It looks just like a Honda from the 1960s, but the EV-N concept's tech is totally naughties
Posted 09.30.2009 at 10:44 am
11 Comments
Honda EV-N Concept: An All-Electric Throwback
Honda says it will unveil its EV-N concept, an electric car that hints at the company's 1960's-era N360 microcar, at the Tokyo motor show this month. The four seater showcases Honda tech like a a solar panel roof, door-mounted personal mobility devices and the company's latest vehicle-to-vehicle technology that allows the EV-N to communicate with other vehicles on the road.
Honda
The Honda N360 microcar was a modern marvel, sporting an all-alloy engine that could rev to 9000 rpm. The 360 cc unit only topped out at 45 hp, but at 1,100 pounds, the N360 could hit an astounding 81 mph. And that came in handy while sharing the highways of 1970 with Buicks the size of a Japanese prefecture. Now, Honda's recast the classic N360's iconic design as a thoroughly modern concept car, the EV-N. Though just as tiny, this concept was created with some of the company's latest e-tech.
The all-electric EV-N gets power from lithium-ion batteries that can take a charge by way of rooftop solar panels. It may not ever see production, but the EV-N does showcase a series of electronic-based technologies Honda's displaying at the Tokyo motor show under the umbrella term HELLO!, for Honda Electric mobility Loop. According to a press release, those include products that supply electricity, vehicles that run on electricity and products with innovative electronic technologies. HELLO! includes the company's EV-Cub electric motorcycle, a one wheel personal mobility device dubbed U3-X, that uses balance-control tech developed as part of Honda's ASIMO robot project, and LOOP, a portable communication tool that allows people and mobility devices to communicate with each other -- something others call V2V, or vehicle-to-vehicle communications.
As with most styling concepts, Honda says it has no plans to build the EV-N, or even a car that looks like it. But those looking to recapture the early days of Japanese economy-car ownership in the US may want to start lobbying the company now.
[via World Car Fans]
Want to keep track of the latest concept cars, automotive innovations, and more? Subscribe to Popular Science today, for less than $1 per issue!
11 Comments
To comment, please Login.
Popular Tags
Cars on Popular Science
|
|
|
|
|
|
July 2013: The Future Of Flight
The incredible innovations, like drone swarms and perpetual flight, bringing aviation into the world of tomorrow. Plus: today's greatest sci-fi writers predict the future, the science behind the summer's biggest blockbusters, a Doctor Who-themed DIY 'bot, the organs you can do without, and much more.
.jpg)
Popular on Popsci
Most Commented
Cars
- Electronic Updatable License Plates Could Flash "STOLEN" Or "TEEN DRIVER"
- An Audi Roadster Motorcycle Concept, Inspired By The Ducati 848
- An Audi Roadster Motorcycle Concept, Inspired By The Ducati 848
- Starting This Week, Audis Will Find Parking Spaces Automatically
- A Short History Of The Flying Car
- A Short History Of The Flying Car
Most Emailed
Cars
- Electronic Updatable License Plates Could Flash "STOLEN" Or "TEEN DRIVER"
- An Audi Roadster Motorcycle Concept, Inspired By The Ducati 848
- An Audi Roadster Motorcycle Concept, Inspired By The Ducati 848
- Starting This Week, Audis Will Find Parking Spaces Automatically
- A Short History Of The Flying Car
- A Short History Of The Flying Car
Most Viewed
Cars
- Electronic Updatable License Plates Could Flash "STOLEN" Or "TEEN DRIVER"
- An Audi Roadster Motorcycle Concept, Inspired By The Ducati 848
- An Audi Roadster Motorcycle Concept, Inspired By The Ducati 848
- Starting This Week, Audis Will Find Parking Spaces Automatically
- A Short History Of The Flying Car
- A Short History Of The Flying Car
Online Content Director: Suzanne LaBarre | Email
Senior Editor: Paul Adams | Email
Associate Editor: Dan Nosowitz | Email
Assistant Editor: Colin Lecher | Email
Assistant Editor: Rose Pastore | Email
Contributing Writers:
Kelsey D. Atherton | Email
Francie Diep | Email
Shaunacy Ferro | Email
Today on PopSci.com
.JPG)
Copyright © 2012 Popular Science
A Bonnier Corporation Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
it's cute, but i wouldn't want to be in one while sharing the road with an escalade.
