As the Frankfurt Auto Show came to a close, we walked away with exciting news regarding new concepts, designs, and some features that could change the industry from top to bottom. Among these examples, the Honda Urban EV stands out for all the right reasons. Despite looking simple and rather basic, this new concept from Honda looks as though it will set the trend in terms of battery-operated Honda models as well as models from all over the industry. Although we don’t know whether the model will make it to the US just yet, we can be sure of its production in Europe in 2019.
Compared to the Honda Fit, the doors on the compact two-door model are four inches smaller and the rear-hinged doors remind us of a classic Rolls Royce. In terms of uniqueness, this Honda Urban EV offers plenty of examples starting with the bench in the front. After this, different fabrics cover the front and back seats while the seat belts in the rear are in the center which is said to make entrance/exit easier than ever before.
Inside, a classic wood trim covers the car including a large panel at the front which allows for a floating instrument screen that’s wider than most. On the upper door panels, more screens exist and these can provide a feed from the side view cameras. On the outside, the area between headlights has another screen displaying information for other drivers; this includes the charge left in the battery. On the rear, the same feature is available for others on the road. Finally, the Honda badge which is backlit with a soothing blue suggests how the logo will be displayed on all EV models looking ahead.
Just in case you feel the car is short on technological features, all drivers will also benefit from a Honda Automated Network Assistant which can detect emotions behind all judgements and learns information over time. Although we aren't exactly sure what this means just yet, we actually love the design of this model and can’t wait to see production start in around two years. Despite the basic appearance, it doesn’t look like a toy car as many others do.
Moving forward, we have two hopes;
• Firstly, the blue backlit badge makes it into production.
• Secondly, we get a chance to see the model in the US.
If both these things happen, our excitement hasn't been wasted and we have the chance to enjoy this little delight in the years ahead!
Tags: Honda, Concept Cars, Electric Cars, Reveal, Specs, Technology