Honda’s 0 Series electric car strategy is both refreshing and risky
Without any class-leading stats, senior news reporter Alastair Crooks wonders if build quality, tech and driving dynamics will be enough to make Honda’s 0 Series range a success
Car makers are frantically trying to differentiate themselves in the electric car market these days, and established brands are increasingly relying on their heritage. Just look at Renault, with its multitude of retro-inspired electric cars, and Ford, which is also bringing back some iconic names with electric power. One of the big reasons behind this is to help resonate with buyers in the face of emerging Chinese EVs, which simply don’t have the same brand equity.
However, some manufacturers are going down a different path towards electrification and one of those is Honda. I recently went to check up on the firm’s EV plans, because like Toyota, while it has been a pioneer of hybrid cars, Honda has appeared tentative on full electrification.
Currently, there’s just one full EV for sale on Honda UK’s website: the e:Ny1. That will change in the coming years, thanks to the brand’s new 0 Series line-up, which will bring up to seven new electric models. While the range will feature several SUVs, the first of the new cars to arrive in the UK in 2027 will be something many other manufacturers have shied away from recently – a saloon.
The design of the 0 Series models won’t invoke memories of Honda’s extensive back catalogue, though. Instead, they’ll be sleek, minimalist and futuristic.
Initial previews suggest they won’t come with class-leading stats, either. The cars’ platform will be 400V and there’ll be battery capacities of around 80kWh for a range of over 300 miles – not terrible, but not exactly headline-making.
Honda seems to be hoping its attention to detail, build quality, on-board technology and driving dynamics will be enough to give the brand a stake in the pure-EV industry, not just in the UK, but globally too. The good news is that all those attributes were on display in some form during our visit to the firm’s factory in Tochigi. There were impressive, patented welding techniques to lower weight, and mind-blowing AI-operated innovations. Plus, although our first drive was short, the car certainly felt sweet from behind the wheel.
The difficulty for Honda is to turn those factors into tangible, real-world reasons why you would choose a 0 Series over anything else.
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