Even though there’s a ton of data showing that people want to buy electric vehicles from Japanese auto brands, that country’s car industry is pretty far behind the curve on competitive all-electric options. But of all the Japanese automakers, Honda is probably working to catch up the most quickly.
Honda is spending big on battery and software R&D, it’s opening a new manufacturing “hub” in Ohio this year, and it will roll out a radically new family of electric models in 2026. These cars are called the 0 Series EVs, and they have that name for a reason: they’re a bold reset for a company most famous for its high-quality internal combustion engines.
In other words, these cars aren’t your father’s Hondas. A video tour from our friends at TFLEV of the two prototypes shown at CES reveals why.
In these videos, host Nathan checks out the 0 Series Saloon and 0 Series SUV “Prototypes” with Honda’s Jonathon Rivers to see what they could offer customers when they start to go on sale (hopefully) next year. With screens spanning the entire dashboard, a yoke-like steering wheel and looks that have been compared to Lamborghini’s cars, both feel like they’re 20 or 30 years ahead of your garden-variety Accord or CR-V.
It’d be easy to write these off as just distant, dreamy concept cars. But this is Honda we’re talking about; it doesn’t really do concept cars like other automakers do, preferring instead to show off things that are close to their final designs. “In Honda-speak, [a Prototype] is usually pretty close to mass production,” Rivers says in the video. The 0 Series Saloon is a long vehicle—almost Odyssey minivan-sized—a kind of executive limo built to maximize interior space. It’ll have advanced hands-off, eyes-off automated driving assistance tech, but Rivers confirms that this technology will be launched in phases over time with over-the-air software updates.
“We want to be the world’s first automaker to bring Level 3 autonomous driving to all road types and conditions,” Rivers says, referring to a system where a car can drive itself nearly all of the time as long as a human driver is ready to take control of the vehicle at all times. That’s a big quantum leap over what’s on the road now; so far, only certain Mercedes-Benz cars offer true Level 3 driving, albeit in very limited uses.
But I would argue that the inside of the 0 Series is where things get the most out there. The yoke steering wheel is upside-down to allow easier entry, but then it turns the right way for actual driving. The hi-res displays evoke the Lucid Air or China’s EVs and buttons are few and far between. Though it’s a lot of screens, “We wanted everything to be clear and easy to use,” Rivers says.
And yes, they will still have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, he adds.
Photo by: InsideEVs
I’m a little sad to see that like Tesla and Rivian’s EVs, you must adjust your air conditioning and venting directions via the touchscreen. I personally haven’t tested any EVs where that’s a better user experience than old-school vents and buttons, but hey, I’m not an automotive engineer, so what do I know?
Photo by: InsideEVs
Like the Sony-Honda Afeela EVs—which will also be built at Honda’s Ohio EV hub and are expected to be related in many ways—the 0 Series models do feel designed to compete with China’s software-driven electric models. That’s why the 0 Series also has a passenger-facing screen, something popular in China that often perplexes Western audiences a bit. There are other flourishes here that are pervasive in China as well, like a kind of “ambiance mode” to chill the vibes during a long road trip.
Still, Rivers insists that the high-quality animations and touchscreen-based controls are what Honda wants to bring to production. The screen operates the driving modes, navigation, entertainment and nearly all other functions.
Rivers adds that Honda is targeting “at least 300 miles of range for all of the 0 Series models—we look at that as the new benchmark.” More specs should be revealed closer to launch, he says. With any luck, cars like the low-slung 0 Series Saloon will do even better; 300 miles of range is indeed an ideal target, but it could be outclassed by other competitors in 2026.
The 0 Series Saloon is definitely the tip of the spear high-tech flagship of the new line. But the 0 Series SUV is probably going to be the moneymaker of the family. It’s due to be the first one built in Ohio and this prototype too is “very close” to its production design.
The almost “kammback” rear end may not be everyone’s jam, but it helps with aerodynamics and range—and the opening itself seems quite cavernous. Check this out:
Photo by: InsideEVs
You could fit put a lot of gear into that. Inside, the story is similar to the 0 Series Saloon: a yoke steering wheel (with steer-by-wire technology, too), the all-screen dashboard and the Asimo OS software system. The prototypes also have cameras instead of side mirrors, but whether those make it to production are probably up to American safety regulations; other countries have them but we do not. Otherwise, the SUV is remarkably spacious throughout, powered by AI for various features and also capable of over-the-air software updates.
Rivers adds that the 0 Series family will be a kind of “sub-brand, a more premium brand that can attract a lot of new customers.” And then he mentions the Honda Prologue, which is where my mind went here as well. Besides the aggressive lease deals, the General Motors-based Prologue has done very well for Honda in part because it’s so normal; it feels like an easy transition to the electric world for someone who’s maybe been driving a CR-V for the past five years (or perhaps 20, because they tend to be indestructible.)
The 0 Series cars are not that. They’re as futuristic as we’ve seen from any so-called “traditional” car brand. Will people be into them? Their starting price has been projected around $50,000 when they start to go on sale in 2026. But if they do end up offering a great combination of features, range and the style that’s been warmly received so far, maybe they’ll put Honda into the modern EV game for real.
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Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com
