The Honda Zero EVs look even more compelling up close

Honda released one of the most interesting concepts at last year’s CES with two Honda Zero prototypes: the Saloon and the Space-Hub. He promised to return in a year with something a little closer to production. But rather than temper those space-age design elements, Honda leaned into them. Via in.

Honda 0 Saloon and Honda 0 SUV it retains much of what made the concepts so strange and different – and not necessarily in an off-putting way. But it’s certainly not the electric CR-V that customers have been waiting for he begs for company to do for years. In fact, Honda seems to be saying to everyone who wants standard-looking EVs: “We see you. We hear you. We don’t care.”

Much has already been said about the similarities between these Honda Zero prototypes and some iconic vehicles of the ’70s and ’80s, such as the Lamborghini Countach, AMC Gremlin, Aston Martin Lagonda Shooting Brakeand (h/t Jason Torchinsky) it Brubaker box.

My theory is that Honda is looking for these design inspirations as a way to compensate for the future shock of an ultra-minimalist interior and all the marketing talk about “software-defined vehicles”. After all, Honda’s real announcement this year was the operating system it developed in-house, named after its iconic Asimo robot.

The Zero EVs largely feel like a lot of window dressing for the actual product, which is the software. What better way to get people to listen to a TED talk about “high-performance systems-on-a-chip” than to stand in front of a car that looks like it should be floating in low orbit?

One of the things I noticed about the Saloon was the lack of a rear window – that rounded rectangle at the back is not transparent. The effect of the depth is very impressive, but it is not dark an incognito window. It’s just the taillight.

Another thing that caught my attention was the lack of side mirrors. Honda uses cameras instead. Drivers who want to check their blind spots need to use two screens embedded at either end of the long piece of glass that spans the length of the dashboard. Of course, US safety regulations require regular side mirrors, so this looks especially aspirational.

The SUV is less “out there” than the Saloon, and that probably means we’ll likely see a version of it on American roads before the sedan. There is certainly a rear window, and the greenhouse air seems to allude to the Honda Zero’s design principles of “thin, light and wise”.

However, we do not have specifications for any vehicle Honda said whose EV Zeros draw from the carmaker’s Formula 1 racing experience. The automaker also aims to achieve optimal battery efficiency through its e-Axle system consisting of a motor, an inverter and a gearbox that converts electrical energy into energy for driving. Each EV is expected to have about 300 kilometers of range, which translates into an 80-90 kWh battery.

Other important details include an effort to consolidate electronic control units, similar to Rivian recently relaunched the R1 vehicles. By reducing the number of components and wiring, Honda is clearly trying to limit its costs in an environment where the price of production seems to be increasing.

The absence of anything remotely resembling a physical knob or dial in any vehicle is a pretty good sign that automakers continue to ignore it. customer satisfaction to stop porting every last bit of functionality through their digital interfaces. Yes, I’m an old man shout at the cloudsbut for the love of God, give me something to twist or push. Trying to adjust the heat by blindly touching smooth glass while tearing down a road at 75 mph isn’t exactly my idea of ​​a good time.

The yoke is… a yoke. Automakers love their steering yokes! But when it comes time to actually put something into production, most fall back on wheel shapes. The moonroof is another one of those features that suggest “lean” principles. And obviously, Honda’s promise that its Zero vehicles come with Level 3 autonomyAlso known as “hands-off, eyes-off” guidance, it needs more explanation. What is the passage between the autonomous system and the driver? And how will it account for our very human tendency to zone out when we’re not actively engaged in driving?

There are many questions revolving around these vehicles! Will they ever go into production? There is a non-zero chance.