.

We saw uh some other evs concepts that are coming our way. How have the lessons that you guys have learned working on the prolog and C D X and learning how to make those vehicles feel uniquely honer, uniquely accurate? How is that inform the upcoming like zero serious E V.

you know, I would say the entire hunt, the organization, not just engineering but manufacturing and sales and dealer network, I think they've learned a lot above how to get ready or no 那 那那 well， maybe the prologue and E D X, or how we got ready because that we have we have to have change out so many things on how we viewed on the transaction of the sales and the promotion. So I think IT really has been a great leading and a stepping stone so that we are fully committed and ready when the zero series come out. So it's been an excEllent opportunity for the entire hand organization, including the the dealer n network.

Yeah from from is one side you know uh for example, when we talk about audio systems, you know bank and of the first one being a the accurate C D course, we're we're basically keeping back analysis in the support. Now you know all the uh upcoming uh acts are going to have that um and they on the home decide, well, we're doing the same with with our partnered balls. So I think those elements are certainly gonna be there.

You know things like that like small things like that, like menu structures. Um I think our teams is looking at that. You know imagine that we are using currently on problem C D X. Um they are trying to build off of that .

based you actually email brings up a good point, joe, is that you know we have a new audio partner for act, your bank and all of sin. And then we are continuing our relationship with both on the hand side and because there are E V, the tuning kind of the parameters and what you're trying to tune to you in the the background sounds are completely different.

So we have learned quite a bit about you know, you have to take advantage of the fact that the car so much quieter and smoother so you can really um make an impact on the both system or the bank licence system that maybe was hard to take century in the past. So IT IT IT does bring up new opportunities. Well.

you know and never brings up a good point because I think there have been systems in the past that have the auto of volume. So when you're going down the highway, they raise the volume. When you're slowing down, they lower the volume. Is that still something that in play in E S? And i'm sorry if that's like a super elementary.

There's still some yeah that but I forget the acronis for IT, but that still does exist um just because the kind of the tire noise and road noise that still so you still do need that. Uh but uh, IT does completely change all the tuning parameters that's well um yeah .

you know I think know we're coming to the end of our time coming here. I want to be respectful then I know there's a tons of different questions I can ask you. Uh, I think you know what i'm always surprised with when I talk to engineers, know especially brain manager engineers who are working on platforms and platforms is there is always some aspect that you know as an enthusiast, as a journalist, is someone who's not you know obviously anywhere near your guy's level of the technical development that is always surprising and interesting when you guys were developing this platform and kind of bring IT over to become a honor from whatever IT was before. What we're kind of the biggest surprises on on your side that made you say like either, wow, this is really going to work and this going to make a toner sensor like, man, this was really chAllenging to integrate this into, you know the way hunted those things.

Uh, that's a great question. Immediate you go first. Let me go think I think.

uh, the first one you know and probably the most obvious you know it's just merging working styles yeah you know uh use much merging to working styles. You know we were of course, um at the end of the day, we like both companies do or or manufacture car, right? So that's the angle.

At least the angle was always the same. You know we just merging to a style, you know merging uh, different people, different locations. I think that was broadly ly one of the biggest uh, or one of the biggest chAllenges we face at the very beginning.

You know having people here and you having people in japan and do do we uh want them to come over, you know and and we we eventually got a lot of people from to come here and when work with us and and work with a with uh with G M here. So um so I think that one was a uh a great win for for both sides. You know of course, uh we learned a lot but but those our parts are G M learned from us to so I think he was a great uh a great, great collaboration there. No.

that brings up an interesting point because this is not the first collaboration between G M and honda in the uh late ninety years. Only two thousands there was the saturated line edition that were G M products with honor power trains. Before that there was the uh susie trooper and the ah the original honda auto sy that was based off of the issue minivan with both G M products. I I mean obvious ly, you guys there were you know probably children when that happens. So I don't think .

I don't know about that. I ve got to tell you one of the one of the earlier projects I worked on at how that was integrating on .

star on to accurate models. H, yeah.

because the product, yeah, my first time there.

that's awesome. Youth, was that something that you guys were aware of? And county of going in? This is kind of A A long standing history between .

your two branza I me to us. I mean, we have great long relationship with them on on star, also on fuel cell research. So like the office that a million and I work out of in mhic, an is the R.

N S office of hand working on the field. So with general motors, so we do collaborate that way. We feel so we are battery. Um so there's a lot of um a long history, not just at v six with the sudden so um is something we are enjoy that's cool.

Well, um yeah, now i'll added that this question because this can be a different question but if I was a smart person, what would I ask you that like other people haven't ask you that you'd be like I am that's really cool. We have a really great .

answer for that. Oh yeah, actually that's IT. yes. You know what I just read, I I am I read this in a in an internal um story for hunger and the so this is really important is that the number of one reason why customers buy a prolog is because it's a hander.

Yeah well, and that's wild, right? Because like I think that's a very fair statement because I I I love IT, because I think that I would be in that boat as well because I trust the experience. I trust the dealer experience.

I have dealer network, you know the sales people, you know the service .

department and well and you also know the way that honda has always approached not only quality control but also customer uh, customer care and customer relationships. And you do feel again, back to the old line, you meet the nicest people on a hundred, right? The way that hunter dealers traditionally have trained their staff feels very different than when you're in in a heavy store or you know gmc store.

I think that's a tremendous point. And even though it's not anything to do with engineering or electrical engineering, I think yeah because it's a honden IT meets those honden standards to the point that they were willing to put that h on IT. And that age doesn't mean something to a lot .

of consumers yeah you right million.

Anything close us out.

I think from from department side, something that something that was key also was that we had our abattoir know everything discuss even though he was a collabone. You know we basically brought our able latch from japan and from ohio. You know, to actually judge that are you know like whether you talk in performance, you know like right on handling or audio systems, like there was um um um our there were like our were there you know when we. Taking the car, making sure that we was actually .

on as awesome as this has been wonderful. Thank you so much and thank you. Just a funny for helping us put this together. Uh, for everybody who is listening to this on their your spotify or apple podcast or watching this on youtube, if they want to fall along with what you're doing at pro log in IT honer, what's the best .

place for them to do that? How do that come?

All right, but that in the show, right? Thanks, guys. Once again, Jason wang, a. Medio sanchez, think so much being on the show, if you like, to what you heard.

We are always excited to have guests, and we want to definitely find more guests from the E. D. Space that are interesting to use.

So someone you wanna talk to, I guess you'd like to have on the show, please be sure to let us know in the comments, will do everything we can to get them on. Be sure to like and subscribe as you're listening to this. And we've got more quick charge coming up for you next week.