The Honda 0 Series EV Promises Sporty Handling and Will Launch in 2026

It may resemble an Accord now, but the production model will closely follow the futuristic design of the 2024 Saloon concept.

The Honda 0 series EV prototype

Although Honda was a pioneer in hybrid technology in the early 2000s with the aerodynamic two-door Insight, it has been slow to embrace fully electric vehicles. Its efforts thus far have included modified gasoline models like the Fit EV and the Clarity, which offered hybrid, electric, and fuel-cell powertrains. Even its first dedicated mainstream EV for America, the Prologue, relies on General Motors’ Ultium battery platform rather than technology developed by Honda and is manufactured by GM.

However, in two years, Honda plans to reveal its strategy. At CES 2024, the automaker introduced two concepts, one of which, the Saloon concept, will evolve into the first production model in Honda’s 0 Series of EVs set to launch in 2026. During a media event in Japan, the company shared new details about the Saloon production vehicle, and we had the opportunity to take a brief test drive in a prototype 0 Series car at its R&D facility in Tochigi.

Honda Saloon concept at Honda’s R&D facility in Tochigi, Japan.

The Saloon concept has an impressively low and sleek profile, featuring a one-box wedge shape that led us to believe it would adopt more traditional proportions for the production model. However, Honda plans to maintain the futuristic design, indicating that the EV will stay “fairly close” to the concept while incorporating developments that support the streamlined silhouette.

Honda describes its EV philosophy as “Thin, Light, and Wise.” Although the prototype we drove was disguised in the body of a current Accord, Honda asserts that the production car’s “original” design will showcase a low overall height and short overhangs. The two main components contributing to this are a new, thinner-than-usual battery pack and a compact “e-axle” that houses the inverter and motor. Honda claims that the inverter is 40 percent smaller than those of competing companies, though it did not specify which ones, allowing it to be placed alongside the motor to reduce the e-axle’s footprint. This compact design enables a shorter front overhang.

A display unit of Honda’s compact e-axle.

According to Honda, the aluminum battery case will be 6 percent thinner than those of competitors, achieved through two new production technologies: megacasting and 3D friction stir welding, a technique that joins metals using frictional heat. These packaging innovations will enable Honda to maintain the concept’s low roof while still ensuring sufficient cabin space. The design will permit a roofline lower than 55.1 inches, which is two inches shorter than the current Accord’s height.

Author:

  • I've been weaving words into stories since my early scribbling days, and my journey in the world of motorcycles and their communities spans almost two decades. Living with a talented motorcycle mechanic as a roommate, our garage transformed into a vibrant workshop where I absorbed the intricacies of...

    View all posts