Honda’s Direction For the Future – 42nd Tokyo Motor Show Japan 2011
Honda is actively taking steps to preserve the environment for the children of the future – such is the message it portrays in the 42nd Tokyo Motor Show which ends on the 11 December. The 2011 Tokyo Motor Show is a somewhat subdued affair, being smaller than previous years – perhaps it is an agreement amongst the Japanese auto makers and importers to not put on excessive extravaganza in the wake of the not too distant calamities that have befallen the Japanese nation. The latest blow is quite recent - the floods in Thailand have also had a huge impact on the Japanese makers who have their plants there – but I suppose the show must go on.
The overall theme of the show is about mobility, and the emphasis seems concentrated on alternative sources of energy. Just about everybody had hybrids, electric cars, and fuel cell vehicles in addition to the normal cars – even then, there seemed to be a general pre-occupation with carbon footprints and fuel economy.
The Honda booth was easily the largest, if not the longest one at the Tokyo Motor Show, seeing as it was a combined automotive and motorcycle showcase. Amongst its wide array of products shown, there were three main concept vehicles that do give us an inkling of the direction that Honda, at the least is taking.
It appears to me that Honda is attempting to match the objective of saving the environment with the objective of providing mobility. I use the term mobility because Honda goes beyond just making cars – mobility involves the moving of people by any means – and the products under development include small machines for low speed mobility within buildings, or on pavements to electric motorcycles, to electric carts to mini electric-powered cycles to cars and other vehicles. Honda has been on this tack now for the past three Tokyo Motor Shows – yet at the same time, it is endeavouring to still make cars that the people want – cars that are environmentally friendly (Honda’s objective), and cars that are exciting and fun to drive (the people’s wants). A classic example of a good combination of the two is perhaps seen in the Honda CR-Z Hybrid, which I talked about in an earlier article, whereby you can have an exciting car that looks great, has good performance, and yet is eco-friendly.
The key exhibits by Honda are the AC-X, the Micro Commuter, and the EV-STER CONCEPT. ASIMO, Honda’s humanoid robot, now in its eleventh year of development also made a short appearance to pour out a cup of orange juice from a container, and serve it to Mr. Takanubo Ito, Honda’s President and CEO. The task itself may seem simple, but it is actually a huge achievement for the robotics engineers of Honda to be able to develop ASIMO to have the ability to grasp a solid jug in one hand and a soft paper cup in the other, and pout the liquid out from one to the other without spilling any. Besides this, ASIMO can now run, dance, and jump up and down on one leg, and maintain balance on uneven surfaces. This balancing technology is already in use in Honda’s racing bikes.
The AC-X is a plug-in hybrid concept, with a shape heavily inspired by the FCX Clarity, a fuel cell car already in production. Powered by a four-cylinder 1.6 litre engine and a pair of electric motors, the AC-X seats four adults, and has a CD of a mere 0.21. In fully electric (EV) mode, the AC-X has a range of 50 kilometres with a maximum top speed of 100 kph. For the uninitiated, a plug-in hybrid is similar to a regular hybrid car which has an electric motor to drive the car in tandem with the engine, except that in the case of a plug-in hybrid, as the name suggests, you can plug it into an electric socket to recharge the batteries when the car is idle. This way, a plug-in hybrid can function for a longer range without the use of the engine after a full charge. Of course, the battery pack in a plug-in would be of a larger capacity so it can store more energy.
The MICRO COMMUTER Concept is a lightweight full electric vehicle for short range use. A 3.3 kWh lithium-ion battery supplies stored energy to provide a range of 50 kilometres and a top speed of 50 kph. At your destination, you can uncouple a little electric bike which sits in the passenger compartment to run around. Interestingly, there is no steering wheel – steering is done via twin joysticks mounted in the front dash. This vehicle is connected with smart phone technology, and can download appointments and destinations, and display them on the dashboard.
The EV-STER CONCEPT is a look at Honda’s direction insofar as sports cars are concerned. With futuristic stunning looks, it looks fast even standing still. It is a battery powered 2-seater sports car with twin joystick controls. Power comes from a lithium-ion battery with an output of 78 horsepower, and a range of 150 kilometres.
The above concept exhibits clearly show the direction that Honda is headed in – the path of eco-friendliness. We may or may not see the vehicles in their entirety, but certainly some of the technologies will filter through. One of the technologies I look forward to personally would be the introduction of lithium-ion batteries hybrid cars in Malaysia – the Civic Hybrid already runs lithium-ion batteries, so the wait may not be that long.
