Honda has revealed its Urban EV concept at the ongoing Frankfurt motor show and has confirmed that it will enter production in 2019. The all-electric concept is underpinned by a new dedicated electric platform and, according to Honda, sets the direction for the technology and design of its future electric vehicles.
Honda president Takahiro Hachigo said at the event in Frankfurt, “This is not some vision of the distant future. A production version of this car will be here in Europe in 2019.”
Compared to the Honda Jazz, the new concept is 100mm less in length, sporting an overall length of 3895mm.
In terms of styling, the Urban EV concept gets a Honda emblem backlit in blue that previews the badge for future Honda EVs. It also uses a Honda emblem backlit in blue, which previews a new styling feature for future EVs from the brand. The space between the headlights displays interactive messages from greetings and driver advice (for other cars) to battery level updates.
The interiors should be airy considering the slim A-pillars and wide windscreen, improving visibility. Ingress and egress is via rear-hinged coach doors. The floating dashboard houses the steering column, a set of buttons and a panoramic screen that extends into the doors and functions as the car’s wing mirrors through a digital camera display.
While the concept can only seat four, the production version of the Urban EV concept should be a five-seater.
Honda has not divulged any powertrain details but has confirmed that the concept would be powered by a high-density lightweight battery pack with integrated heat management and energy transfer functions.
The Japanese manufacturer has also announced that every new model in its European range will have a certain degree of electrification, whether hybrid or all-electric.
Also see:
2017 Honda Urban EV concept image gallery
2017 Frankfurt motor show image gallery