Honda confirms EV sports car development, hints at NSX return

The sports car is set to serve as a halo for the 0 Series range of EVs.

Published On Feb 09, 2024 08:00:00 AM

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Honda 0 Series Saloon Concept used for representation only.

The Honda NSX is tipped to make a comeback with electric power in the coming years as part of the Japanese firm’s radical new EV line-up.

Following the unveiling of the new Honda “Saloon” EV sedan concept, which will become the first car in the new 0 Series line-up, company CEO Toshihiro Mibe revealed that Honda is already “researching sports cars in the EV era”. He even went so far as to confirm that “at the R&D centre, we have a sports car”. He stopped short of confirming any details of what the production version of Honda’s first electric sports car would look like, but did reveal that work is “steadily proceeding”.

0 Series EV range focuses on driver engagement

The sports car is set to serve as a halo for the 0 Series range of electric cars. These models will hit the market from 2026, and they would be aimed at maximising interior space, reducing battery weight and improving efficiency – all while promoting the ‘joy of driving’ with a focus on driver engagement.

As part of this line-up, the sports car will take its lead from the 0 Series concept revealed at CES earlier last month in adopting a low-slung, cab-forward profile and a minimalist, driver-focused cockpit that aims to eradicate distractions. The battery will be significantly slimmer than those fitted to Honda’s current EVs and propulsion will come courtesy of e-axle drive units, which comprise the motors, inverters and gearboxes in one compact unit to optimise interior space.

Mibe said, a sporting EV will “have a completely different taste” from any performance car Honda has launched before, hinting that a core component of the R&D programme is investigating how such a car can have a distinct character and be truly engaging to drive.

Third-gen NSX confirmed as an EV back in 2011

It was Mibe who confirmed, way back in 2011 when he was Honda’s R&D boss, of the plans to revive the NSX for a third generation with an electrified powertrain, telling our sister publication Autocar UK then that he believed “electric or hybrid vehicles can be fun as well as economical”.

More recently, he doubled down on this notion at the reveal of the new Prelude coupe concept. He called the sporty hybrid a showcase of “Honda’s unalterable sports mindset” and pointed to the firm’s continued involvement in Formula 1 as a sign that it remains committed to performance.

Notably, Honda’s premium US brand, Acura, has already previewed its own vision of an electric supercar, with early images hinting at an aggressive, cab-forward silhouette that mimics the mid-engined layout of the NSX. However, it has neither confirmed a date for the full unveiling nor has Honda linked itself to the project.

For India, Honda is currently focusing on its mass market line-up that includes the City and Amaze sedans, and the Elevate SUV. The brand has also begun work on its first EV SUV, which is internally known as the Honda Ace EV.

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