honda presents its retro-styled urban EV concept at IAA 2017

honda reveals its all-electric vehicle, the ‘urban EV concept’ at the 2017 frankfurt motor show. the concept car is built on a completely new platform, and sets the direction for the technology and design that will appear on a future battery electric honda production model. the concept was introduced by the japanese-automaker’s president and CEO, takahiro hachigo, who confirmed that the concept is set to be launched within two years.

all images © honda

honda’s ‘urban EV concept’ ‘showcases advanced technology within a simple and sophisticated design. its low and wide proportions give the car a planted, muscular stance that hint at sporty driving performance. the japanese manufacturer’s emblem on the concept is backlit in blue, which previews a new styling feature for the company‘s future EVs. at the front of the car, interactive multilingual messages can be displayed between the headlights, including greetings, advice for other drivers on the road, or charging status updates.

the driver’s outward visibility from the ‘urban EV concept is enhanced by its slim A-pillars and a wide windscreen that appears to sweep around the entire front of the car. entry and exit from the vehicle is through rear-hinged coach doors. the electric charging cable connection is housed on the bonnet. the concept can accommodate four occupants, across two bench seats finished in different materials. to create a lounge feeling, the front row is upholstered with natural grey fabric, with the seat backs, squabs and arm rests embellished with contemporary wood finish accents.

the seatbelts for the rear bench are fixed in the middle of the seat, allowing the belt to retract out of the way before a passenger exits the car. the same wood finish wraps around a large ‘floating’ dashboard console. this houses the steering wheel column, a set of simple control buttons, and a panoramic display screen. the dashboard itself is completed by a wrap-around screen that runs behind the console and extends into the doors. the main dashboard screen presents vehicle information including remaining battery level. whilst the extended door screens function as the car’s wing mirrors through digital camera displays.

honda’s ‘urban EV concept’ showcases the company’s vision for a world where mobility and daily life are seamlessly linked. the on-board advanced automated network assistant acts as a personal concierge, which learns from the driver by detecting emotions behind their judgments. it can then apply what it has learnt from the driver’s past decisions to make new choices and recommendations.