Honda Has Some Enjoyable New EVs Including A Kei-Sized Hatchback

This week on the 2025 Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo, Honda highlighted the breadth of its efforts throughout the spectrum of mobility, from scooters and bikes to its new rocket. I’ll be speaking extra in regards to the rocket within the coming days, however there have been two new battery electrical autos which might be certainly destined for manufacturing over the subsequent two years, though in the meanwhile neither are deliberate to return to North America, the Honda 0 α and the Super-ONE. We realized extra about each from speaking to Honda engineers on the present, and there are some intriguing hints about what we’d really get.

As I write this, there is just one Honda BEV bought in North America, the Prologue, which is principally a reskinned mashup of elements from the Chevrolet Blazer and Equinox EVs. The associated Acura ZDX has already been discontinued, though there would possibly nonetheless be some on vendor heaps. Honda of America does have three (4 in case you rely Afeela) new home-grown BEVs coming quickly, though as has change into the norm just lately, these have been delayed about 4-6 months.

The three Honda and Acura-badged and developed BEVs will all be inbuilt Marysville, Ohio and all have been additionally on show in Tokyo this week. The first to launch is the Acura RSX, a fastback crossover that was as a consequence of launch manufacturing this quarter and hit sellers early in 2026, however that may now debut within the first half of the brand new 12 months. The Honda 0 SUV was to start out manufacturing within the first half of 2026 for mid-year gross sales however that’s now coming within the second half, whereas the Honda 0 Saloon will now are available 2027.

All of those share a typical platform with the identical motors and batteries with nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) cells that may come from a three way partnership with LG Energy Solution. They additionally make the most of a brand new zonal electrical/digital (E/E) structure with centralized compute powered by a brand new customized system-on-chip (SoC) developed by Honda and Renesas. On high of this sits an all-new Honda-developed software program platform referred to as Asimo OS.

All of this brings us to the Honda 0 α. When we first noticed photos of the 0 α a couple of days in the past, it seemed like little greater than a barely tweaked model of the 0 SUV. But it’s actually extra and in essential methods lower than the SUV regardless of the close to similar styling. Honda hasn’t revealed any detailed specs of any of those autos, together with dimensions, vary, or efficiency. But parked subsequent to one another on the Tokyo stage, it turns into extra clear that the α is smaller than the SUV, not quite a bit smaller, however sufficient to be noticeable when they’re collectively. If the SUV is roughly the scale of a CR-V, the α is nearer to the North American market model of the HR-V (which itself is bigger than the HR-V the remainder of the world will get).

In truth, the HR-V comparability might be apt right here. When the second-generation HR-V was launched globally a couple of years in the past, it was based mostly on the Fit/Jazz platform. But that automotive didn’t come to America. Instead, we obtained a brand new, bigger HR-V based mostly on the Civic platform, which is a little more refined and dearer to construct. The α is the marginally smaller and considerably much less superior cousin of the 0 SUV.

We had the chance for a Q&A with Toshikazu Hirose, giant challenge chief (Honda’s time period for chief engineer) on the 0 α. The α was particularly designed with the Indian market in thoughts, though will probably be bought in another international locations, together with Japan. It might be produced in India from 2027.

The α remains to be very a lot a piece in progress, and Hirose-san instructed us quite a few issues are nonetheless very a lot undecided as of late October 2025. An indicator of that is that the α on show is a mannequin with no inside but, whereas the SUV does have a full inside that you would be able to sit in. On the technical facet, the battery chemistry remains to be being evaluated and the α might have both an NMC or lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, though the latter appears extra possible given the associated fee issues. However, it might even have each choices.

We don’t but know what the 0 SUV vary might be, however for the US market, 300 miles is just about a given. Hirose-san acknowledged that for Asian markets, that vary shouldn’t be thought of to be as important, so a sub-200-mile LFP variant could possibly be commonplace with an extended vary NMC battery as a premium possibility. We don’t but know the motor association, however the α appears extra prone to be out there solely with a single motor, maybe with entrance wheel drive, whereas the SUV is prone to have all-wheel drive at the very least as an possibility if not commonplace.

