Japanese brands are pressured to present their best at the Tokyo Auto Show, and Honda’s no different.
The company has teased some of what it will reveal at one of the automotive world’s great legacy auto shows. One of the more interesting preview vehicles that will be present on Honda’s stand when the Tokyo Auto Show opens in October, is the SUSTANIA-C Concept.
Less impactful compact EVs
True to its name, this EV is about low-impact motoring, beyond actual driving. Honda’s industrial design and lifecycle analysis teams focused on the SUSTANIA-C Concept’s material composition to create an EV which has reduced sourcing waste and better end-of-life recyclability.
The SUSTANIA-C Concept resembles the current Honda e with its round headlights and neat proportions. Larger wheels, slightly more bonnet rake, and a reshaped front section are the SUSTANIA-C Concept’s distinguishing elements, but the overall silhouette clearly traces the Honda e.
What is the purpose of Honda’s SUSTANIA-C Concept? To prove that the Japanese brand is addressing an oft ignored issue in EV design: cleverer material sourcing and disposability at the end of the lifecycle.
Unlike the Honda e, the SUSTANIA-C Concept’s body panels are not metal but acrylic resin. The material change should bring lightweighting benefits, but the greatest advantage is recyclability. These acrylic resin panels can be reused and recycled, allowing a single allocation of SUSTANIA-C Concept panels to be reassembled into future products.
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A smarter Honda e?
Although market reaction to the Honda e has been mild, mostly due to its limited range, the design has been met with universal acclaim by compact car fans. Rebodying Honda e with recyclable panels is a design evolution which remains strongly on theme with Honda’s lineage of innovation and daring.
Battery and electric motor details are expected to be confirmed at the Tokyo Mobility Show, which starts on 26 October.
With its likeness to Honda e, don’t expect the SUSTANIA-C Concept to feature a battery pack capacity or electric motor configuration too dissimilar from Honda’s current compact EV.
