Honda has previewed features for its upcoming electric vehicle (EV) range, designed to make them feel more like some of its iconic sports cars.
The 0 Series models will be the brand’s next-generation EVs, with more information about the upcoming offerings being revealed overnight ahead of the first production example being revealed in January 2025.
While much of the focus was on technical details such as drivetrain technology and semi-autonomous driving capabilities (covered further below), a video uploaded to Instagram by InsideEVs reporter Kevin Williams showed off a feature which could help bring petrolheads into the electric age.
Mr Williams was invited by Honda engineers to try out a feature which replicates the instrument cluster from past models such as the S2000 and NSX, as well as their exhaust noise which is played through the car’s speakers.
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Though it appears the feature is a work in progress – as it’s running on a Windows operating system in a Honda Accord that’s been converted to an EV – it could be implemented in the 0 Series EVs.
Honda wouldn’t be the first brand to implement such a feature in an EV, with Hyundai kitting out its Ioniq 5 N with a similar system that can not only make fake exhaust noises but also simulate gear changes.
This petrol vehicle-aping tech won’t be the only selling point of the 0 Series EVs though, as Honda detailed what else we can expect from the upcoming models.
Honda will introduce a total of seven 0 Series models globally by 2030, including small, medium and large models.
Honda Saloon concept
It’ll launch a production version of its radical Saloon concept in 2026, which Honda says will be “close” to the concept and will be positioned as the flagship model within this EV lineup.
0 Series models will be based on a new platform which will use thinner battery packs and smaller electric motors than current Honda EVs, bringing down weight and increasing driving range.
Honda claims its hybrid vehicles have influenced the design of its new EV’s e-Axle, which features an inverter that’s 40 per cent smaller to allow the entire unit to sit lower.
Its high-voltage battery cases will also be six per cent thinner, thanks to the adoption of Megacasting and 3D friction stir welding (FSW) technology.
Honda Space-Hub concept
In a bid to reduce post-collision fires, the battery pack will have a body which has been designed to better disperse forces from a crash, which in turn means the pack can be smaller – freeing up space.
Honda is aiming to “limit the degradation of battery capacity (range) to less than 10 per cent after 10 years of use by applying battery degradation diagnosis and prediction technology that utilises driving data from 5 million Honda vehicles”.
Active aerodynamics will also play a part in reducing drag and optimising downwhere where applicable, while Honda also says its 0 Series models will be about 100kg lighter than its current EVs.
The 0 Series models are also expected to adopt Honda’s Level 3 semi-autonomous driving technology, including the ability for drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel and eyes off the road, depending on conditions.
Honda will use AI and LiDAR-based systems to run the improved advanced driver assistance systems in its models.
MORE: Everything Honda
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