Hirose-san additionally highlighted the distinction in high quality between the roads in North America and India (though maybe he has not but visited Michigan between the spring thaw and begin of street building season). Thus the α could have a special suspension setup, which incorporates extra floor clearance and a softer trip (once more, think about this as an possibility for purchasers in Michigan). The 0 SUV will apparently have a extra performance-oriented association.

Another lacking aspect for the α is that fancy new zonal E/E structure. It seems that it’s going to as a substitute use an evolution of the structure from different present Honda fashions. That in flip additionally signifies that Asimo OS received’t be there, together with the flexibility to do OTA software program updates, so it’s not a software-defined automobile. The α additionally received’t get the hands-off/eyes-off degree 3 automated driving system promised for the North American fashions for 2027.

We at the moment do not know how a lot Honda’s new North American BEVs are going to price, however given a number of the superior tech being promised, it appears an affordable guess that the 0 SUV received’t be competing with the brand new Nissan Leaf and Chevy Bolt on value. Hirose-san declined to touch upon whether or not any parts of the α would make it over to North America, however given the arrival of sub-$30.000 BEVs with a variety of 255-300 miles, it might make sense for Honda to have a competitor on this house.

The 0 α, as we’ve seen it, is just too visually near the SUV to make a case for promoting that particular automobile alongside the SUV. Explaining to shoppers why these near-identical autos are priced so otherwise could be a problem for even probably the most wily automotive salesman. However, a special type issue with the α underpinnings might do quite a bit to deliver new EV consumers into Honda shops or entice present homeowners of Civics, HR-Vs, and Fits to present it a glance.

The different new Honda BEV in Tokyo is the Super-ONE scorching hatch. A model of this automotive wrapped in camo appeared on the Goodwood Festival of Speed final June, and the manufacturing mannequin is arriving in 2026. It’s based mostly on the N-One e: (critically, why the colon?), which is a BEV model of Honda’s N-One kei automotive. As readers of this web site nearly assuredly know, kei-cars are a novel phase of small vehicles constructed to a really particular set of laws in Japan that permit them to be taxed and insured at a decrease fee. Given the customarily slim streets and alleyways in most Japanese cities and the challenges of parking, these machines are very talked-about and comprise half the market.

To qualify, a kei automobile have to be inside a prescribed set of dimensions, which is why most of them are tall, slim however but amazingly roomy five-door hatchbacks. There are additionally tiny vans, pickup vehicles, and even sports activities vehicles just like the legendary Honda Beat and its fashionable successor, the S660. But these hatchbacks are the center of this market. Kei autos with inner combustion engines are restricted to 660cc displacement, and there’s a gentleman’s settlement between regulators and producers to restrict all kei-vehicles to 63-hp, though it’s extensively believed that many have exceeded that threshold through the years.

The Super-One differs from the N-One in having flared fenders and a extra aggressive entrance fascia, which places it simply outdoors of that dimensional field for a kei automotive. That means it’s additionally not constrained to 63-hp. While the displacement restrict for EVs doesn’t matter, the 63-hp cap does. Honda wouldn’t reveal the complete efficiency specs of the Super-ONE, however acknowledges that it does have a lift mode for additional acceleration. Like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, there’s additionally a simulated handbook shift mode by means of the steering wheel paddles that emulates a 7-speed gearbox with matching sound profiles.

While this doesn’t qualify as a kei automotive, the platform has solely been engineered for right-hand drive. The plan is to supply the Super-ONE in different markets that make the most of RHD and buy super-mines, such because the UK, in addition to some Asian international locations. The N-One e: has a 29.3-kWh battery and 183 miles of vary on the WLTP check, which might most likely be about 150 on the EPA cycles. A 100-hp Super-ONE with 150 miles of driving vary could be an absolute hoot to drive. I’m unsure I’ll be round 25 years from now, so I’ll most likely have to return again to Japan subsequent 12 months to pattern this little beast.