Earlier than Honda pulls the sheet off a brand new EV mannequin in its new 0 Sequence lineup in 2025, it invited us out to Japan to take a peak backstage at its world R&D middle, manufacturing amenities, and another cool spots to share perception on the expertise it’s trying to implement in future 0 fashions. We additionally have been one of many first on the planet to check drive Honda’s new 0 Sequence EV structure.
Honda’s 0 Sequence is starting to take form
As you’ll be taught under, there may be nonetheless rather a lot we don’t know in regards to the expertise we are going to see in Honda’s future all-electric 0 Sequence lineup. Nevertheless, what now we have realized is encouraging and thrilling from a Japanese automaker that has been a bit late to the BEV occasion.
Honda unveiled plans for its new 0 Sequence in Las Vegas throughout CES 2024, the place it unveiled two preliminary idea automobiles it mentioned would function precursors to manufacturing fashions for the worldwide market. That unveiling included the “House Hub” being developed below the concept of “augmenting folks’s each day lives,” and the “Saloon” (seen above and under” it describes as its flagship idea to its 0 Sequence design language.
At the moment, we realized Honda’s first passenger EV, the 0 Sequence, might be primarily based on the Saloon idea and is predicted to hit the North American market in 2026. We’re uncertain precisely how the manufacturing mannequin will differ from the radical and sleek-looking Saloon. Nonetheless, after spending per week in Japan with Honda, now we have a greater thought of what kind of expertise and manufacturing strategies the revolutionary OEM is trying to implement.
A lot of it’s encouraging, and a few of it’s downright spectacular, however many questions stay about which of the applied sciences launched to the media will make their approach into 0 Sequence EVs and when. Nonetheless, there’s lots of cool stuff to unpack right here, so let’s dig in.
Honda launched a slew of recent EV tech within the works
To raised perceive the expertise that went into Honda’s nascent lineup of BEV fashions in improvement, the corporate invited a number of media from around the globe, together with Electrek, to a Honda 0 Tech Assembly, held at its World Plaza in Tochigi, Japan, about 140 km north of Tokyo.
In the course of the assembly, we noticed a presentation led by Honda Motor Co. director, president, and CEO Toshihiro Mibe and Toshihiro Akiwa, the vice chairman and head of BEV improvement. Right here, the Honda executives broke down a number of new concepts generated for the 0 sequence, a reputation that represents a contemporary begin and a brand new technology of autos for the all-electric period.
Design and improvement are centered round three core beliefs – “Skinny, gentle, and sensible,” that are on the middle of Honda’s new devoted EV platform that can assist it ship skinny and low-weight styling as we noticed within the Saloon idea.
The brand new (yet-to-be-named) platform has adopted 2.0 GPa grade sizzling stamping metal materials, created utilizing new megacasting machines you’ll be able to see extra of under. The BEV-specific structure enabled Honda to develop thinner battery packs utilizing some actually attention-grabbing friction welding to permit for optimum effectivity and thus vary.
Honda is just not attempting to blow folks away with its vary, however as an alternative has tried to maximise area and preserve light-weight and effectivity to assist preserve manufacturing prices down and ship new fashions which can be extra reasonably priced. Moreover, the automaker shared it’s focusing on EPA vary of round 300 miles.
New applied sciences like a warmth pump and Honda’s new “e-Axle” motors and inverters have advanced from its hybrid EV developmen however have been downsized to attain a horizontal format to maximise cabin area and permit for decrease proper heights.
After our presentation and Q&A with Honda’s executives, we received an opportunity to stroll by means of and expertise professional explanations and demonstrations from the Honda BEV staff. These included a number of new applied sciences that Honda will implement or no less than attempt to implement in future fashions.
This included a have a look at the 0 platform’s new steering stability index that may flex the car physique in actual time to regulate every tire’s load whereas cornering. This physique rigidity design additionally allowed Honda to cut back the car’s total weight by 100kg (220 lbs) in comparison with earlier EV fashions like the Prologue.
We additionally received a have a look at Honda’s ECU placement in addition to a glimpse at the way it intends to implement sensor expertise like LiDAR into 0 Sequence ADAS that it says will purpose to supply “experiences that make folks need to exit extra spontaneously” and can finally permit for arms off, eyes off Degree 3 automated driving. Per Honda:
Honda 0 Sequence fashions might be geared up with a system that permits the growth of the vary of driving circumstances the place driver help and Degree 3 automated driving (eyes off) might be accessible. The growth will begin with eyes-off expertise accessible in visitors congestion on highways, then proceed by means of the OTA updates of the features.
Different UX demos we noticed have been issues like AI-integration and facial recognition software program that would allow future Honda 0 autos to acknowledge an proprietor strolling up and open the door for them. Higher nonetheless, this expertise can acknowledge in case you are carrying a toddler and can open a rear door, or if they’re in a stroller, additionally open the trunk for stowage.
Contained in the cabin, Honda’s in-house OS can acknowledge the driving force and their passengers, and may even distinguish if a pet is within the automotive and counsel that it could be time for them to cease for a potty break. Lastly, we received to demo an attention-grabbing social function Honda is exploring through which a driver can loop their good friend into the automotive trip whereas they’re at dwelling by way of VR headset.
Try the video we captured under. We have been related dwell to another Honda staff in one other a part of Japan and rode together with them. We have been in a position to talk and request songs, and even get up and get a view from exterior the automotive because it moved.
