The Honda Zero EVs look even more compelling up close

Honda unveiled one of the most interesting concepts at last year’s CES with two Honda Zero prototypes: sedan and Space-Hub. They promised to return in a year with something closer to production. But instead of toning down these space-age design elements, Honda leaned into them. The way inside.

Honda 0 sedan and Honda 0 SUV. retained much of what made these concepts so strange and different—and not necessarily off-putting. But it’s definitely not the electric CR-V that buyers like. I beg the company do for years. In fact, Honda seems to be saying to all those people who want electric cars to look normal: “We see you. We hear you. We don’t care.”

Much has been said about the similarities between these Honda Zero prototypes and some iconic cars from the 70s and 80s, such as Lamborghini Countach, AMC Gremlin, Aston Martin Lagonda Shooting Brakeand (h/t Jason Torchinski) Brubaker Box.

My theory is that Honda is turning to these design inspirations as a way to offset the future shock of the ultra-minimalist interior, with all the marketing talking about “software-defined cars.” After all, Honda’s real announcement this year was its operating system, named after the iconic Asimo robot.

Zero EVs are in most cases perceived as a decorative showcase for the real product, i.e. software. What better way to get people to listen to a TED talk about “high-performance system-on-a-chip” than standing in front of a car that looks like it should be floating in low orbit?

One of the things I noticed about the sedan was the lack of a rear window—that rounded rectangle at the back is opaque. The depth effect is very impressive, but it doesn’t cover the incognito window. It’s just a taillight.

Another thing that caught my attention was the lack of side-view mirrors. Honda uses cameras instead. Drivers who want to check their blind spots will have to use two screens built into either end of a long piece of glass that spans the entire length of the dashboard. Of course, US safety regulations require regular old side-view mirrors, so this seems mostly ambitious.

The SUV is less “distinguished” than the sedan, which likely means we’ll likely see some version of it on US roads before the sedan. There’s definitely a rear window, and the airiness of the greenhouse seems to hint at the Honda Zero’s design principles of “thin, light and smart.”

However, we do not have any specifications for any vehicle. Honda said that its Zero EV will be based on the automaker’s Formula 1 racing experience. The automaker is also aiming for optimal battery efficiency with its e-Axle system, consisting of a motor, inverter and gearbox that convert electrical energy into propulsion power. Each EV is expected to have a range of about 300 miles, which equates to an 80-90 kWh battery.

Other important details include an attempt to consolidate electronic control units similar to Rivian recently relaunched its R1 cars.. By reducing the number of components and wiring, Honda is clearly trying to limit its costs at a time when manufacturing prices appear to be rising.

The lack of anything remotely resembling a physical knob or dial inside any car is a pretty good sign that automakers continue to ignore. customer requests stop porting all functionality through its digital interfaces. Yes, I’m an old man scream at the cloudsbut for God’s sake, give me something to twist or push. Trying to adjust the heat while blindly tapping on smooth glass while speeding down the highway at 75 mph isn’t exactly my idea of ​​a good time.

The yoke is… the yoke. Automakers love their steering forks! But when it comes time to put something into production, they mostly revert to the wheel shape. The sunroof is another one of those features that involves “subtle” principles. And obviously Honda’s promise that its Zero cars will come with Level 3 autonomyalso known as hands-off and eyes-on driving requires a lot more explanation. What does data transfer look like between the autonomous system and the driver? And how does this explain our human tendency to switch off when we’re not actively driving?

There are a lot of questions surrounding these machines! Will they ever go into production? There is a non-zero chance.