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Honda thirsty for attention with new EV prototype designs

Honda 0 Series SUV concept (foreground) and Saloon concept. [All images courtesy of Honda]

 

 

It looks like Honda is trying hard to get noticed with its new all-electric vehicle prototype designs. The 0 Series Saloon and SUV concepts made their debut at the Consumer Electronics Show this past January, along with confirmation that they will launch in the U.S. in 2026. The cars have a retro-futuristic design, like something out of a 1980s robo-thriller movie trying to forecast what the 2020s will be like. Well, here we are, and this is it, according to Honda.

Honda 0 Series Saloon concept (left) and SUV concept (right). [All images courtesy of Honda]

 

 

The big reveal concentrated more on the vehicles' operating systems and electrical architectures, automated driving capabilities, and charging options, rather than providing the drive motor(s) specs and key performance numbers, so that was disappointing. However, here is what we know from the presentation.

Honda also debuted its original vehicle operating system (OS), the ASIMO OS, for use in Honda 0 Series models. The use of the ASIMO name pays homage to the Honda ASIMO robot.

Honda 0 SUV prototype
The Honda 0 SUV prototype is a mid-size EV SUV with some funky angles and a strange rear. It will be the first Honda 0 Series model to enter production based on the company's newly developed, dedicated EV architecture. Building on the Space-Hub concept model first unveiled at CES 2024, the Honda 0 SUV applies the "Thin, Light, and Wise" approach to yield a spacious cabin with increased visibility and flexibility. The interior of the SUV prototype illustrates the company's direction to offer "a new value for its future Honda 0 Series EVs as a 'space' for people."

It will incorporate a steer-by-wire system that enables integrated control of the by-wire devices, such as steering wheel, suspensions, and brakes, which Honda says should produce outstanding handling. The inside features a clean design, a steering yoke, a panoramic roof, and seating for up to five passengers.

On the Honda website, the company states, "For the 0 Series models, we will pursue outstanding power conversion efficiency, e-Axles with excellent packaging, high-density battery packs that contribute to weight reduction and space efficiency, and the ultimate aerodynamic performance. This will realize a long range." The site also states, "Fast-charging 15% to 80% will be shortened to about 10-15 minutes" and that "Honda is striving to limit the degradation of battery capacity (range) to less than 10% after 10 years of use."

A production model based on the Honda 0 SUV prototype will be built at the Honda EV Hub in Ohio and is scheduled to be introduced in the North American market in the first half of 2026, then in global markets including Japan and Europe.

Honda 0 Saloon prototype
The Honda 0 Saloon, the flagship model of the Honda 0 Series, is a low, luxe, four-person sedan with a wedge front that is sporting some knock-off, old-school Lamborghini vibes. The low-slung cabin is complemented by an interior that is more spacious than expected based on the exterior dimensions.

It has a panoramic roof but no back window at all. Honda is really asking customers to adapt to a lot of change. Much of this has to with the 0 Series banking on Level 3 automated driving.

A production model of the Honda 0 Saloon will also be built in Ohio and introduced first in the North American market in late 2026.

Automated driving technology
In 2021, Honda became the world's first automaker to put Level 3 automated driving (AD) equipment into practical use with the launch of the Honda Legend equipped with Honda SENSING Elite. This vehicle, available for consumer lease in the Japan market, qualified for Level 3 automated driving (eyes-off) and conditional driving automation in limited areas.

Honda developed Honda SENSING Elite to put this AD technology into practical use by anticipating all driving conditions and scenarios based on the premise that, in addition to reducing the number of traffic collisions in society, Honda AD must eliminate traffic collisions that a "human driver could have avoided."

Honda believes that the widespread use of eyes-off technology will lead to the realization of zero traffic collision fatalities in the future. Based on this approach, Honda will aim to offer affordable automated driving technologies to more customers around the world through the Honda 0 Series.

To realize this objective, Honda says it will apply an original Honda AI technology that combines the unsupervised learning technology of Helm.ai and the behavior models of experienced drivers, which enable AI to learn with smaller amounts of data and efficiently expand the range of situations where automated driving and driver assistance can be available.

In addition, Honda will apply its original cooperative AI developed through research into people and mobility to further improve the precision of cooperative behavior, such as yielding the right of way to others on the road. By applying these advanced technologies, Honda aims to realize a highly reliable driver assistance system that can respond quickly and appropriately to unexpected situations, such as an animal darting into the lane or an object falling onto the road.

Honda 0 Series models will be equipped with a system that enables the expansion of the range of driving conditions where driver assistance and Level 3 automated driving will be available. This expansion will start with eyes-off technology available in traffic congestion on highways, then will continue through the over-the-air updates of the functions.

With Level 3 automated driving, the vehicle will oversee driving, which will enable a human driver to perform a "second task" while en route to their destination, such as watching a movie or remotely joining a meeting. Honda aims to become the first automaker to expand the application of eyes-off functions to all driving situations.

Energy/charging service
Honda says it will develop and offer new energy services based on two core concepts: building a charging network that enables the customers to enjoy stress-free freedom of mobility, and enabling people to enjoy clean and smart daily lives utilizing EV batteries.

As for the establishment of the charging network, Honda is striving to realize a society where 0 Series users will never have trouble recharging their vehicles. To this end, in North America, eight automakers established a joint venture to create a charging network called IONNA. It aims to include at least 30,000 high-quality charging stations by 2030. In addition, by adopting the North American Charging Standard (NACS) for the charging port of Honda 0 Series models, Honda wants to continue making progress in expanding the charging network to ensure that Honda 0 Series owners will have access to more than 100,000 charging stations by 2030.

Moreover, in line with the introduction of Honda 0 Series models, Honda also is considering a new charging service that leverages this broad charging network by incorporating Amazon Web Services (AWS) IT technologies. Using technologies such as Amazon Bedrock, which is the generative AI technology of AWS, combined with Honda intelligent technology along with data from Honda 0 Series and charging networks, Honda can provide a personalized charging experience for each individual. This includes helping drivers find charging stations and simplifying payment methods.

So, all in all we got some decent images of the new Honda 0 EV concepts, but not a lot of core details or even pricing. The Honda 0 Saloon is supposed to be a higher-end model, rumored to start at around $50,000. We will post an update when we have it.

If one of these Honda concepts is your jam, get updates at https://0.honda/en/models/.

Source: Honda

Published February 2025

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