Honda gave us a glimpse of their 0 series of EVs — here’s what we learned

For years, Honda has relied on hybrids — not many EVs — to drive its electrified mission. All that is about to change with the Honda 0 Series, the company’s new electric car that will be produced in the next few years.

Honda has been teasing Series 0 EVs since at least last year with the Saloon and Space-Hub concepts revealed at CES. Now, the automaker is preparing to showcase new features and technologies at CES 2025 aimed at previewing the future production model.

The Japanese automaker recently gave TechCrunch a glimpse of its new beginning (which is what that number 0 is meant to symbolize), and while some of the features in this new lineup of EVs aren’t fully baked, it’s clear that Honda is taking a big, expensive swing at battery electric vehicles. In the US alone, the automaker is investing $700 million to retool its three Ohio factories for EVs, the first of which is expected to start production in late 2025.

When I visited the company’s headquarters in Tochigi, Japan recently, the automaker told me that its goal is to do something new. Honda doesn’t want to turn their popular ICE cars into EVs, but rather they want to change the way cars, and especially EVs, are designed. And we have adopted the phrase ‘thin, light and smart’ to achieve it.

The ladder is at the top of Honda, a company known for affordable and reliable cars. The Honda 0 Series EV will have to attract its loyal customers, while attracting new ones – all this stands out from the growing number of competitors.

Seven Honda 0 Series models in 2030

Honda plans to release seven models of the Honda 0 Series in 2030 around the world. Honda is aiming for a range of 300 kilometers and it seems that the company will provide enough kWh to reach that figure regardless of the vehicle. In other words, Honda is not interested in offering mega range at the expense of a heavy battery.

The company said it aims for a charging speed of 15% to 80% in 10 or 15 minutes and wants to keep battery degradation below 10% after 10 years. In addition, it hopes to have some kind of Vehicle-to-X capability, which means it will be able to communicate with other devices or infrastructure, but Honda did not provide details. It can power your house, or another car – maybe both.

When pressed for pricing, the company would not even commit to a price range. While the flagship Saloon may have a hefty price tag, other Honda 0 Series vehicles will likely start in the low $50,000 range.

The technology inside the Honda 0 Series EV

While Honda’s “slim, light and smart” sounds like marketing, the words are directly linked to the design and technology inside these upcoming EVs.

Thin refers to the new EV platform, with a low ride height and excellent aerodynamics, both of which fit directly into the fun driving concept of “light.”

The Honda 0 Series cars will be wider and have a newly designed chassis that works with physics instead of against it to provide more stability in corners. Honda hopes to achieve small and simple things through improved manufacturing and design processes.

Honda says the “intelligent” part means its future EVs will be able to drive autonomously at Level 3, meaning users will be able to drive without their eyes on the road or hands on the wheel for long periods of time. It will also include wire-by-wire capabilities in the steering, suspension, and brakes, meaning there is no physical connection between physical components (such as the steering wheel and brake) and the actual mechanical components in the car; the computer will interpret all the actions of the driver in the car. An intelligent UX system will be able to monitor the driver’s condition, open doors, and even send passengers into a VR-generated world, Honda said. Honda says they will continue to improve their UX features through OTA updates.

While most of Honda’s “smart” UX technology is still in the prototype stage, the factory’s “small” and “light” technology looks more advanced. A house-sized mega-split casting machine that uses 6,000 tons of pressure on molten aluminum spits out parts for a new thin battery case developed by LG, while a robot welds thin and thick metal at the same time to get a strong, light one. the frame.

The frame of the Honda 0 Series may be strong, but it actually has some flexibility in it. That may sound absurd- after all, the chassis is the backbone of any car and every year manufacturers boast that their chassis is x percent stronger than the year before. Not a Honda. The company claims to have found a way to use body flex to its advantage, increasing the loads on the outer tires for better grip during cornering while at the same time reducing weight.

Honda has partnered with Hitachi to produce the new eAxle. This electric car has a smaller inverter and can be installed horizontally, it also allows for more interior space and a lower hood and shorter overhangs than competitors. The large eAxle has about 240 180 horses and the small one is good for about 67 horses.

Test drive First presentation: Very good

I got a short drive at Honda’s test track to get some of these new parts. The Accord-like appearance was actually equipped with a flexible frame, a smaller battery and eAxle front and rear. However, the standard steer-by-wire technology was not included and the suspension was not tuned for this Accord body.

Anyway, it’s a real early preview of what to expect and dare I say it’s…good?

It was a quick drive with subtle changes and no current Honda EV in hand in comparison.

Power delivery was quick and if the chassis was flexible, I didn’t notice it. I felt confident in the corners but I never got into that Honda he didn’t feel more stable in corners. The car felt a little wobbly due to the changes in the road but again, the suspension was not balanced at all. At this point all I can say is that the car felt great and I’m looking forward to driving the fully baked version.

The “intelligent” UX features are what can make or break the Honda 0 Series and many of the features presented on this tour were still in the development stage. The company showed us a video of the car recognizing who is coming and opening the right doors. We also saw videos about Level 3 planned autonomy that will work on unusual roads and in changing conditions. The 3D gyroscope will help predict the instability on the slippery surface and make small adjustments to the by-wire technology to keep the car running smoothly. Also, none of these features are actually shown, they are just shown in the video.

However, Honda has an internal prototype planned that can detect the driver’s stress and play soothing music. It remembered the old passenger and his favorite settings and even knew there was a dog in the car that might need water or a bathroom break. At least, they knew there was a toy dog ​​in the car. It is possible that he can also see a real dog.

Well-developed “intelligent” technology has been a feature of the newly exciting VR. I put on a VR headset and was transported from Honda HQ in Tochigi to a car in downtown Yokohama with two Honda engineers. I had a 360-degree view that worked perfectly in real time and I was able to talk to my new friends and request the latest Taylor Swift song. My watch had a small icon with navigation information, music or speed that I could change with a laser pointer type unit. This laser pointer can also “touch” various things around me. I gave hearts to the ferris wheel, the guy on the scooter, and what I think was the Cup Noodles Museum. It was so much fun.

All in all, Honda looks to be on the cutting edge of cool technology, assuming it all comes to fruition. Everything we saw in Japan should start with the next Honda 0 Series concept car at CES in 2025. In addition, the company has also confirmed that in 2026 it will release the production version of the Saloon concept that we saw at CES 2024 which will be “properly. near” in the futuristic concept car.