The focus at the Frankfurt Motor Show may be more on
European automakers, but Honda has attracted its fair share of attention as
well with the handsome little Urban EV Concept.
The electric hatchback adopts a decidedly retro
design and proportions, but not without its modern flourishes – especially when
it comes to the powertrain.
Despite its old-school appearance, the Urban EV
Concept is a pure EV. No details were disclosed as to how much power it packs,
but it does incorporate a new Power Manager Concept system designed to “store
energy more efficiently, releasing electricity generated by renewable sources
back into the home or selling it back to the grid.”
Into the form that's four inches shorter from bow to
stern than the Jazz/Fit, Honda has fit a four-seat cabin accessed by a pair of
rear hinged “suicide” coach doors. The interior is split between two bench
seats upholstered in grey cloth and accented by wood trim, with a wrap-around
panoramic infotainment screen. Occupants can even spell out messages to other
drivers in a display in the vehicle's snout, where you'd expect to find the
grille on a fossil fuel-powered vehicle.
The most interesting part of the Urban EV Concept is
that it's set to reach production – albeit likely with some modifications –
within the next couple of years. A production version of this car will be here in Europe in 2019.
