Honda Reveals 0 Series Sedan and SUV Concepts, Ambitious Tech Plans at CES
As cars have become increasingly computerized, they have become an ever-larger presence at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Honda’s debuts at this year’s show rather well encapsulate the reason: While the 0 Series Saloon and SUV concepts preview upcoming production electric vehicles, they are equally important as vehicles for next-generation technologies as they are as vehicles for buyers and their families.
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Bertonda? Hontone?
In their dramatic wedge shapes — and particularly in their bulky, rear-canted D-pillars — the electric 0 Series Saloon and SUV concepts look like something the famed Italian design house Bertone would have turned out in the 1970s. (“Saloon” is what sedans are called in much of the world outside the U.S.) In the case of the 0 Series Saloon, the 2025 concept is relatively similar to the concept Honda showed at the 2024 CES. Its companion, however, has evolved from a loaf-shaped van into a more palatable SUV.
Honda says its developmental mantra for the duo was “Thin, Light, and Wise” but offers little in the way of concrete detail on the vehicles; there’s no word, for example, on things like battery capacity, range, power output or even motor location. We do know they utilize steer-by-wire (in which there is not a direct physical connection between the steering wheel and front axle) that allows for integrated electronic control of the vehicles’ steering, suspension and brakes. Beyond that, most of what the company has to say at this moment is marketing buzz-speak referring to the SUV’s “ever-advancing space” and “ultra-personal optimization,” although it does note the sedan is “more spacious than expected based on the exterior dimensions.”
We won’t have to wait long to see how the Honda EVs translate to production. Honda says it will begin building the 0 Series SUV at its facility in Ohio during the first half of 2026; the Saloon will follow in the latter half of the year. It seems likely that BMW would take issue with Honda using the 0 Series name in production; Honda also refers to the vehicles simply as the 0 SUV and Saloon.
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Supporting Roles
The 0 Series will mark the market launch of Honda’s new operating system, Asimo. Taking its name from the adorable humanoid robot the company developed in the early 2000s, the Asimo OS forms the core of the “Wise” developmental pillar. In the 0 Series vehicles, Asimo integrates management of vehicle electronics large and small, from advanced driving aids to the infotainment system. Over-the-air updates will allow Asimo to add and refine capabilities of the 0 Series.
Honda says the 0 Series name refers to its ground-up approach to the new EVs starting from scratch, or zero. One could reasonably assume it stands for zero local emissions, or it could also refer to no traffic fatalities, as the production vehicles will also herald the arrival of Honda’s next-generation automated driving-assistance tech. Developed in-house, the tech relies on artificial intelligence and what Honda calls “behavior models of experienced drivers.”
The company says hands- and eyes-off capability (what is referred to as Level 3 autonomous driving) will begin with congested traffic on limited-access highways and expand as the learning model deepens. Honda plans to expand the range of conditions in which advanced driver assistance will be available through OTA updates and says it “aims to become the first automaker to expand the application of eyes-off functions to all driving situations.”
A new partnership with Renesas Electronics Corporation is critical in realizing the more ambitious ends of this effort. The two companies are working to develop what is known as a “system-on-a-chip” for use in future 0 Series EVs. A so-called SoC combines the functions of multiple processors, inputs and outputs into one microchip, resulting in greater processing power than traditional hardware without increased power consumption — ever a concern with battery-powered vehicles.
EV Peripherals
Around the time the 0 Series Saloon and SUV reach production, Honda plans to introduce improvements to its home charging technology, as well. In addition to scheduling charges to take advantage of lower off-peak pricing, the next-generation Honda Smart Charge will leverage bidirectional charging to feed electricity from a juiced up 0 Series back into owners’ homes and the grid. And, through its participation along with several other automakers in the IONNA charging network partnership and recent adoption of Tesla’s North American Charging Standard port, Honda is aiming for its EV drivers to have access to more than 100,000 charging stations nationwide by 2030.
Honda may have been slow to get on board with EVs — its first efforts, the Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX, are rebranded GM vehicles — but it’s looking like the automaker is coming to market with a comprehensive plan.
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