Honda engineers and stylists have been working hard to come up with good-looking vehicles and mobility devices that will pollute very little while adding convenience and comfort to people’s lives. Their gas-powered vehicles should be cleaner and more fuel efficient, and they are working on a spectrum of hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and all-electric vehicles. Here’s a look at what Honda has in mind.
Sports EV
This two-seat, all-electric hatchback combines EV performance with artificial intelligence (AI) in a compact body. Though Honda doesn’t say much about the drivetrain or the AI in this concept car, in other vehicles, the company uses AI to monitor driver reactions and moods, making it more intuitive to use voice-operated functions. There are also rumors the car will be rear-wheel drive—an attempt at keeping the sportiness in this Sports EV.
Urban EV
Built on a newly-developed dedicated EV platform, this four-seater concept car reveals the technology and design directions for the company’s future mass-production EV models. Note the suicide doors and bench seat in front. The interior has a large panel spanning the dash, which gets an ultrawide, floating instrument screen. There also are screens on the upper door panels that display feeds from side-view cameras. On the exterior, in the space between headlights where the grille would normally be, is a screen that displays messages to other drivers or the status of battery charge; the rear end has the same type of display.
A new model based on this concept will go on sale first in Europe, and then in Japan in 2020.
NeuV
The New Electric Urban Vehicle (NeuV) is the first concept car that was designed for the ride-sharing driver. It will be a self-driving electric car that can go out on its own and earn the driver some spare cash. Or, as the marketing people say, “it can monetize its downtime.” It should get 100 to 200 miles on its 20 kWh battery pack, and its AI will give you tips on how to maximize that mileage. The AI will also detect driver emotions and moods to suggest music. And for that last mile to the office, an electric skateboard is included in the rear cargo area.
Neo Sports Café
Honda initially made its name in the U.S. as a motorcycle builder, and the company has not forgotten its roots. This concept is powered by an inline four cylinder, water-cooled 998-cc engine. The rear wheel is mounted on a single swingarm, and up front there’s a fully adjustable inverted fork. Headlights will be rows of LEDs. There are twin-disc brakes on the rear wheel and a single disc in front, and the brakes should include ABS.
Shriving Assist-e
This electric motorcycle features a durable trellis frame and a single-sided swingarm for the rear wheel. The dashboard shows lean angle, as well as a four-mode selector, so there will likely be four different rising or assist modes. To make it easier to ride, or harder to fall over, Honda equipped it with self-balancing technology it used on its UNI-CUB personal mobility device. The company determined that a subsystem of gyroscopes would be too heavy. Self-balancing will only be active at low speeds—perhaps 4 mph or lower.
Fure-Mobi
Fure-Mobi (pronounced foo-ray mo-bee—“Fure” comes from the Japanese word “Fureai,” which means interaction, contact, or touch) is a motorized wheelchair for two (but one user has to stand). It was built for smooth traveling on walkways or indoor spaces. Honda developed this electric model with the hopes it will let two people move around together and make people more likely to go on outings.
Chair-Mobi
Chair-Mobi is a sort of an electric Segway for people who want to sit and can be used indoors or outside. Its compact size and ability to turn in a small radius lets it maneuver through tight spaces. The height-adjustable seating face can keep itself level when travelling up or downhill.
Ie-Mobi
The Iambi (pronounced ee-a mo-bee—“Ie” is the Japanese word for “home”) is either an oddly shaped but roomy (54 ft2) vehicle or an extension to the house that can take you to work. It can also be used to supply electricity from the car to the home or from the home to the car.
