Honda Saloon Concept Lands in Vegas Looking Like Something Elon Musk Himself Would Approve

That’s obviously an impossibility. You can’t pitch Elon a Honda for his next Tesla. But this mental exercise holds water, because this so-called Saloon concept was drawn up using a similar design philosophy to that of the Cybertruck. It’s a wedge-shaped futuristic car, with a sharp figure and a wide stance. It’s not something you’d expect to see on the road within the next couple of years – yet that’s exactly what Honda is planning on doing.

The Japanese carmaker will build a production model based on the Saloon concept, scheduled to go on sale in North America in 2026. It’s also planned for Japan, the rest of Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and South America. This thing is going to be more “worldwide” than Pitbull.

“We have gone back to basics and formulated the Honda 0 Series with a design for the new era,” said Honda exec Shinji Aoyama. “A bold and pure proportion that from the first glance is overwhelmingly different from other EVs to evoke a new perspective for people.”

I mean, it is different, sure, but now that we have the Cybertruck, it’s not all that different, if you catch my drift. Both the Cybertruck and the Honda Saloon concept look as though they belong in the same era – an era which, until recently, would have been one where people could grow up and be Blade Runners.

The idea behind this concept was that of a flagship model, as part of the carmaker’s 0 Series range. This means that when it hits production, it will be underpinned by a dedicated EV platform, while also delivering on Honda’s so-called “man maximum / machine minimum packaging” concept. A low and wide exterior, coupled with a very spacious interior featuring sustainable materials.

Speaking of the interior, there’s an instrument panel with a human-machine interface (HMI) that enables intuitive operations. Perhaps by the time this goes into production, the infotainment system will be AI-powered, but that remains to be seen.

What’s particularly interesting for us “car people” is the fact that the Saloon concept comes with a new steer-by-wire and motion control management system. Honda is clearly relying on its expertise in robotics as far as the driving experience is concerned, and something tells us they’re on the right path.

Ultimately, what would you want from a mid-size saloon in a few years' time? Steer-by-wire is nice, and it definitely works well for the Cybertruck. A spacious interior? Sold! Intuitive connectivity features? Of course. But what about the battery? You can make as advanced an EV as you want nowadays, but if it’s got poor range and mediocre performance, nobody’s going to take notice.

We’re in luck though, because Honda’s 0 Series models (like the production version of the Saloon concept), will feature e-Axles technology, allowing for “excellent power and efficiency along with lightweight packaging.”

These cars will also come with a high-density battery, offering ample range, stress-free charging, and minimal degradation over time. The Japanese brand is anticipating that within the next few years, their EVs will be able to charge from 15% to 80% in about 10-15 minutes, which is pretty good.

How come there isn’t any applied F1 technology?

That’s a great question. I’m thrilled I came up with it. Seeing as how Honda is still involved with Formula 1, how come they’re not reaping the fruits of that labor in relation to passenger vehicles?

I think the explanation is rather simple. In F1, their focus has been on hybridization, which is clearly no longer the case with regards to conventional automobiles – at least not for the long term. Nor should it be. But they can still apply any knowledge they may have regarding aerodynamics, can’t they? Sure, an electric sedan-like vehicle will never resemble a Formula 1 car, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make sure that your product is an absolute beast with regards to airflow.

In that sense, Honda does seem to have a plan, stating that upcoming EVs will feature advanced aerodynamic technologies that will “bring a new level of performance for electrified vehicles.”

What about rivals?

Personally, I hope the production-ready version of the Saloon concept looks as much like the latter as possible, because at this point, there’s little to no sense in dumbing down the design. Let it go out into the world like this and take on the likes of the Tesla Model S, the Mercedes EQE, Polestar 5, and anything else that features a relatively wacky or futuristic design.

Usually, I’m against all cars that look pretty much like pods on wheels, without any personality in their design. But there’s something cool about wedge-shaped styling. Or maybe I’ve just seen way too many 80s sci-fi flicks. In any case, let’s hope they get it right.