Honda's Affordable EV Reveal Next Month: Launching In India Next Year
Honda will show its new Honda 0 Series electric vehicles at the Japan Mobility Show in October 2025. The Japanese car maker plans to bring these EVs to various global markets, including Asia, after the debut. This marks Honda's serious entry into the affordable electric vehicle space after years of focusing mainly on hybrid cars.
The Honda 0 Series follows three basic ideas that Honda calls "Thin, Light, and Wise." Most electric cars today are heavy and bulky, but Honda wants to make lighter, more aerodynamic vehicles with smart technology. The series includes a sedan and a mid-size SUV. The SUV will reach international markets first, while the sedan will follow later.
Honda EV: Likely Specs
The sedan version comes with a battery pack up to 90kWh that can travel more than 482 kilometres on a single charge. This puts it in competition with other premium electric cars already in the market.
The Honda 0 Series will also have Level 3 autonomous driving, which means drivers can take their hands off the steering wheel in certain situations. This feature is still rare, even in expensive luxury cars.
Honda plans to use new compact electric motors that sit lower in the car. This design creates more room inside while making the car more aerodynamic. The basic version will have a 245 horsepower motor that powers the rear wheels. More expensive versions will have motors on both front and rear wheels for better performance and grip on different road surfaces.
The company is also working on ASIMO OS, its own operating system for cars. This system will learn how each driver uses the car and adjust settings automatically. The idea is that the car becomes more personalised the more you drive it.
Expected Pricing
International reports suggest the Honda 0 Series will start around $50,000 in markets like North America. This translates to roughly ₹42 lakh, positioning these vehicles in the premium EV segment globally. However, Honda has a different strategy planned for Asia, with separate models specifically designed for price-sensitive markets.
For Asia specifically, Honda is developing a separate electric SUV that will launch in 2026. This model, expected to be priced around ₹18 lakh, will compete directly with vehicles like the Hyundai Creta Electric, Tata Curvv EV, and MG ZS EV. This pricing strategy suggests Honda recognises the need for different approaches in different markets.
The ₹18 lakh price point would place Honda's offering squarely in the competitive mid-size electric SUV segment. With potential state subsidies and incentives reducing the final cost by up to ₹1.5 lakh in select cities, the effective price could drop to around ₹16.5 lakh, making it quite competitive.
Launch Timelines
Honda has slowed down some of its electric vehicle plans because EV sales worldwide have not grown as fast as expected. However, the 0 Series is still on track to launch internationally in 2026. This gives Honda time to see how the first models perform before making more cars.
Different regions will get the cars at different times based on how ready each market is for electric vehicles. North America will get the Honda 0 SUV in the first half of 2026. Europe and Japan will follow after that. For Asian markets outside Japan, Honda is being more careful and will launch slowly based on how ready each country is.
Focus on Affordable Technology
Honda is developing new safety systems that take up less space and cost less money to make. This could help bring advanced safety features to smaller, cheaper electric vehicles. This development matters a lot for markets where people are very sensitive to prices.
The company is also designing these cars to work well with current charging infrastructure instead of waiting for better charging networks to be built everywhere. The cars will be ready for faster charging when it becomes available, but they can work with what exists today.
Who Will It Compete With
Honda enters a crowded electric vehicle market. Tesla leads in technology, Chinese companies offer good value for money, and European brands focus on luxury and performance. Honda's advantage comes from its reputation for reliable cars combined with smart packaging that gives more interior space even though the cars are compact on the outside.
The company's careful approach might work well because different regions are adopting electric vehicles at very different speeds. Some markets are pushing hard for electrification, while others face problems with infrastructure and costs. The Honda 0 Series seems designed to work in this mixed environment by offering advanced technology in packages that do not overwhelm markets still getting used to electric cars.
The 2026 launch timeline gives Honda enough time to optimise its supply chain and prepare markets properly. This avoids the rushed launches that have caused problems for other car makers entering the EV space without enough preparation. Honda's focus on manufacturing efficiency and component cost reduction shows the company wants to make these vehicles accessible to more buyers across different market segments.