Acura Debuts Its First All-Electric Car: the 2024 Acura ZDX
With up to 500 horsepower and 325 miles of electric car driving, the Acura ZDX brings the company's electric dreams closer to reality. See it first today and in dealerships early next year.
Kristin Shaw
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The Newest Luxury Electric SUV Makes a Splash at Monterey Car Week!
Last year, during Monterey Car Week – an incredible pageant of new and rare vintage cars alongside fashion and lots of hats – Acura revealed its Precision EV concept electric car. Enrobed in gorgeous coats of a new color, Double Apex Blue Pearl, the Precision’s sleek lines impressed upon the world Acura’s new electrified direction.
One year later, in the same resplendent spot in Carmel, California, the luxury brand debuted the production model of this concept, officially named the Acura ZDX. It’s Acura’s first electric car and leads Acura’s “accelerated path” to a 100 percent electrified lineup.
Fast Facts:
- This is Acura’s first all-electric vehicle: the ZDX
- The 2024 ZDX A-Spec will be available with two- or all-wheel drive
- A sportier, more powerful version will be available as the ZDX Type S
- Expected range on the base ZDX is 325 miles
- Pricing starts at $60,000+
Related: We are Wild about the Acura Integra Type S
The front seat in the Acura ZDX. Photo: Kristin Shaw
Two ZDX Versions
Honda’s luxury arm is unveiling two different models, the 2024 Acura ZDX and ZDX Type S. Starting in the $60,000 range, the ZDX A-Spec will be available with one motor for its rear-wheel-drive version and two motors in its all-wheel-drive variant. While the number isn’t confirmed yet, Acura expects the EPA to give the ZDX A-Spec with one motor a rating of 325 all-electric miles. With the single-motor setup, you’ll get 340 horsepower, which is plenty to accelerate and pass in Acura’s distinctive style. At $70,000 plus, the 2024 Acura ZDX Type S is the sportier, faster option. Its two electric motors are expected to generate 500 horsepower in total, and the Type S will have performance suspension and monster brakes as a harness for all of that power. Plus, the brake calipers are painted yellow, making it easy to spot the difference between a ZDX Type S and an A-Spec. Acura says the ZDX Type S is its most powerful and best-performing SUV ever, and we’re looking forward to testing out that claim ourselves.
Related: I’m a Millenial Mom and I Love my Acura RDX
The rear badge on the Acura ZDX. Photo: Kristin Shaw
Sculptural Style in the Acura ZDX
Sleek and elegant, with a low center of gravity and sculpted lines, the ZDX lives up to the Acura name. The brand was developed by dedicated, passionate Honda engineers who wanted to take its vehicles’ performance up a notch, and Acura has consistently cranked out gorgeous vehicles one after the other through the years. I’m very excited to see that Acura decided to carry over the Double Apex Blue Pearl hue from the concept version of this car. It’s truly stunning in person. And the Type S will be available in Tiger Eye Pearl, which is a luminous amber shade that looks fantastic on the MDX, along with a few of its other models.
The reveal of the Acura ZDX at Monterey Car Week. Photo: Kristin Shaw
There are Diamonds. Of Course. This is Acura!
Acura ascribes to the old adage that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, and that idea has been seen on the diamond grille of its sedans and SUVs over the last few years. The ZDX brings that distinctively Acura look to its front face with a three-dimensional embossed diamond pattern and what the brand calls “Jewel Eye” LED headlights. Wider, self-sealing tires (a major benefit if you run over a sharp object) and 22-inch machined wheels on the Type S, are the largest Acura has ever had on one of its models. These give the ZDX its athletic look, and the wheel patterns themselves are striking and unique.
Related: How are Acura and Honda Progressing with Electrfication?
Acura ZDX Technology Will Make You Feel Secure
For the first time, Acura is integrating Google built-in as the connectivity standard. Passengers can use apps like Google Assistant and Google Maps in the car on the 11.3-inch touchscreen. Plus, the ZDX includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to make communication with family and friends easier. Acura’s new collaboration with Danish luxury audio brand Bang & Olufsen is exciting for music fanatics like me. I can’t drive anywhere without tunes, and it’s a big move for Acura to show its commitment to high-quality partnerships. Now standard on the ZDX, Acura appears to have a plan to roll out this audio system to other models in its lineup as well. With 18 speakers, you can listen to everything from T-Pain to Tchaikovsky and enjoy every note. The ZDX comes standard with a suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies called AcuraWatch. For this new vehicle, Acura includes rear cross-traffic braking, blind zone steering assist, rear pedestrian alert, and other helpful features. Acura is moving forward toward more autonomous vehicles with its AcuraWatch 360+ system. The ZDX Type S includes hands-free driving technology on up to 400,000 miles of compatible roads and the brand’s first automatic parking assist system.
The open airy interior includes a panoramic sunroof. Photo: Kristin Shaw
Battery Power in the Acura ZDX
One advantage to the built-in Google system is that Google Maps helps tremendously with route planning that includes stops at charging stations. While you’re at it, Google Maps also can estimate how much time you need to spend charging to get where you’re going. If the car knows you’re headed for a DC fast charging station, the system can automatically initiate preconditioning of the battery, which reduces charge times. At a DC fast charging station, the ZDX A-Spec with rear-wheel drive can quickly add roughly 81 miles of range, so you can still top it off even if you don’t have time for a full fill-up. Companies like Genesis and Hyundai have created a consultative side of their business to provide home and public charging solutions. If you want to have an Acura charger installed at home, you can sign up through Acura Home Electrification and hire an installer through a vetted list of local professionals. On the road, drivers can use the Acura Smartphone App to find charging stations and process payments. Stay tuned because Acura has joined forces with six other major automakers to offer access to brand-neutral charging stations in the US and Canada. This collaboration is targeting 30,000 or more fast-charging ports in the US by 2030.
What We Love About Acura
Acura maintains a steady, reliable, luxurious brand for its fans and has a bit of an edge as it approaches full electrification. The new colors alone show a willingness to step outside of its typical mode, and I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next. Interested in reserving a ZDX for yourself? Sign up for email updates through the dedicated site, and you’ll be updated about when the pre-sales start later this year. Expect deliveries in early 2024.
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