Honda rolled out two all-electric prototypes during the media day at the Japan Mobility Show Wednesday, including both an affordable compact hatchback dubbed Super-ONE and the Honda 0 α – which it described as the “gateway” to the new 0 Series EV line-up its getting ready to launch around the world. More from Headlight.News.
The Honda Super-ONE EV.
While some of its Japanese competitors may be backing away from battery-electric propulsion, Honda showed it remained committed to expanding its line-up of EVs during a media preview at the Japan Mobility Show.
The Honda Super-ONE is designed to “pursue the ‘fun of driving,’” the automaker said, while the Honda 0 α, or “alpha,” will be positioned as the “gateway model” for the O Series EV line-up set to go into production in 2026.
Both products target the affordable segments that many experts believe will make up the largest areas of growth in the all-electric market over the coming years.
What’s new
The Honda Super-ONE is set to go into production next year.
While Honda has a number of conventional and plug-in hybrids in its line-up, the Japanese automaker was slow to embrace all-electric technology, launching its first two models – the Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX – barely two years ago, with both developed as part of a joint venture with General Motors. It recently halted production of the latter model due to slow sales.
Honda now is getting ready to roll out an assortment of new EVs developed in-house. Those include the 0 Saloon and 0 SUV, to aggressively styled models first revealed during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last January.
The new alpha prototype debuting in Tokyo this week will slot below those models as a 0 Series “gateway.” Picking up on the distinctive design of the 0 Saloon, it will be a more affordable option yet continue to offer a much roomier interior than a comparable gas vehicle. The Super-ONE, meanwhile, adopts an even smaller footprint and will be positioned as a sort of all-electric “hot hatch.”
Honda 0 α
The Honda 0 Series alpha will serve as the “gateway” to Honda’s new EV family.
Call it “alpha” for short, says Honda. It’s a prototype of what will become the entry model, or “gateway,” to the upcoming Honda 0 Series EV family. It shares the same basic shape as the Honda Saloon, 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.
“At the front, components that are conventionally separated — such as the headlights, charging lid and illuminated emblem — are integrated” around what the automaker describes as a “screen area.” Meanwhile, “at the rear, the U-shaped lighting that combines the tail lamps, backup lamps and turn signal lamps, accentuates the contour of the rear screen area, achieving a design that is visually and functionally refined.”
Alpha is expected to go into production in 2027 and initially target the Japanese and Indian markets. But Honda previously indicated plans to bring more affordable EVs to the U.S. and the new model could signal what will follow there below the 0 Series packages that debuted at CES.
More Honda News
- Acura Kills ZDX EV Production
- Honda Reveals 0 Series at CES
- Honda and GM Relationship Begins to Fade Away
Honda Super-ONE
The driver-focused Honda Super-ONE adds simulated shifts and a Boost Mode.
The automaker’s second new EV concept picks up on the cues first seen in the form of the Super EV Concept that Honda debuted during the iconic hill climb at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last July.
The prototype also appears to signal plans for more affordable EVs. But that doesn’t mean it will give up on the fun-to-drive factor. If anything, while it’s promised to deliver a “unique value,” the Super-ONE is “designed to transform everyday mobility into an exciting and uplifting experience.”
One way it will do that, according to the automaker, is through an electric Boost Mode which “increases the power output to enable the power unit to fully unleash its performance potential, while also synchronizing the simulated 7-speed transmission and the Active Sound Control system to generate powerful engine sound and sharp gearshift feel, as if driving an engine-powered vehicle with a traditional multi-gear transmission.”
Super-ONE is set to go into production in Japan sometime next year, according to Honda, followed by “other regions with strong demand for compact EVs.” That could include the UK and other Asian markets. But Honda also will be watching North America where some analysts believe there will b growing demand for smaller, more affordable – yet fun-to-drive – EVs.
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