The covers have been lifted off two Honda ‘0 Series’ concepts, previewing a pair of innovative EVs already slated for production.
In a sea of homogenous crossovers and generally derivative design language, identity is becoming increasingly important for some modern car manufacturers to recapture. Honda is no exception, so to define the brand’s next era of electrified vehicles, Honda has devised the ‘0 Series’, and first impressions are pretty darn good.
There are two major ways you can go about forming a strong identity. One is the very literal aesthetic choices you make, and the other is about your values. With the upcoming 0 Series, Honda will attempt to address both. In addition to the new Art of Resonance design language, The 0 Series is born out of a refreshingly different mindset towards EV engineering.
“The mobility we dream of is not an extension of the trend of ‘thick, heavy, but smart’ EVs,” explained Toshihiro Mibe, Global CEO of Honda. “We will create a completely new value from zero based on thin, light, and wise [design] as the foundation for our new Honda 0 EV series to further advance the joy and freedom of mobility to the next level.”
Thin, light, and wise. In a world where excess has become the default, that’s music to my ears. So, that’s the mission statement. Now what about the vehicles themselves?
Honda 0 Series Saloon Concept
The Honda 0 Series Saloon concept is the headline act. A premium design hinting at a future flagship model, the 0 Series Saloon sits on its own bespoke platform and has been designed to maximize interior space and comfort. Naturally, sustainable materials are at its core.
Despite the particular focus on the ergonomics of the cabin, Honda also describes its seating position as sporty. In fact, the car’s seats will even alter the driver’s posture on the fly to help them retain optimal control and comfort in various driving scenarios. It’s also fair to assume that given the car’s flagship status and electric powertrain, it’ll likely be rapid in a straight line.
Honda says that a production version (which will presumably look rather different) will go on sale in North America in 2026.
Honda 0 Series Space Hub Concept
The Honda 0 Series Space Hub concept is perhaps the less exciting of the two, but no less appealing as an engineering study. Again, a roomy cabin was paramount to the design brief, and the sheer amount of interior space is augmented by great visibility all-round.
Although Honda wants drivers to feel comfortable inside its cars, it also wants them to connect to the outside world and to other people. Maximizing the view of outside is one way to promote that.
New identity, new badge
A final note worth touching on is the new badge. Honda says it symbolizes ‘two outstretched hands’, though personally I’m having trouble seeing that. The main idea behind it though is to drive home the company’s desire to draw a line in the sand, so to speak. This is Honda’s way of defining a new era for itself – though it’s worth pointing out that the new emblem will only adorn the company’s electric vehicles.
In the past decade, you could criticize Honda for not really investing in electric platforms as much as they perhaps should’ve done. But with the 0 Series, it appears as though the folks from Minato are finally taking things seriously.
