Honda Sports EV Concept revealed in Tokyo

Honda has taken the covers off an all-electric two-seat sports car at the Tokyo Motor Show, joining the Urban EV Concept that was enthusiastically received at the Frankfurt Motor Show earlier in the year.

The Honda Sports EV Concept looks likely to fill the performance gap between the Honda Civic Type-R hot hatchback and Honda NSX supercar, but while the Urban EV hatchback has been given a 2019 production date, no timing for the Sports EV Concept’s launch has been released.

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It will, however, sit on the same platform as the Urban EV, and while no technical details have been given, it’s likely to be rear-wheel drive.

The Sports EV Concept also shares its design language with the hatchback, featuring a retro-style shape, punctuated by modern features including round LED headlights and an illuminated Honda bonnet badge. Low-slung bodywork, an elongated bonnet (with a central cutout) and coupe roofline give it the clear sports car styling of a 1960s model, despite its cutting-edge technology.

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Like the Urban EV, it features a wrap-around windscreen and side windows, with a thick C-pillar and rear-hinged doors.

Teaser design sketch

In September, Honda released a teaser design sketch featuring no tell-tale shutlines, door handles or panel gaps, but a tapering ‘Coke bottle’ profile. Honda announced it would have a “striking silhouette, friendly face and supple body surfaces”, while it also featured the same square LED headlights fitted to the Urban EV Concept shown at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show in early September.

The Urban EV found a huge amount of favour – both with the motoring press and consumers – when it was unveiled, and Honda made clear it would make it into production for 2019. Although the limited information presently available on the Sports EV makes a full assessment purely speculative, if it can pull off a similar trick to the Urban EV Concept, it could cement Honda’s reputation as one of the designers to watch when it comes to future electric cars.

The Urban EV (above) found a huge amount of favour – both with the motoring press and consumers – when it was unveiled, and Honda made clear it would make it into production for 2019. Although the limited information presently available on the Sports EV makes a full assessment purely speculative, if it can pull off a similar trick to the Urban EV Concept, it could cement Honda’s reputation as one of the designers to watch when it comes to future electric cars.

The drive towards electric vehicles continues apace as emissions and environmental friendliness continue to loom large in carmakers’ minds, and the Honda Sports EV Concept looks set to be the latest model to show the switch to electric power need not come at the expense of character.

Honda has big ambitions for electric cars: the Japanese manufacturer recently went on record saying two-thirds of all its cars would feature some form of alternative propulsion by 2025, while the company also has a 1,000bhp quad-electric supercar powertrain in the pipeline.