The name " Type R " is sacred ground for Honda. Anything with the red H badge receives the utmost care and attention to make it as close as possible to ideal for driving enthusiasts — and the company is, apparently, finding it difficult to translate that Type R feeling into an electric vehocle.

One thing is for sure is that Honda won’t build an electric Type R unless it believes what it comes up with is worthy of the name. So, if the automaker doesn’t crack the code, the Type R badge may die with combustion engines. For the sake of Honda-heads everywhere, we hope they figure it out.

Honda wants the Civic Type R to stick around in the electric era, though only if future versions are as fun to drive as the current gas model.