The first 0
Honda is preparing for a more electric future and will launch a new range of electric cars in 2026. It starts with the flagship of this 0 series.
Honda is not really making any progress in the electrical field at the moment, but that should change with the arrival of a series dedicated EVs. Earlier this year, Honda already looked ahead to this with some study models. The Saloon, a striking, wedge-shaped car, is the first to see a production sequel. The time has come in 2026 for what Honda calls the flagship of this 0 Series. According to Honda, the production version looks quite similar to the study model.
The 0 series platform naturally accommodates many more different models, from small to large. A total of seven models should appear, Honda has now announced. Mainly SUVs, but at the very end there is also a compact sedan in the pipeline. It will start in the United States, and ultimately these seven EVs should all be available worldwide by 2030. We can expect infotainment that can be properly adapted to personal wishes, which can be kept up to date for a long time with over-the-air updates. Honda is also developing an entirely new software architecture for these EVs. Artificial intelligence is also involved, according to Honda, partly to make energy consumption as favorable as possible.
Speaking of energy, Honda aims to give every EV in the 0 series an electric driving range of at least 480 km according to the EPA measurement method. That is well over 500 km according to WLTP. The Japanese use LG batteries for this, which are produced in the United States. These are lithium-ion batteries, which Honda previously promised can be charged from 15 percent to 80 percent in ten to fifteen minutes.
EVs offer the best solution
In the past, Honda has often been critical of its commitment to fully electric cars and is certainly not a forerunner in this area. Yet the Japanese now emphasize that EVs do offer ‘the best solution’. “In some regions, there is increasing attention to the cooling of the EV market. Without getting too caught up in the changing situation, Honda should look ahead to the period when the EV is widely supported, which starts in the second half of the 2020s “To achieve this, a strong EV brand must be established, with a view to the medium and long term.”
According to Honda, EVs will be embraced on a large scale from the start of the new decade and by 2030 it wants 40 percent of global sales to consist of EVs and fuel cell cars. The latter suits Honda perfectly: despite emphasizing the EV, it maintains a broad view and continues to look at synthetic fuels, among other things.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl