Honda will present
a new compact electric vehicle prototype at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. It was
previewed by the Urban EV Concept in 2017, and they had released an
official design sketch. Fast-forward to today and we can check out the interior
first hand, courtesy of another teaser. The cockpit has a minimalist design and
is dominated by the ultra-wide display, which includes a digital instrument
cluster inspired by the one of the Urban EV study.
It provides access
to a different number of features and also reveals the remaining charging time,
among others. A number of physical buttons positioned below the infotainment
screen allow occupants to adjust the volume or mute it completely. Further
down, there are a couple of air vents, flanking the hazard lights button, and
the usual controls for the air conditioning.
Dusk-sensing
headlights, lane keeping assist, rear view cameras that replace the traditional
mirrors, voice control, heated steering wheel, push-button start and others
have also been fitted to the brand’s new electric prototype. The Urban EV has,
unsurprisingly, been toned down for production. It has five instead of three
doors and these are now front-hinged. Also, the seating capacity has increased
from four to five.
Details about the
powertrain are unknown, but should be announced on March 5, when the electric
vehicle prototype will debut at Geneva, at the latest. It will then enter mass
production, before being launched in Europe later this year.
