We had been one of many first to check drive Honda’s 0 Collection EV platform

Earlier than Honda pulls the sheet off a brand new EV mannequin in its new 0 Collection lineup in 2025, it invited us out to Japan to take a peak behind the scenes at its world R&D middle, manufacturing amenities, and another cool spots to share perception on the expertise it’s trying to implement in future 0 fashions. We additionally had been one of many first on this planet to check drive Honda’s new 0 Collection EV structure.

Honda’s 0 Collection is starting to take form

As you’ll be taught beneath, there may be nonetheless quite a bit we don’t know in regards to the expertise we’ll see in Honda’s future all-electric 0 Collection lineup. Nevertheless, what we have now discovered is encouraging and thrilling from a Japanese automaker that has been a bit late to the BEV get together.

Honda unveiled plans for its new 0 Collection in Las Vegas throughout CES 2024, the place it unveiled two preliminary idea vehicles it mentioned would function precursors to manufacturing fashions for the worldwide market. That unveiling included the “Area Hub” being developed below the concept of “augmenting individuals’s day by day lives,” and the “Saloon” (seen above and beneath” it describes as its flagship idea to its 0 Collection design language.

At the moment, we discovered Honda’s first passenger EV, the 0 Collection, might be based mostly on the Saloon idea and is anticipated to hit the North American market in 2026. We’re uncertain precisely how the manufacturing mannequin will differ from the radical and sleek-looking Saloon. Nonetheless, after spending every week in Japan with Honda, we have now a greater concept of what kind of expertise and manufacturing methods the progressive OEM is trying to implement.

A lot of it’s encouraging, and a few of it’s downright spectacular, however many questions stay about which of the applied sciences launched to the media will make their approach into 0 Collection EVs and when. Nonetheless, there’s a whole lot of cool stuff to unpack right here, so let’s dig in.

Honda launched a slew of recent EV tech within the works

To higher perceive the expertise that went into Honda’s nascent lineup of BEV fashions in improvement, the corporate invited a number of media from world wide, together with Electrek, to a Honda 0 Tech Assembly, held at its World Plaza in Tochigi, Japan, about 140 km north of Tokyo.

Through the assembly, we noticed a presentation led by Honda Motor Co. director, president, and CEO Toshihiro Mibe and Toshihiro Akiwa, the vp and head of BEV improvement. Right here, the Honda executives broke down a number of new concepts generated for the 0 collection, a reputation that represents a recent begin and a brand new technology of automobiles for the all-electric period.

Design and improvement are centered round three core beliefs – “Skinny, mild, and smart,” that are on the middle of Honda’s new devoted EV platform that may assist it ship skinny and low-weight styling as we noticed within the Saloon idea.

The brand new (yet-to-be-named) platform has adopted 2.0 GPa grade sizzling stamping metal materials, created utilizing new megacasting machines you’ll be able to see extra of beneath. The BEV-specific structure enabled Honda to develop thinner battery packs utilizing some actually fascinating friction welding to permit for optimum effectivity and thus vary.

Honda shouldn’t be making an attempt to blow individuals away with its vary, however as an alternative has tried to maximise area and preserve light-weight and effectivity to assist maintain manufacturing prices down and ship new fashions which can be extra inexpensive. Moreover, the automaker shared it’s focusing on EPA vary of round 300 miles.

New applied sciences like a warmth pump and Honda’s new “e-Axle” motors and inverters have advanced from its hybrid EV developmen however have been downsized to attain a horizontal format to maximise cabin area and permit for decrease proper heights.

After our presentation and Q&A with Honda’s executives, we bought an opportunity to stroll by and expertise skilled explanations and demonstrations from the Honda BEV workforce. These included a number of new applied sciences that Honda will implement or at the very least attempt to implement in future fashions.

This included a have a look at the 0 platform’s new steering stability index that may flex the car physique in actual time to manage every tire’s load whereas cornering. This physique rigidity design additionally allowed Honda to cut back the car’s general weight by 100kg (220 lbs) in comparison with earlier EV fashions like the Prologue.

We additionally bought a have a look at Honda’s ECU placement in addition to a glimpse at the way it intends to implement sensor expertise like LiDAR into 0 Collection ADAS that it says will intention to supply “experiences that make individuals need to exit extra spontaneously” and can ultimately enable for palms off, eyes off Degree 3 automated driving. Per Honda:

Honda 0 Collection fashions might be geared up with a system that allows the enlargement of the vary of driving situations the place driver help and Degree 3 automated driving (eyes off) might be obtainable. The enlargement will begin with eyes-off expertise obtainable in site visitors congestion on highways, then proceed by the OTA updates of the capabilities.

Different UX demos we noticed had been issues like AI-integration and facial recognition software program that might allow future Honda 0 automobiles to acknowledge an proprietor strolling up and open the door for them. Higher nonetheless, this expertise can acknowledge in case you are carrying a toddler and can open a rear door, or if they’re in a stroller, additionally open the trunk for stowage.

Contained in the cabin, Honda’s in-house OS can acknowledge the motive force and their passengers, and may even distinguish if a pet is within the automotive and counsel that it might be time for them to cease for a potty break. Lastly, we bought to demo an fascinating social function Honda is exploring wherein a driver can loop their buddy into the automotive experience whereas they’re at dwelling by way of VR headset.

