Frankfurt 2017: Honda's Urban EV Concept mixes retro with the future

A quick glance at Honda’s new Urban EV Concept and you might recall the second-gen Honda Civic. Its boxy proportions and 3-door hatch body is properly reminiscent of its forefather, and it appears to be a refreshing take on Honda’s future electric lineup.

While it is merely a concept, Honda President Takahiro Hachigo quips to his audience at Frankfurt, “This is not some vision of the distant future: a production version of this car will be here by 2019.”

With a wide-eyed fascia and its compact dimensions, this may possibly be positioned as a kei car in its home country of Japan. Whether or not that may be so, Honda says the Urban EV will have balanced proportions that give it a “planted, muscular stance.” Does this mean this could be a future pocket rocket in the making?

Between the two circular headlamps, the blacked out “grill” can leave messages of greetings or of warnings to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. Out back a similar display is employed to show charging information.

The interior mixes retro simplicity with modern technology. Bench seats, wood trim, and slim A-Pillars remind us of a simpler time, yet they are flanked by a large display that wraps around the dash and the door cards. The main screen displays vital info such as battery consumption and remaining range while the door screens act as side mirrors displaying its view from an exterior camera.

So, are you looking forward to an all-electric Honda?