Honda names its first made-in-India electric SUV ALPHA, with global debut set for 2 December
Honda Cars India has confirmed ALPHA as the name of its first made-in-India global electric SUV, to be built at Tapukara and unveiled in India on 2 December 2026, though battery, range and price details remain undisclosed.
Honda has given its first electric car for India a name and a date, announcing that the midsize electric SUV will be called the Honda ALPHA and will make its global debut in India on 2 December 2026.
Honda Cars India made the announcement on Tuesday 3 November, confirming that the ALPHA will be the company's first made-in-India global electric vehicle. India will also serve as the model's global production base, with cars built at Honda's Tapukara plant in Rajasthan for domestic buyers and for export.
The name is drawn from the first letter of the Greek alphabet, which Honda says symbolises a new beginning in customers' lives. It is a deliberate signal: the ALPHA is meant to mark the start of a new chapter for Honda in India, rather than simply another model added to an existing range.
The SUV is based on the 0 Alpha concept prototype that Honda first showed at the Japan Mobility Show in October 2025. It was the third production-intent model in Honda's 0 Series family, following the 0 Saloon and 0 SUV shown at CES 2025, and it has since been put through a pan-India road-testing programme that began at Tapukara in March 2026 and was later extended to Japan.
The ALPHA will also be the first Honda model in India to carry the company's redesigned H logo, which has already been adopted globally. The new emblem is a visible marker of the shift Honda wants buyers to notice, separating its electric era from the petrol-powered models that built its reputation in the country.
Honda has, however, kept the technical details close for now. The company has not disclosed battery capacity, motor output, driving range, pricing or when bookings and deliveries will begin, and the 2 December event is a debut and unveiling rather than a sales launch.
Reports from the Indian motoring press suggest the SUV is expected to offer two lithium iron phosphate battery options, with capacities likely in the range of 65 to 75 kilowatt-hours and a front-wheel-drive layout, but those figures remain unconfirmed and should be treated as expectations until Honda publishes its own specifications.
When it does arrive, the ALPHA will enter one of India's most competitive segments. Its expected rivals include the Hyundai Creta Electric, the Mahindra BE 6, the Tata Sierra EV, the Maruti Suzuki e Vitara and the Toyota Urban Cruiser Ebella, all chasing buyers moving from petrol cars to electric family SUVs.
Honda Cars India president and chief executive Toshiyuki Yanagisawa said the company was delighted to announce the name, presenting the ALPHA as its ambition to bring advanced electric mobility to Indian customers while building the car locally.
The wider plan behind the car is equally ambitious. Honda has outlined plans to introduce ten new models in India by 2030, including seven SUVs, and the ALPHA's success as a locally built, globally exported electric car will be an early test of that strategy. Full design, features and specifications are expected to be revealed at the December debut.
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