Honda's 0 series of electric vehicles returns to CES this year, graduating from concept to prototype and powered by new technology with a familiar name. The wedge-shaped 0 Saloon and 0 SUV are now powered by the automaker's new Asimo operating system, but the biggest news is that we know that they'll be hitting the road (more or less as you see here) as early as next year.
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The Asimo OS that powered both vehicles is named after Honda's Asimo humanoid robot, paying homage to the robotics research that helped birth today's autonomous car tech. The Asimo OS will tie into all aspects of the vehicle, from the personalized user experience in the dashboard to tight integration with systems affecting performance, charging and more.
The 0 SUV has a more traditional SUV shape, but retains some of the Space Hub concept's sweeping roofline.
The 0 SUV is the biggest departure from the Space-Hub concept that we saw last year. The SUV is shaped more like, well, a traditional small SUV, which I reckon is much more desirable than the van-shaped "mobility vehicle" from before. The automaker hasn't formalized range or performance numbers, but did announce that it plans to begin production of the electric 0 SUV at its Ohio assembly plant in early 2026.
Aside from its new white paint, the 0 Saloon looks nearly identical to the blacked-out, wedgy concept that debuted last year, which is insane when you consider that this is a production prototype. Open the doors and you'll see that the concept's gull wings have been replaced by traditional doors with a horizontal swing, which I reckon are easier to manufacture and more like what you'd see on the production car when it joins the 0 SUV on the Ohio assembly line in late 2026.
The flagship certainly looks like a super car -- especially with its Lamborghini Gallardo-inspired lines -- but this year the automaker is ramping up its focus on delivering eyes-free driver assistance with its 0 production EVs, adding a tech-flavored luxury bent to its sales pitch.Â
Both EVs will feature drive-by-wire steering, which lays the groundwork for near and far-future autonomous driving technologies and cool features like the retractable steering wheel, while also paving the way for other "by-wire" systems like brakes and suspension. Honda predicts that controlling more aspects of the EV's operation with software will open more precise control and more customizable performance.Â
To power all of this tech, the automaker is developing its own high-performance silicon in partnership with Renesas Electronics and partnering with Helm.ai to integrate its learning and behavior modeling technologies to drive more natural and safe autonomous driving. It remains to be seen if the 0 EVs will arrive with Level 3 autonomy unlocked, but Honda is certain that it will be able to add and improve the functionality post-launch via over-the-air updates.Â
The 0 EVs will arrive ready for the future of energy thanks to their NACS charging ports. Honda says it's also working to help build infrastructure for charging. Honda will continue to invest in the growing Ionna charging network in partnership with seven other automakers, reaffirming the goal of adding at least 30,000 fast charging points along North American roads by 2030. The new EVs should also eventually gain access to the Tesla charging network, as well.
The 0 SUV is planned to enter production in early 2026, followed by the 0 Saloon later the same year.
Perhaps more interestingly, the 0 EVs will also support the next generation of the automaker's Honda Smart Charge home charging program, adjusting when to draw energy when most efficient and cost effective and automatically switching to bidirectionally discharge to help reduce home energy costs or mitigate black- or brownouts. Honda sees these cars evolving into virtual power stations that eventually integrate their artificial intelligence smarts to help each 0 Series EV develop its own "personal charging plan" built around the specific needs of its owner.
Honda hasn't announced pricing, concrete performance and range numbers or specific availability for the 0 EVs, but with production just one year away, we expect the details to start coming fast and furiously over the next few months.
For more from CES, check out the solar-powered EV that doesn't need to plug in and the donut-shaped motor that could shape the future of EVs.
