TOKYO -- Honda aims to electrify at next month's Tokyo auto show with a new all-electric sporty concept car based on the same platform as the compact urban EV unveiled at the Frankfurt show.
A teaser photo of the Sports EV Concept shows a rear-slung performance silhouette with rounded rear fenders and a long hood evocative of the now-retired Honda S2000 sporty coupe.
The square tail lights get the same graphic treatment as the hatch-styled Urban EV Concept that debuted Honda’s future electric vehicle direction at this month's Frankfurt show.
Honda said the two cars share the same platform.
The Japanese carmaker is moving into EVs as automakers worldwide race to meet increasingly stringent emissions standards. Honda is developing an electric car for release in China next year, while the latest concepts preview a separate line of EVs for Europe in 2019 and other markets.
Japan’s Nikkei business daily reported this week that Honda, a long-time electric car skeptic, is working on a dedicated EV platform to cover a range of segments, from compact cars to SUVs. Earlier this week, Japanese rivals Toyota and Mazda formalized their plans to also jointly develop a new electric vehicle architecture to underpin a swatch of segments from minicars to light trucks.
Honda’s Sports EV Concept blends EV performance with artificial intelligence technology into a compact form, the company said in a preview of its Tokyo show plans. “Its unforgettable silhouette, friendly front fascia that naturally blends into any lifestyle, and supple surfaces make it a next-generation sports car that brings joy and emotional attachment in ownership,” Honda said of the car, which will be making its world premier.
The Urban EV Concept will make its Japan debut alongside its sporty stablemate in Tokyo.
Press days for the Tokyo show begin Oct. 25.
