Honda Urban EV is Coming in 2019
Honda's latest EV adds irresistible retro flair to an ultra modern platform. And it's not just some crazy concept - it's very much real.
1. Back to the Future
Every automaker is scurrying to electrify their current lineup, and the results have so far been predictably boring. Some, like Volkswagen and their ID Buzz van, are trying to entice shoppers by integrating cool retro styling into their futuristic rides. Still, Honda shocked the world at this year's Frankfurt Auto Show with their awesome Urban EV Concept. And for good reason, because it might be the coolest electric vehicle we've seen yet.
2. Marching to a Different Beat
The Honda Urban EV, upon first glance, looks something like a futuristic version of an early Civic or CRX. And unlike most modern vehicles, it's also very tiny - a full four inches shorter than a Honda Fit. It even has funky features like rear-hinged doors and a front bench seat that truly set it apart from the mass-produced snoremobile crossovers we're so used to seeing.
3. A Mixture of Themes Comes Together Inside
Other unique and notable features on the Urban EV are front and rear seats trimmed in different fabrics and center mounted rear seatbelts designed to ease entry and egress. Furthering the retro theme, wood paneling adorns a good portion of the insides, including the dash. But it's broken up by a massive, floating screen. Screens also adorn the door panels, displaying video from the side view cameras.
4. Why Can't We Be Friends?
The retro-modern theme continues on the outside, and we aren't just talking about cool styling details. The front and rear "grille" areas function as screens that tell the driver the status of the battery's charge. You'll also find a blue, backlit Honda badge the company promises to use on its EVs moving forward. The Urban EV also features Honda Automated Network Assistant, which they say “learns from the driver by detecting emotions behind their judgments.” So while we like to refer to our cars as our "friends," in this case, it might actually become yours.
5. Not Just a Concept
The best thing about the Urban EV is that Honda is actually going to build it. And we aren't talking five or even ten years from now. The pint-sized piece of retro goodness is currently scheduled to hit European streets in 2019. No word, sadly, on whether or not we'll see it here in the U.S. For now, we can only hope that Honda graces us with this truly unique, truly Japanese take on the electric car. Because it's exactly what they need to entice non-EV believers to actually consider purchasing one.