Honda rolled out a pair of all-electric concept vehicles at CES this week, updating the two prototypes it brought to Las Vegas a year ago. And, it says, the 0 Series Saloon and SUV are close to the final production models that will roll into U.S. showrooms in 2026. Beyond the edgy styling, buyers will be offered a digital operating system borrowed from Honda’s ASIMO robot – and the ability to drive hands-free while texting or even watching videos.
The Honda 0 Series Saloon is close to the final production model.
Honda will more than double its line-up of battery-electric vehicles over the next year, the automaker announced during this week’s Consumer Electronics Show, and the three models now in the works will be decidedly high-tech.
On Monday, the automaker said the first of the new EVs will come from a joint venture between Honda and Japanese consumer electronics giant Sony, and will be sold through the new Afeela network. That’s the latest product Honda has developed as part of a joint venture. Its current EV line-up – the Honda Protégé and Acura ZDX – come from a partnership with General Motors.
Tuesday brought the formal debut of two EVs developed by Honda entirely in-house. Officially, the 0 Series Saloon and SUV are concept vehicles. But they’re expected to reach production in 2026 little changed from what’s on display at the Las Vegas Convention Center this week.
Honda 0 SUV
The Honda 0 Series SUV will be the first of the two EVs to go into production in 2026.
Of the two Honda-branded battery-electric vehicles, the SUV is widely expected to become the more mainstream offering, reflecting today’s focus on utility vehicles. It first appeared at CES 2024 as the “Space Hub” and it remains to be seen if it will get yet another name once it goes into production early in 2026.
This 0-model has a much more aggressive look than today’s Honda Protégé, reflecting the automaker’s new “Thin, Light and Wise” design language. It boasts a steeply raked windshield and swept roofline, key elements in its overall aerodynamic shape. In the concept form, at least, the SUV features a two-tone paint scheme with an all-black roof. It also boasts pixelated LED headlamps and wraparound taillights.
As one might expect, the 0 models both share a new, skateboard-style platform designed exclusively for all-electric drive technology. Honda has yet to reveal details about the drivetrain, including power, range and battery-pack size. Insiders suggested that there will be multiple variants, however, including single and twin-motor all-wheel-drive options.
Honda did note it will set up its own charging network “that enables the customers to enjoy stress-free freedom of mobility and….enabling people to enjoy clean and smart daily lives utilizing EV batteries.” But we ca expect O Series models to use the Tesla-based NACS charging port and have access to that company’s Supercharger network.
Honda 0 Saloon
The Honda 0 Series Saloon will follow in late 2026.
If there was any surprise to emerge from the Honda CES news conference it was the fact that the 0 Series saloon first shown in 2024 actually will go into production. While Honda has offered some edgy designs in the past, this four-door model pushes to the extreme. If anything, it looks more like something you’d expect to find in the Lamborghini family.
A closer look reveals that it actually doesn’t stray far from the basic details of the O SUV, just sits lower and gains a more aggressive profile. But Honda stresses that, by moving key drivetrain components below the load floor it will deliver a far roomier cabin than one otherwise might expect.
The Saloon will be the second 0 Series model to go into production in late 2026 and will first debut in the U.S. before Honda introduces it to both Europe and Japan.
More CES News
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- Honda Zeroes in on a New Line of EVs with Debut of Two Edgy CES Concepts
ASIMO returns
The 0 Series models will feature a high-tech cabin powered by the new ASIMO OS.
If you’ve followed Honda for any length of time you may recall the name, ASIMO, was used for a series of humanoid robots. There won’t be one sitting in the shotgun seat but Honda has taken what it learned from that long-running project to develop an entirely new ASIMO OS, or operating system, that will power all the technology inside the 0 Series EVs.
“As a software platform, ASIMO OS will apply integrated management of electronic control units (ECUs) for vehicle systems such as automated driving/advanced driver assistance systems (AD/ADAS) and in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system,” Honda explained in a statement.
Among the many high-tech features, the new EVs will be offered with Level 3 autonomous driving capabilities. That goes a step beyond most competing systems — such as GM’s Super Cruise and Ford’s BlueCruise – which allow drivers to take hands off the wheels while still requiring them to key eyes on the road. Level 3 tech permits a driver to divert their attention, say, to watching videos or texting.
Currently, only one Level 3 system is available in the U.S., the Mercedes-Benz Drive Pilot. Limited to low speeds on limited-access roads – primarily for use in heavy traffic – the German system currently is sold only in a couple states, including California. It’s unclear if the Honda Sensing-based technology will be more widely available and if it will be introduced at launch.
0 Series rollout plans
Both of the 0 Series models will be produced at the new Honda EV Hub in Marysville, Ohio. That will help the automaker sidestep the tariffs President-Electric Donald Trump has threatened to put in place on foreign-made EVs and other vehicles.
Honda has not said whether it may add production elsewhere for models going to Europe of Japan.
Afeela 1
The Afeela 1 sedan.
While Honda ended its alliance with General Motors to develop the 0 Series line-up, it entered into another partnership to come up with the Afeela 1 sedan that was unveiled Monday night at CES.
The sedan will also offer a variety of high-tech features – though here it will rely on gear from Sony.
“We are very pleased to unveil AFEELA 1, developed for the era of autonomous driving, at CES 2025. Afeela 1 can be called a buddy, combining advanced software with meticulously refined hardware. We will meet our customers’ expectations by providing a safe, secure, and comfortable travel experience,” said Sony Honda Mobility CEO Yasuhide Mizuno.
Though Honda has yet to reveal pricing for the 0 Series models, Sony officials confirmed that the Afeela 1 will start at $89,000, putting it into competition with the likes of the Tesla Model S, Lucid Air and Mercedes-Benz EQE sedans.
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