Honda is gearing up for the Japan Mobility Show - what used to be the Tokyo Motor Show - which will take place at the end of October.
The Japanese giant will be showing off a number of new and concept products at the show, some of which are cars and some of which are... well, one of them is a motorised chair that you sit on and steer by leaning in the direction you want to go so make of that what you will
Made from recycled resin
On a more conventional, car-based level, Honda will show off the SUSTAINA-C Concept, which is made from "acrylic resin that is recycled and reused." Honda says that this shows that car production can continue in a world that's short of resources, "transcending the constraints of the limited availability of resources through "resource circulation" and becoming able to achieve both environmental sustainability and the joy and freedom of mobility long into the future." The styling of this concept has a cheerful retro-futurist feel that might point the way to the next generation of cars, such as the Jazz and Civic. Honda is also showing a 'Honda Pocket' motorbike concept designed along the same recyclable lines.
Interactive AI design
The overarching idea behind Honda's Japan Mobility Show stand will be to make an addition to its long-running 'The Power Of Dreams' catchphrase. Now, it will be The Power of Dreams - How We Move You. What does that mean? Well, according to Honda, it means: "The dreams of each and every one working at Honda have always been the driving force of Honda, and a variety of mobility products and services Honda creates with such power of dreams will move people physically, move people's hearts, and help many people realise their dreams so that there will be an expanse of dreams toward the future."
Honda will use a series of interactive displays at the show, inviting visitors to input their own ideas - OK, dreams in Honda-speak - into an AI system which then: "will generate the image of a design drawing of the dream for each participant." There's no word on whether the AI will respond to inputs such as 'just make a new S2000, already' but we have hope.
New sports car concept
Actually, we have real hope - while Honda won't be making a new sports car with a screaming 9,000rpm four-cylinder engine (alas...) it will be showing off a new sports concept at the show, called - brilliantly - the Honda Specialty Sports Concept. Details are scant for now, but Honda says: "The concept model of an electric sports car which will enable the driver to experience the pure joy of driving (driving pleasure) and transcend the constraints of time, even in the era of electrification for carbon neutrality and the popularisation of automated driving technology. The joy of driving and distinctive individuality of this model will enable people to transcend their everyday life." Sounds good to us.
There's more, including the CI-MEV - an ultra-compact two-seat electric car (kind of a Honda Smart ForTwo) which incorporates autonomous driving tech and is designed for on-street car-sharing services. There will also be a prototype of a new compact electric commercial vehicle, which is designed to be paired with the 'Power Exporter e: 6000' portable external power output device.
Oh, and it's nothing to do with cars, but Honda will also be showing off its upgraded and updated HondaJet II executive jet, and a concept of a vertical take-off vehicle (eVTOL) powered by both batteries and a gas turbine. All we can say is put those two hands together, Honda. Put those two hands together...