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

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

Honda’s 0 Sequence is starting to take form

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

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

At the moment, we realized Honda’s first passenger EV, the 0 Sequence, will probably be primarily based on the Saloon idea and is anticipated to hit the North American market in 2026. We’re not sure precisely how the manufacturing mannequin will differ from the radical and sleek-looking Saloon. Nonetheless, after spending per week in Japan with Honda, now we have a greater concept of what kind of expertise and manufacturing strategies the modern OEM is seeking 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 manner into 0 Sequence EVs and when. Nonetheless, there’s numerous cool stuff to unpack right here, so let’s dig in.

Honda launched a slew of latest 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 around the globe, 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 sequence, a reputation that represents a recent begin and a brand new technology of autos for the all-electric period.

Design and improvement are centered round three core beliefs – “Skinny, gentle, and clever,” 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 may see extra of beneath. The BEV-specific structure enabled Honda to develop thinner battery packs utilizing some actually attention-grabbing friction welding to permit for optimum effectivity and thus vary.

Honda will not be attempting to blow folks away with its vary, however as a substitute has tried to maximise house and preserve light-weight and effectivity to assist maintain manufacturing prices down and ship new fashions which might be extra reasonably priced. Moreover, the automaker shared it’s concentrating 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 realize a horizontal structure to maximise cabin house and permit for decrease proper heights.

After our presentation and Q&A with Honda’s executives, we received an opportunity to stroll by way of and expertise professional explanations and demonstrations from the Honda BEV group. 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 take a look at the 0 platform’s new steering stability index that may flex the car physique in actual time to regulate every tire’s load whereas cornering. This physique rigidity design additionally allowed Honda to scale back the car’s total weight by 100kg (220 lbs) in comparison with earlier EV fashions like the Prologue.

We additionally received a take 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 Sequence ADAS that it says will purpose to supply “experiences that make folks need to exit extra spontaneously” and can ultimately permit for fingers off, eyes off Stage 3 automated driving. Per Honda:

Honda 0 Sequence fashions will probably be geared up with a system that permits the growth of the vary of driving situations the place driver help and Stage 3 automated driving (eyes off) will probably be out there. The growth will begin with eyes-off expertise out there in site visitors congestion on highways, then proceed by way of 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 autos to acknowledge an proprietor strolling up and open the door for them. Higher nonetheless, this expertise can acknowledge if you’re carrying a baby 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 could be time for them to cease for a potty break. Lastly, we received to demo an attention-grabbing social function Honda is exploring wherein a driver can loop their buddy into the automotive trip whereas they’re at house through VR headset.

Try 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 capable of talk and request songs, and even rise up and get a view from exterior the automotive because it moved.

A variety 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 applied in a manufacturing mannequin. Clearly they’re nonetheless working numerous expertise out, and that’s high quality, as we gained’t see the primary Honda 0 EV (primarily based on the Saloon) till 2026, however six extra BEV fashions are anticipated to reach by 2030.

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

Check driving Honda’s new 0 Sequence structure

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

They could seem like a standard 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. As a result of time contraints, we had been solely capable of 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 related in design to the Saloon idea, and received to do three leaps round Honda’s native check observe.

My first impression is that it drives like an EV. The response is fast, acceleration is clean however not mind-boggling, and the dealing with was fairly snug, even at excessive speeds. Forgive me for my lack of actual element, but it surely’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 capable of get the complete expertise of Hond’s subsequent technology of autos, but it surely 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 could sometime have the ability 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 pay attention:

Like many of the tech we noticed in Tochigi, Honda couldn’t affirm or deny if and when this UX function can be out there to prospects. Nonetheless, it’s a superb concept for individuals who need to go electrical however nonetheless love the roar of a Honda engine, particularly because the sound will not 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 will probably be applied sooner or later. Nonetheless, the journey had loads of different highlights, together with a take a look at Honda’s new manufacturing strategies, which admittedly blew me away.

Different highlights from the Honda Tech Assembly 2024

In my view, some of the attention-grabbing features of our tour round Honda’s amenities was a take a look at its pilot manufacturing strains the place future 0 BEVs will probably be in-built Japan. This included an illustration of Honda’s new 6,000-ton megacasting machine – six of which is able to go into operation at Honda’s US manufacturing facility in Ohio.

Honda shared that it was capable of scale 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 standard half utilizing really superb friction welding that may allow Honda to extra effectively construct modular EV IPUs to suite numerous physique sizes.

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

Electrek’s take

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

We media have heard numerous phrases like “sometime” and “sooner or later,” however there are not any clear timelines for when and if a few of the launched expertise will make its manner into manufacturing fashions. Maybe it was a tad too early for a Tech Day, but it surely was an informative and thrilling expertise nonetheless.

A lot of the tech Honda launched has already been applied into BEVs at the moment available on the market, but it surely’s fairly clear that the Japanese automaker is seeking 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 house throughout all Japanese automakers.

The Saloon idea is way bigger and roomier up shut, and its total design is in contrast to the rest on the street proper now. It is going to be thrilling to see how shut a manufacturing 0 Sequence 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 sequence manufacturing mannequin this January at CES 2025. In accordance with the automaker, this new BEV mannequin “would be the embodiment in product type of the applied sciences and electrification idea launched throughout the 0 Tech Assembly 2024.”

I used to be desirous about skipping CES this 12 months, however now I need to see what Honda unveils subsequent. We’ll you’ll want to report again at the moment.