Words by Ganesh Murthy
Like every other mass manufacturer, Honda has gone the electric way at the Tokyo Motor Show. Here’s all you need to know about Honda’s Tokyo Motor Show antics:
Honda Sports EV concept:
The highlight of Honda’s stand was the Sports EV concept, which combines the EV performance with AI in a compact car. The Honda Sports EV is essentially the Urban EV, undergone a ‘sporty’ treatment. Honda has not revealed any technical information so far, so keep following our page to know more.
Honda Urban EV concept:
The Urban EV had everyone drooling over its toy-car like retro design, when it was showcased first in September at the Frankfurt motor show. The car sits low and the tiny appearance makes it stand apart from the other EVs. It is based on the newly developed EV platform, and will go on sale first in Europe in 2020, making its way to Japan later.
Honda NeuV:
New Electric Urban Vehicle. That’s what NeuV stands for in case you were wondering. Pronounced as ‘new-vee’, this ‘emotion sensing’ car takes the concept of autonomous driving to the next level, making use of the on-board AI to communicate and learn the lifestyle of the driver, thereby providing for a safe commute. It has a big touchscreen panel in the front that both the driver and passenger can access. It can also make judgments about the driver’s physical state based on facial expressions and voice tone. Sounds like a companion more than a car, eh?
Honda CR-V:
The 2018 CR-V too was revealed at the Frankfurt motor show. It is the flagship Honda SUV that enjoys massive success globally and it now it gets hybrid technology. It is equipped with a twin motor Sport Hybrid intelligent-Multi-Mode Drive which determines the most efficient modes to use on-the-go, depending on the power available in the battery, which implies that there is no need for the driver to select between the three modes offered: EV, hybrid and Engine. The CR-V can be had in both front wheel drive and 4WD variants. The ICE powered car will get three row seating as standard when it goes for sale in Japan next year.
Clarity PHEV:
In addition to the Clarity Fuel cell vehicle which was launched in December 2017, a new generation plug-in hybrid model that sits low, boasts of a spacious cabin to seat five adults and a big boot was showcased at the Tokyo Motor Show. Our man, Aninda Sardar drove the vehicle and you can read his first impressions here. It is slated for a summer 2018 launch in Japan.