A handful of intriguing patent images from Honda
have surfaced online and may show the production version of the company’s
Sports EV Concept – or, maybe, a brand new concept. These images, published by Auto
Week and sourced from the Japan Patent Office, depict a sports car with styling
reminiscent of the Sports EV, as well as the Urban EV concept which is heading
to production as the Honda E.
However, the car depicted is sportier than either of
these two. Whereas the Sports EV Concept took the form of a traditional sports
car with a long hood and a short rear, the vehicle depicted in these renderings
has a shape more reminiscent of a mid-engine sports car. The cabin is pushed
further forward, there is a shorter front end and an equally-proportioned rear,
as well as flared front and rear wheel arches are also visible.
If the model shown is a new addition to Honda’s
concept car line-up, as we think it is, it will likely get an all-electric
powertrain as with the aforementioned concepts. The supercar-esque shape of the
vehicle indicates that it could be the most performance-oriented of Honda’s
recent concept car and could feature both electric motors at the front and rear
as well as a battery pack located under the floor.
Similarities between this and the Sports EV Concept,
Urban EV Concept, and Tomo Concept include the retro-inspired round headlights
and taillights as well as a mixture of white body panels and matte black parts.
Honda has yet to say if it will produce an
all-electric sports car, but if it does, then the vehicle depicted in these
renderings might very well show us what it will look like.
