Tokyo Motor Show 2009 Press Pack

SLOUGH, UNITED KINGDOM – October 21, 2009:

CR-Z
The world’s first sporty hybrid.
The latest version of Honda’s sporty hybrid concept takes centre stage at Tokyo Motor Show. The CR-Z Concept 2009 is the most recent prototype of a compact, agile coupe using Honda’s IMA technology, and should have a close resemblance to the production model which goes on sale in summer 2010.

The CR-Z will be the world’s first sports hybrid car, and the first ever petrol-electric vehicle to employ a 6-speed manual transmission. It will be exciting to drive with nimble handling.

It also takes design cues from the much-loved Honda CRX and will widen the appeal of hybrid technology.

EV-N
Honda’s battery electric vehicle concept
The EV-N is a small, 4-seater battery electric vehicle, inspired by the N360, Honda's 360cc micro car launched in the 1960s.

It has solar cells on the roof which could be used to charge the on-board battery, is less than three metres long and has a width of 1475mm,

The EV-N also has a combination of lights in the front grille, illuminated door mirrors and lights of the rear of the car to allow communication between car and driver, and car and other road users or pedestrians via an innovative key 'fob'.

Honda first brought an electric vehicle to market in the 1990s (the EV Plus). Honda is researching and developing a range of green technologies and believes battery-powered electric vehicles will play a role in a low carbon future, primarily for city commuting or inner-city driving.

It’s purely a design study and there are no plans for production.

Skydeck
The Tokyo Show marks the debut of Honda’s Skydeck concept, an innovative 6-seater hybrid MPV with Lamborghini-style front doors and a pair of sliding rear doors.

Again, this is still a design study, but it’s a great example of how Honda’s IMA technology can be placed in a range of different cars for different needs and therefore used to broaden the appeal of hybrid systems.

Like the FCX Clarity, which houses the FC Stack in the centre tunnel to maximise space, the Skydeck utilises the tunnel to accommodate the key hybrid components, including the high-power battery (which until now has been stored under the boot or behind rear seats).

This clever packaging gives the Skydeck greater cabin space and the room for three rows of two seats – the practicality you’d expect of a conventional MPV. It also gives the car a lower centre of gravity.

U3-X
The new U3-X is a one wheel, experimental personal mobility device that uses balance control technology developed through the ASIMO robot project.

Honda developed balance control technology to enable ASIMO to stand, walk and run in a controlled manner, and in the U3-X, this technology has been developed to detect a shift in the rider’s bodyweight. This enables the rider to adjust the speed and direction of the device, to move, turn and stop in all directions simply by shifting their upper body.

To give the unicycle-like U3-X 360 degree movement, Honda has literally re-invented the wheel. The U3-X uses technologies from Honda’s omni-directional driving wheel system (HOT Drive System) which enables movement in all directions, thanks to many small, motor-controlled wheels that are connected in-line to form one large-diameter wheel. By moving the large-diameter wheel, the device moves forward and backward, and by moving small-diameter wheels, the device moves side-to-side. Combining these movements means the device moves diagonally too.

The U3-X’s design focuses on being user-friendly, so the reach from the device footrest to the ground is small, it’s lightweight and compact making it very portable, and its height places the rider at roughly the same eye level as other pedestrians.