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.

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.

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.