26 September 2023
Honda will unveil the CI-MEV, Sustainia-C and Specialty Sports Concept next month
Covers to come off concepts at next month’s Japan Mobility Show; one expected to be successor to NSX
A potential electric successor to the Honda NSX is one of three new concept cars the brand will unveil at next month’s Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo.
Called the Specialty Sports Concept, it shows off a future electric sports car that will offer “the pure joy of driving” and “transcend the constraints of time, even in the era of electrification and the popularisation of automated driving technology”.
This indicates that Honda will look to launch a car that focuses on raw driving performance instead of equipping it with a host of driver aids. Details are set to be shared at the show on 25 October.
It follows last year’s announcement that the NSX will return as one of two future sports cars to head a 30-strong line-up of Honda electric vehicles.
It arrives as part of a £31 billion electrification strategy, Honda having pledged to produce more than two million EVs by 2030, while ushering in solid-state battery technology.
The sports concept will be joined by a small electric car called the Sustainia-C and a two-seat micro-pod EV called the CI-MEV.
The Sustainia-C, which looks to have taken design cues from the Honda E electric supermini, has been created to show that cars can become sustainable and not just be made of precious, limited resources.
It’s made from recycled acrylic resin, which Honda says can again be reused, so “the joy and freedom of mobility [can live] long into the future”.
The tiny two-seat CI-MEV showcases a budget vehicle “for those who are in situations that tend to limit mobility, such as when there is no public transportation or when people experience difficulty in walking a long distance”.
The microcar features automated driving tech and Honda’s Cooperative Intelligence AI assistant to offer “easily-accessible last-mile mobility”.
Elsewhere at the show, Honda will show off other mobility concepts, such as the Pocket Concept, a stowaway motorised bike; the SC e: Concept, an electric motorcycle with swappable batteries; the eVTOL, a helicopter-aeroplane hybrid; and the Honda Autonomous Work Vehicle.