Honda has revealed a sketch of an upcoming EV concept bound for the Geneva motor show in March, following up on the similarly styled Urban EV concept seen at the 2017 Frankfurt motor show. Styled like a first-gen CVCC, the 2017 concept was about the size of the current Honda Fit — just a few inches shorter — and the Urban EV concept was said to be headed into production at the time, along with a battery-electric drivetrain.
"This is not some vision of the distant future; a production version of this car will be here in Europe in 2019," Honda Motor Co. President and CEO Takahiro Hachigo said at the 2017 Frankfurt show.
If anything, the released sketch preview confirms Honda is sticking with the retro CVCC looks, but the design has evolved a bit since the 2017 concept car. Prototypes have already been spotted running with four doors instead of two and wearing quite ordinary wheels instead of the larger multispoke wheels seen on the concept.
In Geneva in 2018, the automaker planned for the production version to go on sale later this year, at least for some markets.
"A production version of this highly acclaimed concept will be introduced to Europe during late 2019, and in response to the positive feedback to this model, we expect to open order banks for the Urban EV during early 2019," Philip Ross, senior vice president of Honda Motor Europe said in 2018.
Curiously enough, there is no word regarding U.S. sales: Back in 2017, Honda stated that the production car would be sold in Europe and that it would be premium-priced. But the automaker has not made any indications about a possible North American launch. We should also note that both concepts, the 2017 and the upcoming 2019 concept which will be a near-production prototype, have appeared and will be appearing at European auto shows. If Honda had any U.S. plans for the production version, we would have had some indication by now.
"Honda’s 'Electric Vision' strategy, launched at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, includes the development of a dedicated electric vehicle platform, featuring fully electric powertrain technology," Honda said about the 2017 concept in Frankfurt. "Key parts of the powertrain development will include a high-density, lightweight battery pack, integrated heat management and the evolution of energy transfer functions — both to and from the vehicle."
The automaker has also said little about range, but one source at Honda had indicated the production would feature a relatively short range: 150 to 200 miles on a full charge. It's a small car, after all.
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