Look, we admit it: Honda's
U3-X unicycle gave us a bit of a chuckle when we first peeped the video last week. Now look at this, just look at it! Not only does the Honda EV-N Concept steal all the best retro styling from the classic Fiat 500 (or Honda 600 closer to home), it also integrates the miniscule U3-X electric transporter directly into its passenger door frame -- adding an additional 22-pounds, at least, in the process. Oh, and this little guy's electric with a solar roof panel. The EV-N will makes its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show next month where we hope to give it a great big hug just for showing up. A few more pics after the break, fully gallery just beyond that read link.
posted Sep 30th 2009 6:14AM
FUGLY. FAIL.
I actually quite like it... definitely more of a girl car though.
Give me 4. Yes Fugly but clearly not the point here. This car is electric with a solar roof. Now where are your priorities at. Pretty. gas guseling, envirnmental slob (Do you need a car to make you look good) , or elictric solar powered planet friendly eye sore (this car is trying hard to make sure you don't look good). Decide.
No but seriously let's step beyond the looks here. Much Props for the idea, I am with you for sure.
If you say any misspelled variation of the word ugly about this car, you're missing the POINT. The car's exterior is a retro redux of the late 1960's Honda N600. I suggest you re-READ the article, and google what the original looked like. It's not trying to be cool, or hip, or whatever. It's trying to be an electric car that looks like a refreshed N600. And hey look at that! Mission Accomplished.
Nah man, that's a good-looking EV!
I think it resembles an Austin Mini more than the Fiat 500 though... maybe a Clubman more than a Cooper, but whatever. This would go down a storm in the UK!
The beautiful mini. Pay your respects.
http://robson.m3rlin.org/cars/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/1964-austin-mini-cooper-s-1071-1-copy.jpg
insecure much?
I'm with Level 5 on this one - that car may not be as pretty as folks like, but it's a damn cool update to the Honda N600 and will charm the pants off buyers. I for one really like the look, though I wish the front had more of a grille look to it rather than the flat panel.
just to be clear, I like the design a lot.
They brought back the pregnant rollerskate!!! My sister had a Honda 600 when we were kids. We used to stuff *9* people in one of these little bitty cars to go to the beach. 3x across the back seat, each with a kid on their lap, 1 in the front passenger seat with a kid on their lap, and the driver.
http://marketplace.omaha.com/neo-images/marketplace/mpnews/photos/010/medium/photo_10218.jpg
Retro is in.
Ah they try to make the car look like a cheap-health-care medical support device for the feeble&confused? Well erm yeah, mission accomplished. Yay?
Looks aside, what about the frickin' awesome unicycle INSIDE the car? That's what's awesome.
Awesome!!!
I want it now :-D
Styling is amazing.
Looks like Mini Clubman and Fiat 500 mated, then had an abortion after Clubman slept with an electric jug.
I would say it looks way more like an old Fiat Panda than a 500, but anyway, it probably appeals aesthetically more to the European crowd than the American crowd. Being an American living in Europe, I like it.
I think it looks more like the Autobianchi A112
http://www.motorbase.com/pictures/contributions/000121b/std_1978_autobianchi_a112_abarth_-2.jpg
No matter what it's supposed to look like, it's a cute car, but the interior is too minimalistic. I like the idea about the unicycle in the door though.
I shudder to think what would happen to me if I was hit by an American truck while driving this...
YOU'RE Abe Froman . . . the sausage king of Chicago.
Kawaii!!!
Kawaii indeed. It looks like a panda!
amazing! fantastic! fail? you're so american little costas...
Actually, it steals its styling from the late 60's Honda N600 sedan. It was a 600cc teeeny tiny car, and sold in the high hundreds here in the States.
Ed's right. It looks like the N600 and nothing like the other cars mentioned.
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=honda+n600&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=FjTDSoP1N9HelAe6krTqBA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1
Yup, this is what happens when you let a gadget blog write about cars.
Really, the N600, Mini, etc. all look quite similar. And eventhough I usually am more into McLarens etc., I quite like it. It's cute and good for driving around in a town.
I really like hte outside... it's cute. nside, it's shall we say, Sparse. Looks bland when looking to the dash. More bling please.
Sorry for the spelling errors, it's the horrible keyboard on my Asus laptop.
Styling is not much like a Fiat 500 at all when you compare them. Check out 70's Honda's, I think it is clearly inspired by them. @Abe How's the European Sausage market going?
Sorry, but this little guy looks like an east german Trabant.
Holy crap wth?! I wish they'd stop designing electric cars (even concept ones) which come with preinstalled fugly :/
The Tesla Roadster and Audi R8 E-tron show us how to make an electric car look good.
And expensive!
If electric cars are going to be useful to the environment they need to be cheap so that everyone can buy them. This is however a concept and therefore a bit over the top on the design side. Any production model will probably look a bit different.
Oh yeah cause Audi 8's and Teslas are right in everyone's price range. Think about that for a second.
Beyond that, the car isn't ugly - it just doesn't look enough like a Taurus to make you happy.
Aww.
Go Green! Walk on your own damn legs! :)
.....unless that unicycle runs on body heat.
I hear a fart powered version is under development.
I'm not walking 30 Miles to work every day. I'll take one of these.
if i could i would buy it tomorrow. design is awesome retro and that mini electric thing is also cool..the package is really individual stylish ... and if someone sais this car sucks then that means he's trying to compensate with his car's v8 engine some personal issues...
The designers are genius. It looks weird because it is actually a car and a coffin in one. After your first fender bender, they take you and the crushed car and bury it in a 'green' cemetery.
This car can actually turn.
Mugen edition please!
I am a fan of Honda coupes and hatches (own a '99 Civic Si) and I welcome this car. It is an excellent throwback to the N600. But it seems very small, smaller then the CR-z concept. I think the CR-z concept has a much better chance of being a hit in the mainstream though.
The retro styling is superb! My hats off to the designers for being able to keep the lines so clean while still evoking a completely different area. And yes, that unicycle addon is just so... Robotech. 10/10 just for that.
I also love the simplicity of the design.
Sweet car! I wonder if it gets the same performance as the EV-1 where it had a ridiculous 0-60 time.
Damn, reminds me of the old anime:
"You're Under Arrest"
Reminds me of the car Urkel drove
Id buy it
Get rid of the stupid ass unicycle in the door and I'd buy one. I think it looks cool, though I drive an Element, so maybe I'm warped a bit.
Honda has a habit of packaging small personal transportation with cars, anyone remember the Motocompo scooter that came with the Honda City car?
http://gadgets.3yen.com/wp-content/images/motocompo-ad02.jpg
A production model of this on an American road would be a death trap. Take a look at when a Smart4Two crashes into a Merc C-class.
The Smart is actually quite safe for such a small car. Obviously, a well designed big car will perform better.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz-s1sIoLhU
But compared to a badly designed car like the Brilliance BS6 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHZqcKj7jNM) the smart performs better. I'd rather drive a modern small car than an old big car... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l4YBf2tjag&feature=PlayList&p=EA293B670B21F847&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=19
American cars are world renowned as deathtraps and have been for decades. Some strides have been made, but they're still miles behind the rest of the world.
Since when have Japanese & European cars been getting low ratings in crash tests?