There’s plenty of generic-looking concepts out there, not least electric ones, so I was excited when I first saw the images of the Honda Urban EV Concept. What an original, cool little thing!
Okay, it is a concept car, so the production version could end up being a big disappointment, but what a good place to start. Yes, the wheels will get smaller on the final production verstion and, yes, the interior won’t be so space age, but I have high hopes that its essence will remain. It’s so refreshingly different from anything else Honda makes, I’d never guess the association.
Honda has shown plenty of electric concepts before – the Native, the EV-N – the latter of which, actually, does look like an early, far uglier predecessor to this Urban EV – but they’ve never come to much.
Honda has kept oddly quiet about EVs in recent years (other than its electric Clarity sold in the US and Japan), so it’s commendable that when it has put its head above the parapet, its confirming the Urban EV’s production for 2019 straightaway rather than stringing it out for a while.
Many carmakers are choosing to show electric SUVs, and it makes sense given the ongoing boom for that segment. But if Honda can keep some of that awesome Golf Mk1-esque styling and at a credible price – something it doesn’t always manage – then it will be the most popular electric city car on the block.
P.S. I kindly ask Honda not to stick a Jazz face on it.
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Yes, nice one Honda
It's kind of retro and futuristic at the same time and completely devoid of unnecessary frills just like the original Mini. Whether it retails this simplicity in production is another matter, and I don't suppose there's much chance of it being sold here - people might actually buy it!