A variety of these applied sciences have been cool to see, however apart from the powertrain and battery expertise, Honda wouldn’t give any kind of affirmation or timeline as to when they are going to truly be applied in a manufacturing mannequin. Clearly they’re nonetheless working lots of expertise out, and that’s advantageous, as we gained’t see the primary Honda 0 EV (primarily based on the Saloon) till 2026, however six extra BEV fashions are anticipated to reach by 2030.
Since now we have but to see a bonafide Honda 0 Sequence manufacturing mannequin emerge, we couldn’t drive one. Nevertheless, the automaker did supply a possibility to check out the brand new 0 structure put in beneath a few of its present fashions.
Take a look at driving Honda’s new 0 Sequence structure
It wasn’t a Saloon, however it was one thing. From Tochigi, Honda organized a possibility for Electrek to be one of many first to really drive its new 0 platform, offering media with two all-electric prototypes to check out.
They might appear like a standard CR-V and Accord from the pictures under, however these distinctive builds are 100% electrical, and have the e-Axle and thinner battery expertise talked about above. Attributable to time contraints, we have been solely in a position to drive one to the opposite prototype, and solely had a couple of minutes with it. I selected the sedan pondering it was decrease and extra related in design to the Saloon idea, and received to do three leaps round Honda’s native take a look at observe.
My first impression is that it drives like an EV. The response is fast, acceleration is easy however not mind-boggling, and the dealing with was fairly comfy, even at excessive speeds. Forgive me for my lack of actual element, however it’s exhausting to critique structure alone, particularly when driving in a car physique that was not particularly designed for the 0 structure.
Due to this, the prototypes nonetheless had mechanical steering versus steer-by-wire deliberate for the manufacturing mannequin 0 BEVs, so I wasn’t in a position to get the complete expertise of Hond’s subsequent technology of autos, however it nonetheless was a pleasure to check out.
Honda additionally had a static Honda e BEV it was utilizing as a UX idea. This was cool as a result of clients might sometime be capable to select totally different engine noises from famend fashions just like the RSX or Civic Kind-R to flood their BEV cabin with revving sounds. There’s additionally an choice to decide on Honda Jet noises. Have a pay attention:
Like a lot of the tech we noticed in Tochigi, Honda couldn’t affirm or deny if and when this UX function can be accessible to clients. Nevertheless, it’s a superb thought for many who need to go electrical however nonetheless love the roar of a Honda engine, particularly because the sound is just not projected exterior the car for the remainder of us to listen to.
From what I might collect, Honda’s structure is heading in the right direction. Nonetheless, I left the 2024 Tech Assembly with extra questions than solutions about what applied sciences might be applied sooner or later. Nonetheless, the journey had loads of different highlights, together with a have a look at Honda’s new manufacturing strategies, which admittedly blew me away.
Different highlights from the Honda Tech Assembly 2024
For my part, one of the crucial attention-grabbing facets of our tour round Honda’s amenities was a have a look at its pilot manufacturing traces the place future 0 BEVs might be inbuilt Japan. This included an illustration of Honda’s new 6,000-ton megacasting machine – six of which can go into operation at Honda’s US manufacturing facility in Ohio.
Honda shared that it was in a position to cut back the variety of components in its Clever Energy Unit (IPU) from 60 to five utilizing megacasting, and has taken an strategy to make the most of a devoted case piece to a standard half utilizing really superb friction welding that can allow Honda to extra effectively construct modular EV IPUs to suite a variety of physique sizes.
One other demonstration I discovered fairly attention-grabbing was the world’s first software of Honda’s proprietary Fixed DC Chopping (CDC) welding expertise. The approach maximizes warmth distribution to a weld, decreasing car weight whereas rising passive security efficiency. Right here’s it in motion. Discover how there are not any sparks?
Electrek’s take
All in all, Honda is certainly making a aware effort to compete within the BEV market with its upcoming 0 Sequence. I noticed lots of innovation, significantly inside its pilot manufacturing traces, however there was a sense of secrecy as Honda continues to be retaining a lot of its hand near its chest.
We media have heard lots of phrases like “sometime” and “sooner or later,” however there are not any clear timelines for when and if a number of the launched expertise will make its approach into manufacturing fashions. Maybe it was a tad too early for a Tech Day, however it was an informative and thrilling expertise nonetheless.
A lot of the tech Honda launched has already been applied into BEVs presently in the marketplace, however it’s fairly clear that the Japanese automaker is trying to optimize and grasp these parts to face out. I see a real alternative right here for Honda to really embrace BEVs and grow to be the chief within the area throughout all Japanese automakers.
The Saloon idea is way bigger and roomier up shut, and its total design is not like the rest on the highway proper now. It is going to be thrilling to see how shut a manufacturing 0 Sequence model involves that preliminary design, however at this level, we nonetheless don’t know.
One factor we did be taught, is that Honda is planning to unveil a second 0 sequence manufacturing mannequin this January at CES 2025. Based on the automaker, this new BEV mannequin “would be the embodiment in product type of the applied sciences and electrification idea launched throughout the 0 Tech Assembly 2024.”
I used to be fascinated by skipping CES this 12 months, however now I need to see what Honda unveils subsequent. We’ll be sure you report again at the moment.
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