These Futuristic Electric Honda 0 Series Concepts Aren't As Far Off As They Look
Honda has a new line-up of electric cars planned and has already given a preview of the future with two models at CES 2024 in Las Vegas. Dubbed Saloon and Space-Hub, these cars will turn into road-ready rides starting in 2026 and will herald the arrival of the Honda 0 (Zero) EV series. In addition to fresh branding for the upcoming portfolio, the Honda 0 series will also serve as the launchpad for the carmaker's next-gen driver assistance and battery tech.
The portfolio is headlined by the Saloon concept, an electric sports car with a side profile similar to the iconic Lamborghini Gallardo, while borrowing elements from the Honda e:N electric concepts that were showcased for the Chinese market in 2021. A few aesthetic bits, such as tail LED styling, also pay homage to the Sports EV coupe that first made an appearance at the Tokyo Motor Show back in 2017.
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The carmaker says it took a fresh approach to designing and engineering the Honda 0 EVs, creating a low-rise format that blends sustainable materials and spacious interiors with a reimagined instrument cluster, steer-by-wire controls, and driver assistance systems that learn from a person's driving patterns. As far as the Space-Hub concept goes, it is shaping up to be the electric van of the future with a more utilitarian take on external styling married to a minimalist, tech-heavy cabin.
A glimpse of proximal reality
The Saloon concept will rely on the next-gen driver assistance system that succeeds 2021's Honda Sensing Elite platform. Following the arrival of the first two Honda 0 series EVs, it will trickle down to more affordable electric rides in the carmaker's portfolio. The tech stack will embrace AI-assisted tricks, environmental sensing, driver monitoring systems, enhanced risk handling, and driving automation solutions. "The more people use their vehicle, the more rewarding the ownership experience becomes, adding to the fun of being connected," Honda claims.
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That's a critical aspect, as most carmakers are yet to widely roll out comprehensive automated driving features owing to safety concerns, immaturity of the tech ecosystem, and regulatory concerns. Tesla's controversial Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) are the best examples of one such arguably faulty execution. Honda, on the other hand, says its driver assistance package will be something that "people can feel safe and confident using."
For the Honda 0 series, the company has also refined the inherent battery tech. The next-gen battery packs will take just about 15 to 20 minutes to go from 15% to 80% charging level. Moreover, the company boldly claims that it has reduced the battery degradation to under 10% following a decade of usage. Talking about market availability, the first commercial EV based on the Saloon concept will arrive in the U.S. in 2026, followed by a production-ready model built atop the Space-Hub concept. Separately, Honda is also working with GM to put affordable electric cars on the road.