Eco and Sport

A preview of the 44th Tokyo Motor Show in 2015. The first installment features Honda Motor Co., Ltd. With the company's philosophy, "Honda makes mobility because we love to make people happy, surprised, excited, and fulfilled," their special exhibition vehicles focus on both eco-friendliness and sportiness. This perfectly captures the essence of the recent Honda brand.

One of the highlights is a new fuel cell vehicle (FCV). "FCV" is an acronym for Fuel Cell Vehicle, and its meaning is quite literal. Honda Motor Co. has stated that the official name will be announced on October 28th.

Having worked on FCVs since the 1990s and conducted demonstration experiments using hydroelectric power in Yakushima in the 2000s, they leased the world's first sedan designed specifically for FCVs, theFCX ClarityFCX Clarity. This announcement, therefore, seems to be a highly anticipated one.

Honda FCV

A major feature of the new FCV highlighted by Honda Motor Co. is its five-seater configuration (the ToyotaMIRAIis a four-seater). By miniaturizing the fuel cell stack that generates electricity from hydrogen, they have succeeded in mounting it within the front hood, rather than under the rear seats. This results in excellent space efficiency. Honda Motor Co. proudly states, "The cruising range is 700km, and refueling takes about 3 minutes." Furthermore, an advanced version of the FCV is expected to be unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show this November. The Tokyo Motor Show will mark the company's first step into a new era.

Honda Civic Type R

Honda NSX

On the sports front, the upcoming release in Spring 2016, theNSXis likely to generate significant buzz. Its distinctive feature is the hybrid system, called "Sport Hybrid SH-AWD," which combines an engine with three electric motors. This four-wheel-drive system, with a mid-ship engine driving the rear wheels and individual motors for each front wheel, is emphasized for its superior control of driving force during cornering through its new-generation torque-vectoring capabilities.

The production of the "Civic Type R," which Honda Motor Co. claims is the world's fastest front-wheel-drive mass-production car, is imminent. It is powered by a newly developed 2-liter 4-cylinder engine producing a maximum output of 310ps and a maximum torque of 410Nm. This model is designed for serious driving enthusiasts, featuring specially developed 19-inch high-performance tires, a large-capacity brake system, and a 6-speed manual transmission. In Europe, there are two grades: a premium grade with red accents on the front spoiler lip, and a standard grade where this accent is black. In Japan, the latter is expected to be sold.

Personal Mobility with a 1-Meter Turning Radius

While currently a show model, it sparks dreams of future enjoyment if released: theProject 2&4"Project 2&4," described as a "fusion of motorcycle and automobile values." This is a proposal for a single-seater sports car. The engine is a mid-ship mounted 4-cylinder from Honda's "RC213V," which achieved two consecutive class victories in MotoGP (though this is a road-legal version). The seat is a floating mount, meaning there is no floor beneath it; the road is directly below the seating surface.

With a length of 3 meters and a weight of 405kg, the body resembles a go-kart. Viewed from the right side, the cowl bears a red circle, reminiscent of Honda's F1 machines from the 1960s. The design is the result of an internal competition, created by an American designer based in the company's Japanese studio. Honda Motor Co. asserts, "We do not adhere to existing frameworks or common sense." While their recent focus on kei cars may be understandable from a sales perspective, it is hoped they will also pursue this innovative direction.

For Honda Motor Co., environmental consciousness, sportiness, and near-future mobility are all important themes. This is a welcome initiative for an aging society. To this end, they will present "Wander Walker," a proposal for personal mobility that allows users to move freely both outdoors and indoors, much like a pedestrian.

The name "Wander Walker" reflects its purpose: to wander anywhere, utilizing its remarkable 1-meter turning radius as a substitute for walking. By employing omni-wheels, similar to those used in "Unicab"—a unique concept that functioned as a mobile stall and garnered attention—it can also move sideways. Combined with a real-time communication system "V2X" via Wi-Fi, it promises to expand the freedom of movement.