Honda Urban EV

Concept Thoughts: Frankfurt 2017

One thing I will say about the concept cars at the Frankfurt International Auto Show was that, the majority of the cars I will feature over the next few posts, were definitely showstoppers. The first of the cars I will talk about, is the Honda Urban EV concept. While the design is reminiscent of the first generation of the VW Golf, it is still very much so a Honda. Before I begin, don’t forget to subscribe to The Car Files. There is a box where you can subscribe via e-mail, as well as buttons to follow The Car Files on your favorite social media page. Also, there’s some cool stuff under the “Shop The Car Files” tab, when you hit the three bars button above, check them out! Without further ado, the Honda Urban EV.

[Source: TheVerge.com Photo by Honda]

Honda Urban EV Design

Like I said in the intro, the Honda Urban EV reminds me of the original VW Golf, with a more modernized, and Honda-nized look. Actually, the look is really reminiscent of the early model Civic. The nose could qualify the Urban EV as a Challenger, but the Honda badge offsets that.

Usually, the supercars at these auto shows dominate the spotlight, however, this boxy, kei-car type vehicle, deserves is moment in the spotlight. First of all, the Urban EV is an electric vehicle, which thumbs-up to Honda for jumping on the EV bandwagon, with something that looks like its ready for the local car meet. It’s a very simplistic design, not too over-cooked, but still has the flare of a import tuner…with suicide doors.

[Source: Autoblog Photo by Honda]

Well maybe import tuner is a stretch, but it looks mean. The stance alone makes the Urban EV look stylish, yet intimidating. Should Honda produce the Urban EV, it would only be a matter of time before someone would exchange the rather large, and cool looking factory wheels, with something that got #toomuchlow.

To round out the exterior design, there are plenty of LED light-up badges with tell what car this is. That feature would most likely see production, seeing as they plan to use this light-up badging for future EVs. There is supposed to be a other-drives information system in the front grille, which can display messages to other drivers.

Urban EV Interior

[Source: Autocar Photo by Honda]

The dashboard in the Urban EV follows suit with a simplistic design, with a monster wrap-around display. Granted this setup is something found in more upscale vehicles, it suits the Urban EV perfectly. The screens mounted on the door panels act like rear view and side mirrors, due to the fact the concept is missing mirrors. Instead of Recaro racing seats, the Urban EV has two bench-seats which are more like couches fitted in a car, than car seats. Safe to say the steering wheel, that follows the box-theme in the car, won’t make it to production, but with all of the squares and rectangles in the design of the overall vehicle, it wouldn’t surprise me.

The center display would be the gauge cluster, as well as the info center for the Urban EV. There would be Tesla-like options such as battery charge, climate controls, door and lighting controls, infotainment, among other things.

Urban EV Thoughts

The Urban EV is actually a really cool concept car from Honda. While it looks like a Golf, early Civic, Challenger hybrid, it would be the perfect addition to Honda’s line-up, adding the style and cool-factor that Hondas of the past have had. An Si (Si-e, in which the “-e” would stand for electric) would perfectly complement the current performance models Honda has to offer, and it would be the perfect replacement for the aging CR-Z.

[Source: Autoweek Photo by Honda]

The coolest feature by far, would have to the the incorporating a personal assistant that can learn from the driver. The personal assistant is called Honda Automated Network Assistant, which will probably be called “HANA,” is not too much more than the Urban EV’s version of Siri, Bixby, Cortana, Alexa, or Google Assistant, it is still pretty epic.

Honda would only benefit from production of the Urban EV, which as far as we know currently, Honda is planning to produce the Urban EV before the end of the decade. Like I keep saying, the Urban EV is the perfect complement to Hondas lineup, and with a growing hot-hatch market, let alone EV market in the U.S., it better see the states.

[Source: Autoblog Photo by Honda]