Honda Presents World Premiere of the Prototype of Honda 0 α,
new SUV Model for Honda 0 Series at Japan Mobility Show 2025

TOKYO, Japan, October 29, 2025 – Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today presented the world premiere of the prototype of Honda 0 α (alpha) next-generation EV, at the Japan Mobility Show 2025. This prototype model will be on display at the Honda booth throughout the duration of the show.

The Honda 0 α is being developed as an SUV that will blend beautifully with both urban and natural environments, supporting people’s lives in every situation. Following the Honda 0 Saloon and the Honda 0 SUV, introduced at CES 2025 in January of this year, the Honda 0 α will be added to the lineup as a “gateway model” for the world of Honda 0 Series, featuring a refined design and a spacious cabin that offers outstanding occupant comfort.

Equipped with technologies that embody the Honda 0 Series development approach — “Thin, Light, and Wise.” — the production model of the Honda 0 α is scheduled to go on sales globally, mainly in Japan and India, starting in 2027. 

Packaging and Exterior Design

By applying a packaging design based on the “Thin” approach, the styling with a low vehicle height was achieved without compromising ground clearance, creating a thin cabin that still offers a spacious and comfortable space for occupants. The wide stance is expressing stability and dynamic characteristics unique to SUVs.

The exterior design features both a sleek and sophisticated body design unique to Honda 0 Series and the original proportion of an SUV.

There are screen areas in both the front and rear ends of the vehicle. At the front, components that are conventionally separated — such as the headlights, charging lid and illuminated emblem — are integrated into the screen area. At the rear, the U-shaped lighting that combines the tail lamps, backup lamps and turn signal lamps, accentuates the contour of the rear screen area, achieving a design that is visually and functionally refined.

Honda 0 α Prototype:
Aiming for Minimal and Refined Aesthetic

Interview

At the Japan Mobility Show 2025, Japan’s largest mobility event held at Tokyo Big Sight, Honda unveiled the prototype of its new SUV, the Honda 0 α, part of the Honda 0 series, for the first time worldwide. Driven by a desire to reach audiences unfamiliar with EVs, Honda designers pursued a minimalist and refined aesthetic.

The world premiere of the prototype of Honda 0 α, new SUV model for the Honda 0 Series

Innovative EV Unveiled at the Japan Mobility Show 2025

―― Amidst Honda’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality across all products and corporate activities by 2050, the Honda 0 Series returns to the fundamentals of car-making, challenging development with original ideas from scratch. Under the development approach “Thin, Light, and Wise,” this new EV series overturns the conventional image of being thick and heavy.

At the Japan Mobility Show 2025, held from October 29 to November 9 (Public opening date: October 31 to November 9), Honda will unveil the prototype of Honda 0 α, new SUV model for the Honda 0 Series, for the first time in the world.

Exterior design project leader Taku Fukui (left) and designer Park Sungjin (right)

―― The goal was to create a vehicle that fits both first-time EV buyers and those prioritizing a smart lifestyle. The model name “α” embodies “first” and “beginning” – reflecting Honda’s aspiration to be accessible to many people.

Taku Fukui, Exterior Design Project Leader, and designer Park Sungjin discuss developing the Honda 0 α, set for global launch starting in 2027, primarily in Japan and India.

Compact, yet energetic

―― The Honda 0 α targets first-time EV buyers. This includes younger generations who are first time purchasers. To satisfy this vibrant demographic poised to shape the future, the team shared the ambitions: “Simply being compact is not exciting enough” and “wanting to exceed user expectations.”

―― To kickstart the design process, Fukui first headed to India, one of the target markets. “We couldn’t base the design of a global model solely on Japanese values.” He conducted local research to gain a deeper understanding of India’s rapidly growing cities and the people living there.

In India, economic growth has led to an explosive increase in vehicles. However, public transportation and road infrastructure development have not kept pace, and the less-than-ideal road conditions are a significant concern. Amidst the dense traffic of cars and motorcycles, the team considered that a size visually conveying a sense of security was crucial for the driver. As a result, the team explored adding a tough and strong character to the Honda 0 α design without compromising the refined design identity of the Honda 0 series.

―― Fukui also visited several young households working in IT companies in Indian cities to study their lifestyles. In India, there is a custom of taking family and wedding photos with a personal car in the background, indicating that cars still serve as tools for status and self-expression.

