Honda unveils dramatic new 0 Series electric concept cars

Honda has given an indication of its future electric car line-up with the unveiling of two concept cars at this year’s CES technology show. 

The saloon and people carrier concepts represent the start of the brand new 0 Series range, which Honda says will symbolise its shift to an all-electric brand committed to carbon neutrality by 2050. 

The sleek 0 Series saloon will be the first model under Honda’s new electrification strategy and is due to go on sale in the United States in 2026, before being rolled out to the rest of the world. Alongside it, Honda showed off the Space-Hub people carrier, with both cars bearing the new Honda “H” branding that will appear in 2026.

The new cars will, says Honda, balance the demand for long range capability with the desire to save weight, and will be capable of ultra-rapid charging, as well as featuring dynamic driving characteristics and the latest in human-centric connected technology, all embodied by the “thin, light, wise” slogan.

In among lots of corporate jargon, what that means in real terms is that the 0 Series cars aim to be low, light and tech-laden. Honda has drawn on motorsport knowledge to inform the saloon’s aerodynamics and wants its future electric models to use slimline platforms with low floors to underpin low, sleek bodies and offer driving “joy”. That will be delivered via a steer-by-wire system similar to that being tested by Lexus in the RZ. 

Power will be delivered by new e-axles which will combine a motor, inverter and gearbox into a single unit for maximum efficiency. 

Honda also wants to improve battery performance without adding weight. While there’s no word on technical specifications it says its new electric cars will offer “sufficient range while minimising the battery capacity loaded on the vehicle”, suggesting that efficiency will be prioritised over raw battery size.

It is also targeting ultra-rapid charging that will take the car from 10-80% in less than 15 minutes, while using lessons learned from existing electric and hybrid vehicles to cut degradation to less than 10% after 10 years. 

On the technology front, the cars will feature level 3 assisted driving under the guise of Honda Sensing Elite which first appeared in the Legend in 2021. Some time between 2025 and 2030, Honda claims automated driving functions will appear on 0 Series models that will allow hands-off driving on motorways and smaller roads. 

It is also threatening to use “AI and big data” to turn its cars into connected personalised “spaces” and offer “value as if [the car] understands the feelings of the user”. Nope, we’ve no idea what that’ll look like either. 

Honda has been here before, showing a stunning electric concept that gathered worldwide attention and praise. In that case, the Urban EV Concept became the somewhat disappointing Honda e hatchback, which was pulled from sale at the end of last year. Hopefully, these new “from scratch” cars mark a real progression in Honda’s move to an electric future. 

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