- Showcased at the 2020 Auto China
- Will spawn the carmaker’s first pure electric SUV
Honda might not be imaginative enough to give attractive names to its concept – remember the creative name Honda e? – but their concepts are surely something to look forward to. This time around, at the 2020 Auto China, Honda has revealed a new concept called the ‘SUV E-Concept’ and it previews ‘direction of a future mass-production model of the Honda brand’s first EV to be introduced in China’.
The SUV E-Concept is showcased alongside the CR-V plug-in hybrid and the Honda’s next-generation advanced safety and driver-assist system called ‘Omnidirectional ADAS’. Compared to the other flamboyant and futuristic electric concepts we have seen in the recent pasts, this one looks understated in comparison. There are clean lines all around with simple fascia. Sleek LED headlamps are joined by a single-line grille whereas body cladding is seen all around.
In profile, the floating C-pillar looks attractive and so do the large multi-spoke alloy wheels. The roofline looks quirky, especially since it meets a fairly raked rear windscreen. It’s a two-door model for now, but that might change in the production version. At the rear, the tail lamps look like the most aggressive part of the entire design with their three-bit LED signature and a Porsche like light bar running across the tailgate.
There is no interior image of the concept available at the moment. And Honda has remained silent about the powertrain details too. But it will surely come equipped with the next-generation and advanced form of Honda Sensing. This driver-assist and safety features get improved recognition, prediction, and decision-making performance. It also gets a 360-degree radar, which would enable the system to detect the vehicle's peripheral environment more accurately. This system will also be able to assist driving in more complex and diverse driving conditions. Honda is planning to begin demonstration testing of this omnidirectional ADAS in China before the end of this year.
Honda hasn’t specified when we will be able to see the production version of the SUV E-Concept.
