Honda’s next-gen 0 Series saloon is wedge-shaped, lightweight and electric
Honda has previewed its new era of EVs with the radical 0 Series saloon – and it could reach production in 2026
Do saloon cars need to adhere to the traditional three-box shape? On the evidence of this – the new 0 Series saloon – Honda certainly doesn't think so. Unveiled at CES 2024, the all-electric concept car provides an early look at what to expect from a wave of new Honda EVs arriving from 2026, each following a new engineering approach under the 0 Series banner.
Honda will apply a radical new design language to its 0 Series EVs, made possible by a dedicated EV platform and a conservative approach to battery sizing. The 0 Series models will have slimmer floor mounted battery packs than usual to maximise cabin space and allow for streamlined body shapes, as demonstrated by the wedge-shaped saloon concept.
Honda will use efficient electric drive units and aerodynamics to counter the smaller battery capacity and achieve competitive range figures, while offering rapid charging capability (15 to 80 per cent top ups will take 10-15 minutes). This approach could make 0 Series cars lighter than equivalent EVs, and Honda promises that they will thus offer ‘the joy of driving for a new era’. The saloon uses steer-by-wire and a ‘posture control system’, both of which open up a wide scope for tuning its driving feel.
That said, autonomous features will also play a role in Honda’s electric future, with the firm’s ‘Sensing Elite’ technology powering a raft of driver assists and – when legislation allows – hands-off automated driving.
The 0 Series saloon is the culmination of these ideas, and while it is a concept for now, it could make production in the second half of the decade with its major design themes intact. The clean body surfaces, low roofline and closed-surface aero wheels help to reduce drag, and the 0 Series packaging approach creates a large cockpit area relative to the size of the vehicle. Honda’s simplified new ‘H’ badge, which will be reserved for 0 Series cars, takes centre stage at the front, but don’t expect the concept's animated front end graphics to reach production.
