Honda to unveil 0 Series SUV concept next month

A prototype of the Honda 0 Series SUV will be unveiled next month ahead of production starting in 2026.

To be showcased alongside the previously revealed Honda 0 Series Saloon prototype at CES in Las Vegas, the SUV is the second of seven planned 0 Series models that will arrive before the end of the decade.

These futuristic-looking new-era Honda EVs will all sit on a new bespoke platform developed from a clean sheet of paper. 

The first to arrive will be the saloon, which will offer around 482bhp and a range of more than 300 miles. 

This will be followed in 2026 by the production version of the new SUV prototype, which is expected to be what Honda calls its mid-sized SUV. A smaller entry-level SUV and a larger range-topping SUV will join the line up shortly after.

By the end of the decade, a compact SUV, a small SUV and a smaller saloon are also due.

Honda 0 Series: powertrain, chassis and technology

The Japanese manufacturer has already revealed early technical details of the platform’s capabilities at a special preview event, which included the chance to drive an Accord test mule fitted with a development version of the new powertrain.

The 0 Series Saloon will be offered with both single- and dual-motor powertrains, featuring newly developed compact e-axles that, Honda claims, can be mounted lower in the car, freeing up space and enabling the vehicle to have a smaller frontal area to improve aerodynamic efficiency.

The reduced size of the e-axle motors has been achieved in part by repositioning the inverter to make the units shorter. At least initially, 0 Series models will feature two different e-axle units in three different combinations.

Entry-level models will have a 241bhp motor on the rear axle and offer rear-wheel drive. There will also be two dual-motor, four-wheel-drive versions. The top-end models will use the same motor on the front axle, giving a system output of 482bhp (although Honda has yet to confirm if this will be the maximum output).

There will also be a 4WD version that mates the 241bhp rear motor with a 67bhp unit on the front axle. That smaller e-axle will be shared with Honda’s next-generation hybrid models.

The battery pack will fit under the floor as in other EVs, although Honda said the focus is on making it as thin as possible, claiming it’s around 8mm thinner than EV batteries from rival firms.

As a result, Honda says the platform enables the 0 Series Saloon to be less than 1400mm in height while offering more interior space than current EVs.

The key to the thinner battery design will be the use of a new mega-casting tool to produce the battery pack case in three parts, rather than around 60 separate pieces as previously. Casting it in three sections rather than a single unit will allow two different sizes of battery pack (for medium- and large-size models) to be produced on the same production line.

While mega-casting will initially be used only for the battery casing, Honda is aiming to eventually use it to produce the front and rear assemblies of the car as single pieces. That is likely to be introduced when a planned new EV-only assembly plant in Canada is opened near the end of the decade.

While Honda has yet to give full details, the 0 Series Saloon and other medium-size models will feature a battery using nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) chemistry with a capacity of between 80kWh and 90kWh, giving an estimated range of more than 300 miles.

Meanwhile, large models will have a pack of around 100kWh. It’s unclear if different battery options will be offered on each model.

As well as extensive use of mega-casting, Honda will use a number of new production techniques designed to increase the platform’s rigidity while reducing weight. That includes expanded use of a system called ‘3D friction stir welding’, which can join metals without melting them, along with ‘constant DC chopping’ (CDC) spot welding, which controls the heat used to weld joints better. The use of both manufacturing techniques is claimed to result in greater rigidity and decreased deformation.

In addition, Honda said it has developed the body structure of the 0 Series platform to disperse the impact of a collision to the side of the structure, which reduces the space at the front and rear required for protection for the battery.

Overall, Honda claims the 0 Series Saloon will weigh around 100kg less than a current EV of its size, which is also key to the firm’s promise to offer an enjoyable driving experience.

The car will feature a steer-by-wire throttle, which suggests that the yoke offered on the concept car could reach production. The control unit for the system will be integrated with those for the suspension, brakes and regen system to aid handling.

The 0 Series Saloon will feature active aerodynamics that can channel air underneath the car via sculpted bodywork, adding up to six miles of range, as well as creating downforce.

3D gyro sensors, developed for Honda’s humanoid robots, will be used to automatically stabilise the car.

Notably, the lightweight aluminium frame has been designed to flex when cornering at speeds, pushing load onto the outside of the wheels to improve cornering balance.

All 0 Series models will be software-defined vehicles, able to accept over-the-air software updates to gain new features and upgrades.

They will be designed to offer up to level-three (‘eyes-off’) autonomy in certain situations, thanks to a range of camera, radar and lidar sensors. 

Production of the 0 Series models will initially begin at Honda’s plant in Ohio, the US, which will be adapted so that ICE and EV cars can be made on the same line. That will be achieved by the use of a new flex cell production system, which makes greater use of decentralised production stations with chassis and parts moved via autonomous robots. This means Honda will be able to constantly adapt ICE and EV output based on demand.

A new plant dedicated to EV production, along with a battery plant, will be built in Ontario, Canada by 2028.