Honda's Radical New EVs Will Be Built in Ohio

The 0 Saloon and SUV prototypes preview production models slated to arrive in 2026.

Side view of the Honda 0 Saloon and SUV concept cars.

Photo by: Honda

Christopher Smith

By: Christopher Smith

Jan 7, 2025 at 3:30pm ET

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Honda offered a glimpse of its future today at CES in Las Vegas with two prototype electric vehicles, the 0 Saloon and 0 SUV. Speaking to media at the show, Honda Senior Managing Executive Officer for Electrification Katsushi Inoue said both are near-production examples that will launch in the first half of 2026. The new EVs are part of Honda's 0 Series models that will be built at the company's EV Hub in Ohio.

Mechanical details were not shared. For that matter, very little is known about the concepts beyond the software that will control them. Both will incorporate Level 3 automated driving with eyes-off-hands-off operation, utilizing technology developed with partner Helm.ai. Stephen Frey, Honda's vice president of development operations, claims the advanced tech can "estimate its surroundings just like a human driver" and make difficult decisions in tricky situations, such as complex intersections. Another company, Renesas Electronics Corporation, is working with Honda on a high-performance system-on-chip (SoC) hardware platform.

Honda 0 Saloon and SUV

Photos by: Honda

Honda 0 Saloon and SUV

Running all of that is an AI software system developed in-house by Honda, and you just might recognize the name. It's called the ASIMO operating system—a direct callback to Honda's ASIMO robot created in the 1980s. The OS will incorporate a plethora of cameras, sensors, and "advanced intelligence technologies" to extend beyond basic vehicle controls and predictive behavior. Your car will continually learn about the surroundings as well as the occupants, with the driver being the focal point of the relationship.

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Yes, Honda portrays it as a relationship. The car will have an emotive character and recognize various emotional states among the occupants within. If the driver seems worried, the car might strike up a conversation to ease some tension. Happiness is apparently infectious with ASIMO in the 0 Series, meaning you can share laughs and jokes with your car. And like any relationship, the more time you spend together, the more the car learns about you. Take that as inspiring or as spooky as you like.

Gallery: Honda 0 Saloon, Honda 0 SUV Prototypes, ASIMO OS CES 2025

01 Honda 0 Saloon & Honda 0 SUV copy

02 Honda 0 Saloon 03 Honda 0 Saloon interior 04 Honda 0 SUV 05 Honda 0 SUV interior 06 ASIMO OS copy 07 Honda 0 Saloon rear

Source: Honda

More information on actual production models will come closer to the official launch. Right now, the 0 Series SUV is slated to begin first, arriving by mid-year 2026 for the US market. The Saloon will follow, though both are expected to be on the road next year.

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Source: Honda

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