Honda Introduces New Electric SUV Model at CES

Honda unveiled the next step on its path to in-house electrification with the public introduction of the Honda 0 Series SUV prototype at the CES show in Las Vegas.

This is part of the company’s move away from its current use of the General Motors Ultium platform for its Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX electric crossover models. Honda’s version of this vehicle outsold both the Chevrolet and Cadillac versions in 2024, illustrating the strength of interest in EVs among Honda customers.

Honda’s next-generation 0 models roll on an EV platform that shares components with the Honda-Sony Afeela joint venture, and the first 0 model to reach US customers in the first half of 2026 will be the new Honda 0 EV that rolled onto the stage at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

It will be followed later in the year by the previously revealed Honda 0 Saloon, which was also shown. Both vehicles will be built at Honda’s Ohio EV Hub. Honda remains disappointingly tight-lipped on specifications, other than saying to expect a driving range of about 300 miles per charge.

Inside, we can see that the Honda 0 models feature yoke-type steering wheels rather than circular wheels. This is because the cars’ steer-by-wire systems will not require the driver to turn the yoke more than a single turn, so there will be no need for hand-over-hand steering on a circular wheel.

Related:Honda and Acura Play Catch Up in EVs

That’s when the human seated behind the yoke is in command. At other times, Honda will have a Level 3 driver assistance system that can provide eyes-off-the-road operation in some conditions. This will start by working in traffic congestion on highways, as we’ve seen with the Mercedes-Benz Drive Pilot system.

The Honda 0 Series SUV's futuristic cabin. HONDA

Afeela, meanwhile, has revealed that their car will employ 150-kW DC fast charging and will start with a base price of $89,900, which could provide clues about the Honda 0 models. Both Honda and Afeela EVs will employ North American Charging Standard charge ports to work with Tesla’s Supercharger network.

The specs Honda did want to discuss didn’t involve either the Saloon or SUV, but future Honda 0 models that will debut late this decade. Honda and Renesas Electronics Corporation announced an agreement to develop a high-performance system-on-chip (SoC) for software-defined vehicles (SDVs).

The companies say that this SoC will deliver AI performance of 2,000 TOPS for future driver assistance systems. This powerful SoC will also be efficient, with a claimed power efficiency of 20 TOPS/Watt.

The Honda 0 Series Saloon will arrive in late 2026. DAN CARNEY

These future models will employ a centralized E/E (electrical/electronic) architecture that combines multiple ECUs, responsible for controlling vehicle systems, into just one central ECU responsible for vehicle systems such as ADAS, powertrain control, and comfort features. This requires a SoC with much higher processing performance than today’s vehicle, while EV driving range demands require the computer to impose a minimal increase in power consumption.

Related:Honda Previews Details of its 0 Series EV Architecture

This will require Honda and Renesas to develop multi-die chiplet technology combining the Renesas generic fifth-generation (Gen 5) R-Car X5 SoC series with a Honda-developed AI accelerator that is optimized for the car’s AI software. The SoC will be made by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. using 3-nanometer technology, which is the source of the device’s power efficiency.

“If we can realize the full potential of this ultra-high-performance SoC, we can run [automated driving], dynamics, energy management, and more on a single chip,” said Steve Frey, Vice President, Development Operations, North American Automotive Development Center, Honda Development & Manufacturing of America. “This will make the Honda 0 Series even more attractive for our customers.”