Fukui
I wanted to propose a design that felt like condensed power, embodying an energetic presence. Specifically, I constantly focused on a structure where the mass of force emanating from the interior is firmly met by the mass of the fenders and bumpers on the exterior. I aimed for a form that conveys tension and strength from every angle.

Fukui
India’s cities are vibrant, with colorful cars on the streets and people dressed in vivid attire. I sensed a sparkle in the eyes and a positive aura among the local youth, as if they truly believed tomorrow would be better than today.

The starting point for the design was to directly channel that energy and belief in the future, felt in India, into the Honda 0 α.

Exterior design without compromising even a few millimeters

Presenting minimalist impact
in a market that favors ornamentation

―― After bringing these crucial insights back to Japan, development of the Honda 0 α began with the deliberate direction of presenting it through the aesthetics of subtraction. The aim was to offer minimal, refined beauty, delivering a fresh impact to the aesthetic standards of a market that favors ornamentation.

From the initial concept sketches, Park consciously aimed for a coexistence of subtraction and condensation, striving for an exterior that was easy to handle yet possessed solid strength. Park’s concept sketches emphasized strength through minimal character lines, taut surfaces, and a sense of mass, even while keeping the overall length restrained within the Honda 0 series. Having this vision from the start allowed the entire design team to share a common goal.

Park
To express youthful energy and SUV strength, we paid particular attention to the rear fender design. During development, when we were struggling to match the sketch’s vision, Fukui advised, “Why not add more volume to the rear fenders?” After trial and error and consulting with the design team, we ultimately achieved the desired appeal by widening the tread.

Fukui
We also paid close attention to adjusting the surface quality and highlights specific to the Honda 0 Series on the exterior sides. The Honda 0 α has a shorter overall length within the Honda 0 Series, so creating surfaces with the same approach would not produce the desired highlights. We therefore shifted the points where highlights appear forward and further utilized the rear fenders to move the surfaces in a wider direction. This creates the dynamic surface movement characteristic of the Honda 0 Series.

Surface texture and handcrafting: The fusion of digital and clay modeling

――As indicated by the “Wise” in “Thin, Light, and Wise,” the Honda 0 Series also focuses on intelligent technologies. While the vehicle will incorporate advanced technology, the design process progressed using both digital and analog approaches. Honda recognizes the effectiveness of digital tools but also values physical judgment – the process of translating designs into three-dimensional forms by hand.

In a workshop where adjustments of mere millimeters can alter the entire impression, collaboration between design and engineering professionals is key to creating high-quality design. This Honda 0 α is one model that symbolizes that approach.

Park
The surfaces and lines of the Honda 0 α are intricately intertwined. Differences of just a few millimeters significantly impact the body’s volume, so the team redrew the lines on reworked surfaces repeatedly, day and night.

The subtle highlights and rhythmic lines sketched in the concept drawings possess a texture that digital tools alone cannot replicate.

Park
Today’s advanced digital tools allow us to create forms without clay. However, this car was refined through repeated fine-tuning, leveraging both the expressive power expanded by digital and the delicate craftsmanship inherent in analog, hand-built work. It was challenging, but ultimately, I believe we successfully expressed the power of a mass radiating outward from its core, just as intended. From both a design and practical standpoint, I expect the Honda 0 α to play a role in conveying Honda’s value proposition to many people.

―― The Honda 0 α exhibited at the Japan Mobility Show 2025 features a design that accentuates condensed power and minimal, refined beauty.

The prototype was created through the fusion of fresh sensibilities of young designers and the expertise of experienced members, with the entire team striving for a high level of completion. Design and engineering domains collaborated closely, faithfully translating the nuances of sketches into three-dimensional form. The moment the shape materialized exactly as intended, a profound sense of accomplishment spread throughout the entire team.

―― The Honda 0 α is a vehicle Honda wants many people to experience, embodying the creativity realized through the fusion of digital and analog techniques. At the Japan Mobility Show 2025, it will be exhibited as a model symbolizing future mobility. The Honda booth is designed as a space embodying the company’s people-centric philosophy and vision for the future, allowing visitors to experience the meticulous attention to detail that photos and videos alone cannot convey.

Honda hopes visitors will enjoy the Honda booth.

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