Take a look at the video we captured beneath. We had been linked dwell to another Honda workers in one other a part of Japan and rode together with them. We had been in a position to talk and request songs, and even get up and get a view from exterior the automotive because it moved.

Quite a lot of these applied sciences had been cool to see, however apart from the powertrain and battery expertise, Honda wouldn’t give any form of affirmation or timeline as to when they’ll truly be carried out in a manufacturing mannequin. Clearly they’re nonetheless working a whole lot of expertise out, and that’s nice, as we received’t see the primary Honda 0 EV (based mostly on the Saloon) till 2026, however six extra BEV fashions are anticipated to reach by 2030.

Since we have now but to see a bonafide Honda 0 Collection manufacturing mannequin emerge, we couldn’t drive one. Nevertheless, the automaker did provide a chance to check out the brand new 0 structure put in beneath a few of its current fashions.

Take a look at driving Honda’s new 0 Collection structure

It wasn’t a Saloon, nevertheless it was one thing. From Tochigi, Honda organized a chance for Electrek to be one of many first to truly drive its new 0 platform, offering media with two all-electric prototypes to check out.

They might appear to be a conventional CR-V and Accord from the photographs beneath, however these distinctive builds are 100% electrical, and have the e-Axle and thinner battery expertise talked about above. Attributable to time contraints, we had been solely in a position to drive one to the opposite prototype, and solely had a couple of minutes with it. I selected the sedan pondering it was decrease and extra comparable in design to the Saloon idea, and bought to do three leaps round Honda’s native take a look at observe.

My first impression is that it drives like an EV. The response is fast, acceleration is easy however not mind-boggling, and the dealing with was fairly comfy, even at excessive speeds. Forgive me for my lack of actual element, nevertheless it’s arduous to critique structure alone, particularly when driving in a car physique that was not particularly designed for the 0 structure.

Due to this, the prototypes nonetheless had mechanical steering versus steer-by-wire deliberate for the manufacturing mannequin 0 BEVs, so I wasn’t in a position to get the complete expertise of Hond’s subsequent technology of automobiles, nevertheless it nonetheless was a pleasure to check out.

Honda additionally had a static Honda e BEV it was utilizing as a UX idea. This was cool as a result of prospects might sometime be capable to select totally different engine noises from famend fashions just like the RSX or Civic Kind-R to flood their BEV cabin with revving sounds. There’s additionally an possibility to decide on Honda Jet noises. Have a hear:

Like many of the tech we noticed in Tochigi, Honda couldn’t verify or deny if and when this UX function could be obtainable to prospects. Nevertheless, it’s a superb concept for many who need to go electrical however nonetheless love the roar of a Honda engine, particularly because the sound shouldn’t be projected exterior the car for the remainder of us to listen to.

From what I may collect, Honda’s structure is heading in the right direction. Nonetheless, I left the 2024 Tech Assembly with extra questions than solutions about what applied sciences might be carried out sooner or later. Nonetheless, the journey had loads of different highlights, together with a have a look at Honda’s new manufacturing methods, which admittedly blew me away.

Different highlights from the Honda Tech Assembly 2024

In my view, probably the most fascinating elements of our tour round Honda’s amenities was a have a look at its pilot manufacturing strains the place future 0 BEVs might be in-built Japan. This included an indication of Honda’s new 6,000-ton megacasting machine – six of which can go into operation at Honda’s US manufacturing facility in Ohio.

Honda shared that it was in a position to cut back the variety of components in its Clever Energy Unit (IPU) from 60 to five utilizing megacasting, and has taken an strategy to make the most of a devoted case piece to a typical half utilizing actually wonderful friction welding that may allow Honda to extra effectively construct modular EV IPUs to suite numerous physique sizes.

One other demonstration I discovered fairly fascinating was the world’s first utility of Honda’s proprietary Fixed DC Chopping (CDC) welding expertise. The method maximizes warmth distribution to a weld, decreasing car weight whereas rising passive security efficiency. Right here’s it in motion. Discover how there aren’t any sparks?

Electrek’s take

All in all, Honda is unquestionably making a acutely aware effort to compete within the BEV market with its upcoming 0 Collection. I noticed a whole lot of innovation, significantly inside its pilot manufacturing strains, however there was a sense of secrecy as Honda continues to be holding a lot of its hand near its chest.

We media have heard a whole lot of phrases like “sometime” and “sooner or later,” however there aren’t any clear timelines for when and if among the launched expertise will make its approach into manufacturing fashions. Maybe it was a tad too early for a Tech Day, nevertheless it was an informative and thrilling expertise nonetheless.

A lot of the tech Honda launched has already been carried out into BEVs at the moment available on the market, nevertheless it’s fairly clear that the Japanese automaker is trying to optimize and grasp these components to face out. I see a real alternative right here for Honda to actually embrace BEVs and turn into the chief within the area throughout all Japanese automakers.

The Saloon idea is way bigger and roomier up shut, and its general design is in contrast to anything on the street proper now. It will likely be thrilling to see how shut a manufacturing 0 Collection model involves that preliminary design, however at this level, we nonetheless don’t know.

One factor we did be taught, is that Honda is planning to unveil a second 0 collection manufacturing mannequin this January at CES 2025. In keeping with the automaker, this new BEV mannequin “would be the embodiment in product type of the applied sciences and electrification idea launched through the 0 Tech Assembly 2024.”

I used to be interested by skipping CES this yr, however now I need to see what Honda unveils subsequent. We are going to you’ll want to report again at the moment.