Honda 0 Series EV Prototypes Driven: A Taste of What to Expect?

Honda showed an intriguing pair of electric vehicle concepts earlier this year, part of the pending 0 Series family upon which it is staking much of its future. So, we jumped at the chance to go to Japan to learn more about this dedicated EV platform and the futuristic cars Honda teased earlier this year. Further sweetening the pot: Honda promised a global-first first drive to experience the tech that is coming in 2026.  

Honda unveiled the first 0 Series concepts in January at CES, showing off the Saloon, a low-slung sedan (think Accord), and the Space-Hub multipurpose vehicle (think futuristic take on an Odyssey or Sienna minivan).

0 Series vehicles will be premium vehicles, says Mitsuru Kariya, Honda vice president, officer of the BEV Business Unit, and general manager of BEV Business Planning, but they will wear Honda badges, not Acura. The names of the new models are still under discussion and executives won’t say if they are leaning towards new names or electric versions of current nameplates.

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That Cool-Looking Honda Sedan–er, Saloon—is Coming

The production sedan will be fairly close to the Saloon concept when it goes into production in 2026 at the retooled Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio. It will be Honda’s flagship, setting the tone for the seven small, medium, and large EVs coming by 2030. Another new model will be unveiled in January at CES, showcasing several forthcoming technologies,

All 0 Series will be battery electric vehicles—no hybrids or plug-in hybrids. The 0 Series name symbolizes Honda going back to zero as the starting point, creating a new family of electric vehicles from scratch with the long-term goal of selling only battery-electric and fuel-cell EVs by 2040.

The EVs will use batteries from a new joint venture plant with LG Energy Solution, part of the Ohio EV Hub. The battery plant is scheduled to be done by the end of the year. An Acura SUV, based on the Acura Performance EV Concept, will be the first to use the in-house batteries when it goes into production in late 2025. The batteries are housed in Honda’s new Intelligent Power Unit (IPU) that serves as part of the automaker’s new dedicated EV platform. After the Acura, the first Honda 0 Series, the sedan, begins production in 2026.

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Driving 0 Series Tech Prototypes

At Honda’s R&D facilities in Tochigi, Japan, there were a couple prototypes demonstrating some of the attributes to come in the 0 Series. A Honda Accord and a Honda CR-V have been fitted with the chassis, e-Axle, and thin battery pack that are integral to the drive dynamics and character of the new EVs that will take on contenders such as the Tesla Model S and the Tesla Model X.

Honda’s new EV platform was designed for vehicles with low height, low center of gravity, short front overhang, and lots of cabin space. They will have an ultra thin steel floor, compact e-axle, and thin battery pack.

Creating a thin battery pack leaves more room for the battery itself, which uses lithium-ion pouches, as opposed to prismatic cells. Honda says all the 0 Series models will have at least 300 miles of range and a thermal management system to prevent range decline in cold weather with a radiant heater and heat pump to keep the cabin warm while reducing consumption of heating equipment by about 13 percent. The low floor and active aero add six miles of range.

0 Series vehicles will use a 400-volt system, but the platform is capable of 800 volts. The target is the ability to go from 15 percent charge to 80 percent in 10 to 15 minutes on a fast charger. Honda is also working on vehicle-to-grid capability.

Little e-Axle is a Big Deal

Honda’s newly developed compact e-Axle has an inverter that is 40 percent smaller than the ones used in hybrids and by the competition in general, executives say. It means it can be placed side by side with the motor. Honda says the unit achieves 17 percent less loss reduction.

The front motor is positioned lower to better absorb impact for crash safety. The body was designed to flex more, even with its aluminum frame, while maintaining rigidity and improving handling. In our brief drive, it felt like the CR-V had gained air suspension, it was so compliant and comfortable.

Braking relies a decent amount on regeneration—using the motor to slow the vehicle while capturing that energy and putting it back into the battery—and the pedal feel was a bit grabby during the drive, but the levels are still being sorted and there will be adjustments between the regen and mechanical brake handoff before the 0 is launched,

Acceleration should be similar to what we experienced. Being an EV, the burst of low-end torque is expected. In the CR-V mule we were allowed to drive, power was instantaneous but not neck-snapping, more of a smooth power delivery.

Steer-By-Wire Coming

The 0 Series vehicles will have a new steer-by-wire system and stability steering index to flex the vehicle body to control load on each tire during cornering. It will be integrated for better body control, working in tandem with a 3D gyroscope sensor to detect spin to keep the car’s posture with gentle steering aid, stabilizing the vehicle over any surface. The stability tech comes from Asimo, Honda’s humanoid robot. It will be calibrated to each body type to maintain posture.

The demonstration vehicles were not equipped with steer-by-wire, but the CR-V exhibited very little body roll despite some tight hairpin turns and switchbacks on the roughly 1-km handling course.

The 0 Series will be equipped with advanced driver assistance technology, with Level 2 hands-free operation possible on the highway. Honda is using its own AI tech to develop systems for cooperative behavior so vehicles don’t collide. Future models will have AI, sensors, cameras, and lidar for Level 3 hands-free and eyes-free driving and the ability to summon your car from the parking lot, but these features will not be available at launch in North America. Honda’s goal is to offer the world’s first all-area, eyes-off system.

Car Can Anticipate Your Needs

The automaker is also developing a new digital UX based on Honda’s own operating system. Many of the features will not be ready in time for the 0 Series but will be in place for the second generation of EVs to be built in a new plant in Canada starting in 2028.

The goal is to reduce stress, simplify operation, provide better voice recognition and take advantage of AI tech to gather data to understand the person behind the wheel and develop a better software defined vehicle to meet the driver’s needs. Trials of assorted features have been underway and some will launch with the 0 Series. Honda is also working on being able to do OTA updates with increased frequency.

A cool feature is a screen with a variety of models, from a Honda S2000 to Civic Type R, NSX Type S, Honda e and even a Honda Jet. It fills the quiet of the cabin with the mimicked sound of the chosen car upon acceleration (or takeoff for the jet), complete with simulated shifts. Honda is still sorting out which sounds will be offered, what will be standard, and what is available as an option.  

The UX of the future will use face recognition so the car reads how many people are approaching and knows to open the back door for kids, the hatch to stow a stroller, and then the driver’s door. Once inside, cameras and AI can monitor the situation, suggesting soothing music for a tense driver or a stop at a dog park or pet-friendly restaurant. Another feature is a virtual ride-along where a friend at home with VR goggles can join a road trip, conversing with passengers and seeing the same scenery out the window. Honda could not provide timelines for many of these features.