Honda is to reveal a prototype version of its Urban EV Concept at Geneva ahead of the official launch of the production model this year.
Marking the brand’s first mass-production electric vehicle sold in Europe, the electric vehicle plays an important role in Honda’s ‘Electric Vision’ commitment for two-thirds of European sales to feature electrified technology by 2025, backed up by the October 2016 founding of an Electric Vehicle Development Division within Honda’s R&D. The brand also been progressively axeing diesel from its line-ups. Both the new CR-V and the updated HR-V have ditched their previous diesel models and the CR-V has now gained a hybrid model for the first time.
The prototype electric vehicle has been revealed ahead of the Geneva Motor Show in an early design sketch that features a clean, simple and unique design, clearly showing its links with the Urban EV Concept revealed at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show.
A huge favourite with motoring journalists and Honda aficionados, this concept is slightly shorter end-to-end than a Jazz supermini, and brings a retro design drawing on the boxy City hatchback sold in the 1980s along with rear-hinged doors and a charging port located on the bonnet.
No details of the production model have been revealed but the brand said it’s been developed with a focus on functionality and purpose.
A mass production version of the car will be on sale later in the year.
