Honda Urban EV Concept named as ‘Best Concept Car’ at 2018 Car Design Award

The Honda Urban EV Concept car earned the accolade of ‘The Best Concept Car’ from a panel of automobile experts at the renowned 2018 Car Design Awards, which are presented as part of the Turin Motor Show.
The awards are organized by Auto & Design magazine, and the winners and the finalists for the awards are selected by a jury comprising 12 automotive journalists drawn from the most prestigious publications in the world.

The panel had named the Honda Urban EV Concept as one of the ten finalists for the award back in April this year, and it was later on chosen as best concept car. This is not the only global recognition that the Honda Urban EV Concept has earned. The vehicle was named as Automobile magazine’s 2018 Concept of the Year in January this year.

Honda had launched the Urban EV Concept at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, with the car giving a preview of the brand’s design direction for its production battery electric vehicle, which is slated to be launched by 2019. It has a simple yet sophisticated appearance that contrasts with sharply with the vehicle’s advanced technological features.

The car has a sporty look due to its low and wide stance. Its contemporary design comprises slim A-pillars and a wide windscreen. Entry and exit from the vehicle is via rear-hinged coach doors. There is provision for displaying interactive multilingual messages between the headlights at the front of the Urban EV Concept. These messages can include greetings, advice for other drivers on the road, or charging status updates.

The interior of the vehicle is just as attractive, thanks to the use of natural materials and an open-plan design for the cabin with its front and rear bench seating. The cabin has the feel of a lounge area with its natural grey fabric and wood finish accents. Technology takes a front seat with a highly advanced ‘floating’ dashboard that comes with a wrap-around screen which extends behind the console and into the doors.

Commenting on the winner, the Car Design Award said in a joint statement that the Honda Urban EV Concept is a wonderfully judged piece of design which lends a sense of personality to the EV space, as it cleverly blends both retro and futuristic aesthetics.

Honda’s Urban EV Concept will be the first pure electric car that will go into series production under Honda’s ‘Electric Vision’ strategy in Europe. This strategy includes the development of a dedicated electric vehicle platform, featuring fully-electric Honda powertrain technology.

Commenting on the award, Makoto Iwaki, Honda R&D Executive Creative Director said, “Our Urban EV Concept is the true representation of ‘We make it simple’ design idea, which aims to make cars closer to people’s hearts”. He went on to say that the production car based on this concept model is currently under development. It will be positioned as a vehicle that is easy to access, fun to drive, and make everyday life more fulfilled and joyful.”
In 2018, the Car Design Award celebrates its third year in its new format. Originally, it was held between 1984 and 1997, and it was Honda that has won the first edition of the award in 1984 in the “production car” category for its design for the third-generation Civic.