Honda Skydeck Concept

 Lost in the excitement surrounding the production prototype debut of the hotly anticipated Honda CR-Z is the Honda Skydeck concept. With the proliferation of hybrid drivetrains these days, it was only matter of time before hybrid minivans began popping up and with Chrysler’s EREV program off the radar, Honda is stepping up.
The Skydeck concept comes across as something of a cross between the hot new CR-Z and the Honda Odyssey, offering sporty styling and an extremely raked windshield on a six-passenger minivan. Far from the first minivan with a laid-back windshield, the real story is under the hood where Honda has fitted a hybrid drivetrain, likely a variant of its proven Integrated Motor Assist mild hybrid system. Honda has said very little about the vehicle, so it’s not yet known what kind of fuel economy improvements the Skydeck will offer.
Along with the hybrid drivetrain, the Skydeck offers a few other tricks. Up front, Honda has fitted scissor doors for soccer dads wishing they had a Lamborghini while the back offers traditional sliding doors on either side. Inside, the third-row seats slide forward and underneath the second-row seats to offer more rear cargo space.

Honda Skydeck Concept

 Honda Skydeck Concept

 Honda Skydeck Concept

Honda Skydeck Concept

Honda EV-N Concept

 If the current crop of electric vehicles just look too futuristic to you, Honda has a cure for what ails you. It’s the retro-styled EV-N electric vehicle concept that looks something like an updated Trabant.
Not much is known about the tiny EV-N, but it’s expected to be a battery-powered city vehicle with a limited range and top speed due to the lack of space for a large battery pack. Cool features including some kind of lighted “communications system” embedded in the front fascia, swappable seat fabrics, solar panels in the roof and a UX-3 self-balancing electric unicycle strapped into the driver’s door for extra-vehicular excursions.
The EV-N is part of Honda’s HELLO! Zone which will feature electric vehicles and solutions for generating green electricity, as Honda rightly points out that switching to zero-emissions vehicles won’t matter much if polluting power plants have to work overtime to charge them. Given its tiny stature and lack of stats, it’s not likely the EV-N will see the road any time soon and if it does, it will likely stay in Japan in the Kei Car segment.

Honda EV-N Concept

 Honda EV-N Concept

Honda EV-N Concept

Honda CR-Z Concept 2009

 TOKYO SHOW UPDATE: Expect a production trim version of the CR-Z to appear at the 2010 Detroit auto show, with U.S. sales on track for a late 2010 launch.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Combining a potent cocktail of styling hints from the Insight, Odyssey and Civic Type R, the production-ready Honda CR-Z 2009 concept's stunning lines will take center stage at Honda's stand when the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show opens on October 21.
Slated for a February 2010 launch in Japan and later that year in the U.S., the world's first dedicated sports hybrid coupe employs a 1.5-liter gasoline engine paired to an updated version of Honda's now well-known IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) system. Upgraded from the Insight's 41 mpg 1.3 liter unit, one source close to Honda tells that we can expect somewhere around 32-35 U.S. mpg from the new coupe. Helping the front-wheel-drive CR-Z to achieve that kind of mileage will be the hybrid world's first six-speed manual gearbox, which Honda engineers have fitted to generate the best mileage possible while at the same time injecting more fun into the driving experience of hybrids. And anything that spruces up the thrill factor of piloting a hybrid is welcome news to us.
In fact, with its combination of meaty bottom end torque from the larger 1.5-liter engine and its revised IMA system, all channeled through that six-speed floor-shifter, you can expect some relatively quick getaways from the CR-Z.
To further lower its carbon footprint, Honda is also unveiling the stylish hybrid CR-Z concept and the six-seater Skydeck hybrid minivan, which boasts front scissor-action style doors and third row seats which slide forward and under the second row seats to allow rear access. And just to show that Honda has not forgotten its sporty roots, the company will reveal its latest hot hatch for the Japenese market, the Civic Type R Euro. Yep, you guessed it, it's designed in Europe. Specifications are sketchy at present, but if the current UK-spec model is any guide, expect the Type R Euro to output around 200 hp from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder paired to a six-speed manual gearbox.

Honda CR-Z Concept 2009

 Honda CR-Z Concept 2009

 Honda CR-Z Concept 2009

Honda CR-Z Concept 2009