Honda has announced it will sell a production version of its Urban EV concept in Europe from early 2019…no word yet on if it’ll come to Australia.
HONDA WILL open the order books for a production version of its Urban EV concept in Europe from early 2019. Speaking during Honda’s 2018 Geneva motor show press conference today, Senior Vice President, Honda Motor Europe, Mr Philip Ross, confirmed the news: “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.”
The news the Urban EV concept would become a reality isn’t news, though, with Honda CEO Takahiro Hachigo telling the media at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year, “[a] production version of this car will be in Europe in 2019”.
The Urban EV concept is slightly smaller than a Honda Jazz and will become the brand’s first battery electric vehicle sold in Europe. Being a Honda, the interior is quite clever, with four occupants able to fit across two bench seats with the seat belts pulling out from the centre of the benches to make it easier to get in and out of the car; the concept features rear-hinged doors. The dashboard features a wrap-around screen that extends into the doors. The dashboard display which looks like a floating instrument panel with the extended door screens functioning as the car’s side mirrors via digital camera displays.
At the front of the car, the conventional grille is replaced with a screen than can either display messages for other road users (sound like fun) or show the battery’s capacity. And the blue backlit Honda badge will become a thing on Honda EVs going forward.
