Honda 0 Sequence EV prototypes debut, to be made in US in 2026

• Honda 0 SUV arrives first in North America in early 2026
• Honda 0 Saloon arrives within the later half of the 12 months, seemingly as a distinct segment flagship
• Manufacturing of each fashions begins this 12 months in Ohio 

Honda confirmed off near-production-ready prototypes of the Honda 0 SUV and Honda 0 Saloon on the Client Digital Present (CES) in Las Vegas on Tuesday. Following the Honda 0 ideas launched final 12 months at CES 2024, Honda confirmed the prototypes will advance to manufacturing in 2026 on the model’s new EV Hub in Ohio. 

The crossover is scheduled to go on sale first in North America within the first half of 2026, earlier than being bought globally. The extra futuristic sedan is slated to go on sale late in 2026 in North America, with international gross sales to comply with. Honda referred to as out Europe and Japan particularly as a part of its international markets, with no point out of China.

Honda 0 SUV prototype

Honda’s push to distance itself from Normal Motors within the EV house has lengthy begun, although the Honda Prologue has been a shock hit. Inbuilt partnership with GM and utilizing GM’s previously recognized Ultium propulsion system, the Prologue outsold each the associated Chevy Blazer EV and the inexpensive Equinox EV, thanks partly to aggressive leasing offers. The Prologue and Blazer EV have totally different personalities primarily based on our head-to-head testing. The Prologue completed with about 33,000 items bought on the 12 months, which was about 43% greater than the Blazer EV.

Retooling of the Marysville Auto Plant, the place the Honda Accord, Acura TLX, and Acura Integra are made, and retooling of the East Liberty plant the place the Civic, CR-V, and Acura RDX and MDX are made, started late in 2024 to make approach for the 2 0 Sequence fashions on the vanguard of Honda’s battery electrical car plans.

Honda 0 Saloon prototype

In questions from the press, American Honda dodged any relationship with Afeela, the electrical car startup made in partnership with Sony and Honda and with its first sedan to debut in 2026 as effectively with manufacturing out of the Ohio EV Hub Honda gives the EV platform and propulsion applied sciences used within the 0 Sequence fashions to Afeela.

Different particulars akin to dimensions, motor items, battery pack sizes, and different specs on the Honda 0 SUV and Honda 0 Saloon stay skinny. A steer-by-wire system guarantees to unify different digital management items for the suspension and brakes to optimize dealing with within the Honda approach. The Prologue’s dealing with was one of many issues we famous as superior to the Blazer EV.

Honda 0 Sequence platform prototype (Accord)

A temporary Honda 0 Sequence prototype check drive in Japan final October showcased a skinny, low battery pack, smaller e-axles than utilized in most different EVs, an air suspension, and an extended wheelbase with nearly no overhangs. Beforehand, Honda mentioned the 0 Sequence will ultimately have light-weight, energy-dense battery packs that may cost from 15%-80% in simply 10-Quarter-hour, and can lose not more than 10% of their unique capability and vary after 10 years of use. Moreover, Honda targets a 300-mile vary for 0 Sequence fashions.

Nonetheless, specifics weren’t utilized to the prototypes proven at CES 2025. However, in a walkaround of the 2 autos, the prototypes supplied loads to be enthusiastic about.

Honda 0 SUV prototype

Honda 0 SUV seems to be able to roll

The electrical crossover seems to be extra production-ready and extra client pleasant than the Area Hub van idea that debuted final 12 months. From the B-pillars ahead, it seems to be extra upright than the Prologue but curved for aero and dappled with a futuristic gentle signature. Operating lights stacked like ice dice trays stretch the vertical face, which has a shelf separating the decrease grille and splitter. Rounded wheel arches and excessive physique sides give strategy to a compact greenhouse with a entrance windshield that arcs right into a glass roof. It could be distinctive however not shocking on roadways now.

