Concepts in Honda’s Spotlight at Tokyo Auto Show

Honda will unveil the Sports EV Concept, an all-new electric sports car, at the 2017 Tokyo auto show on Oct. 25 as part of a range of advanced 2- and 4-wheeled production and concept vehicles.

Honda also will showcase the Urban EV Concept, which the automaker says received a highly positive response at the recent Frankfurt auto show; the NeuV personal mobility concept; and the all-new CR-V. The latter two models will be making their Japanese debuts.

Developers designed the Sports EV Concept to deliver a feeling of joy and emotional unity to driving, achieved by combining the EV power unit and artificial-intelligence technology in a compact body shape, Honda says in a news release.

The Urban EV Concept, based on a newly developed EV platform, has a simple design and compact proportions ideal for city driving. A communicative front grille displays battery-charge status, driving advice and greetings in multiple languages, while the wraparound interior display conveys a friendliness with the driver. The production version will arrive in Europe in 2019.

The NeuV first was revealed in January at CES 2017 in Las Vegas, showcasing an electric mobility concept for commuting. Equipped with Honda Automated Network Assistant, the automaker’s artificial-intelligence engine, its autonomous-driving capability incorporates driver monitoring to determine driver stress from facial expressions and tone of voice, to support safer driving.

NeuV also learns about the driver’s lifestyle and preferences over time so it can suggest new routes and activities, Honda says.

The automaker also will feature an all-new version of a current production model, the fifth-generation CR-V. The new model includes the implementation in an SUV of i-MMD (Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive), Honda’s 2-motor hybrid technology.

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