Honda: don't let this opportunity slide-- you say you don't plan to produce the EV-N, but that does not mean you CAN'T.
You could have been the one car maker to step up for consumers 12 years ago during the California CARB debacle, at which time you could have had all the business, all the praise and all the trust that potential EV buyers would have been willing to provide, but Honda did not, nor did the others, and you have that opportunity again with the EV-N, if only you have the conscience and social responsibility to do so.
The stark lack of available EVs over the last decade has left some of us so desperate for guilt-free transportation that we converted our gas-guzzlers to battery power, and prompted us to activism-- for the environment and for our health, and to keep the billions of dollars here at home that we currently spend on foreign oil. If you continue to ignore the demand for EVs, you will only lose out to the likes of Tesla, Fisker, Miles and other new gutsy companies that will provide what is needed and wanted. It is within the realm of possibility that you, like GM and Chrysler, will end up in bankruptcy soon if you maintain your inflexibility.
If Honda builds it at a reasonable cost I for one will buy it. In a way it reminds me of the Fiat 500 or 600. A cool cool car that should and must be built for the masses as a neat city car. Honda bring it on.......
Gorgeous! I think it might be successful
ford8n1: I agree-- I drove two Fiat 1960 500s on a regular basis years ago, and they were among the most fun vehicles I ever had, constantly getting attention. I had a CHP (or maybe LAPD?) police helicopter circling overhead one day, for no reason that I could know, only to meet the pilot weeks later-- he dropped by my house... his name was Denny Rawlings, as I remember... he told me he had a Subaru 360, which was a similar tiny, odd car of that era, but with a somewhat temperamental 2-stroke engine. I'd be interested to see if Denny still has his little car, or what he may have done with it.
After owning a MINI Cooper for three years, I thought I'd wait for the electric MINI; but, the EV-N is looking pretty good. One of my first cars was a Honda 600 and I loved it. It got rear ended by a Dodge muscle car going about 60 and I was going about 35, the speed limit. We got pushed through the red light I was slowing down for. My passenger got whiplash, but I was fine. There's no way to prove it, but I'd like to think that having a light car thrown forward was better than having a heavy car take the hit and me having to absorb the momentum. Only the plastic back door was messed up. The rear window survived. I'm a big believer in presenting a small target that's harder to compress than a big wad of sheet metal. I'm not trying to convince anybody else, but it's worked for me. So, sure, I'd buy an EV-N.
Nice design. I like it so much.
MYO HAN HTUN (a) KO TOE
Go Honda! This little gem will be a success! It is very cute and the car will attract a wide consumer range. I expect if were to be released in the Asian countries it will be a no 1 car. The mini coop has also been a popular re release, but this being electric would set it apart from its current competitors.
Why do car manufacturers continue to tantalize the market with a vehicle and then announce they have no intention of producing? Perhaps this is a marketing ploy to generate interest and, or, kid the competitors!
Vincent
www.mycarforum.com
Honda EV-N Concept: A Knockoff of the mini cooper
"Go Honda! This little gem will be a success! It is very cute and the car will attract a wide consumer range. I expect if were to be released in the Asian countries it will be a no 1 car. The mini coop has also been a popular re release, but this being electric would set it apart from its current competitors.
Why do car manufacturers continue to tantalize the market with a vehicle and then announce they have no intention of producing? Perhaps this is a marketing ploy to generate interest and, or, kid the competitors!"
I agree with the statment made by sgCarMart, but the car has a similar design to the mini cooper, so that is a minus, the car in my opinion is a
Plus and a Plus and a Minus.
make it look more like the datsun 510
It looks very much like the 1970 Honda 600 sedan I have but a little cleaner corners. I would love to drive one! If something small and cute like this EV doesn't come out soon, I am going to purchase a 18hp tractor diesel, mate it to a Geo Metro 5spd I have, and install the package in my Honda 600. I bet it would get at least 100mpg or very close to it!