Honda Saloon Electric Vehicle Concept
Courtesy of Honda
HondaEngine revealed two concept cars Tuesday at the CES technology conference as a preview of a new line of electrified vehicles that will begin arriving in North America in 2026.
The concept models are called “Space-Hub” and “Saloon”, and the first production electric vehicle “Honda 0 Series” will be based on them, according to the Japanese automaker. Honda says the new “0 Series” vehicles are being developed under three basic principles: “Thin, light and smart.”
“We will create an entirely new value from the ground up based on thin, light and smart as the foundation for our new Honda 0 EV series to further take the joy and freedom of mobility to the next level,” said Honda CEO, Toshihiro Mibe, in a statement. .
Honda plans to introduce the first model of the Honda 0 Series based on the Saloon concept in North America, followed by model introductions in Japan, Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and South America.
Honda Space-Hub Concept Electric Vehicle
Courtesy of Honda
The Saloon is a sleek, futuristic-looking vehicle that looks worthy of the “Tron” movies, with a large open-mouth headlight in neon lighting and a redesigned Honda “H” in the center. The rear, like the front, features a large jagged rectangular area with red lighting around the interior with “Honda” in the center.
Inside, the sedan features a minimalist digital cockpit with a yoke steering wheel, similar to concept cars from other companies that have debuted at CES. To enter, a large falcon-winged door opens upward from the roof of the vehicle.
The Space-Hub is a minivan/shuttle that includes the same type of design features as the smaller saloon but in larger formats. Its interior features a similar cabin, but has a cavernous rear area with lounge seating.
Honda Saloon Electric Vehicle Concept
Courtesy of Honda
Both concepts appear to be designed to offer autonomous driving capabilities: the steering yoke can retract into the dashboard of each.
Honda said the 0 Series will first feature an advanced driver assistance system based on technologies first deployed in Japan, followed by a next-generation “automated driving” or AD system. The company says the upcoming system will expand the use of some hands-off features for use on both highways and surface streets.
“The next-generation AD system is being developed based on Honda’s ‘human-centered’ safety concept. It will feature advanced artificial intelligence, detection, recognition and driver monitoring technologies to achieve more humane, natural risk predictions.” and high precision, making it “It is possible to offer AD functions that people can use safely and confidently,” Honda said in the statement.
Honda Saloon Electric Vehicle Concept
Courtesy of Honda
Honda did not release exact specifications or performance expectations for the concept vehicles or upcoming electric vehicles, aside from charging projections.
The company said that Honda 0 Series models launching in the late 2020s will be capable of fast charging from 15% to 80% of battery capacity in about 10 to 15 minutes.
Don’t miss these CNBC PRO stories:
Correction: An earlier version of a headline in this article misspelled “Space-Hub.”