Apart from the garlic-bulb rear finish. From the C-pillars again it might move for a cargo van in optimizing cargo house. The roof barely arcs earlier than dropping off the vertical tailgate.The identical Honda lettering on the Prologue stamps the large again finish of the Honda 0 SUV, and a U-shaped taillight rings the again. A shelf again right here too separates the gate from the decrease bumper and the taillights. The gate reveals a boxy cargo space with higher cabinets hidden within the rear quarters. It embraces Honda’s “Skinny, Gentle, and Smart” design philosophy, and the spacious cabin follows go well with, with a 6-foot-4 gentleman becoming in each the back and front seats with sufficient headroom and legroom. 

It stays to be seen if the sprint wall of screens will go into manufacturing however we doubt it, for the reason that outer flanks of the screens have been the facet mirror digicam projections as a substitute of precise facet mirrors. These facet cameras stay unlawful within the U.S. The prototype additionally has a yoke steering wheel, and a large open ground plan we hope make it to manufacturing. There are not any seen management buttons or dials.

Honda 0 Saloon prototype

Honda 0 Saloon stretches the idea of Honda  

Throughout the ground, the Honda 0 Saloon sedan expanded the probabilities of what a Honda might be. With its kammback rear and its wedge-like nostril that evokes supercars of the Eighties, the Saloon prototype appeared strikingly just like the idea. Built-in headlights lurk low within the wedge over a sharp, light-ringed splitter. The slim headlights sit flush in its angular nostril, and might be lined with energy doorways when not in use, additionally harking back to the 70s and 80s. Huge 23- or 24-inch wheels with aero covers lurk within the wheel wells with nearly no hole, and the entrance axle sits beneath the place the cowl begins. That is one slender dash-to-axle ratio.

Just like the 0 SUV, the total glass roof stretches lengthy and flat towards the rear, which kicks up like a fats whale’s tail. It is unclear the way it opens from the rear, as there are a concentric ring of 3D lights the place any rear window or hatch glass would usually be. It seems to be like no Honda ever, and this 0 Sequence flagship ought to be projected to be the extra area of interest providing versus the extra populist 0 SUV. 

Honda demonstrated the ingress function of the low slung Saloon. When getting in or out, the yoke steering wheel routinely turns the wrong way up with out turning the wheels. The motive force’s seat slides again so you will get in or out with out hitting your thighs on the underside of the yoke.

Honda 0 SUV prototype

Honda 0 Sequence Asimo Working System

The Asimo Working System designed and constructed by Honda will handle the digital management items for superior driver help techniques and car infotainment techniques, and with over-the-air updates it guarantees to customise the car possession expertise all through its lifetime. The OS takes its title from the humanoid robotic Honda launched to the world in 2000, and Asimo shall be utilized in all 0 Sequence fashions.

Honda 0 SUV prototype

Honda debuts Degree 3 hands-free driving on 0 Sequence

Honda additionally claims it’s going to debut its Degree 3 autonomous driving system within the two 0 Sequence fashions however Honda reps acknowledged that regulatory hurdles stay within the U.S. The system allows eyes-off and hands-off driving, so operators might journey lengthy distances on restricted roadways, however they must be engaged within the screens by streaming a film or something apart from napping to allow them to be rapidly triggered to take over driving if the system disengages. Honda has been utilizing the system on roadways in Japan, however the patchwork of state legal guidelines within the U.S. make it a problem right here. Mercedes-Benz is the one automaker with a Degree 3 system on roads within the U.S., and it is restricted to Nevada and California. 

Honda additionally introduced future plans to accomplice with Renesas Electronics Company to make a high-performance processing chip that may let Honda make use of a single core digital management unit that encompasses all different management items.

Honda additionally touted its nascent Ionna charging community being developed with seven different automakers to deploy dependable high-speed quick charging at 30,000 stations throughout North America by 2030. Because the 0 Sequence fashions could have native NACS ports, Honda expects 0 Sequence house owners to have entry to 100,000 public charging stations by 2030 as effectively. A personalized charging service constructed utilizing Amazon Internet Providers can also be beneath growth.