Honda SUV e:prototype revealed at Auto Shanghai 2021 – previews upcoming EV model launching in 2022

Auto Shanghai 2021 is up and running over in China, and Honda has used the event to showcase the new SUV e:prototype, which previews an upcoming all-electric model that will go on sale there in spring 2022. The Japanese carmaker says it will introduce 10 Honda-brand EV models within five years in China, and this marks the start of the long-term plan.

At first glance, the design of SUV e:prototype appears to be an evolved version of the SUV e:concept that the company revealed at the 2020 Beijing Motor Show (also known as Auto China). Unlike that show car, the new one appears to be more production-ready and has an air of the latest HR-V to it.

The front-end is certainly bold to look at, with headlamps that resemble “eyes” with their distinctive U-shaped lighting signature and stretched upper light bar, the latter being the “eyebrows.” Meanwhile, the Honda logo sits beneath an unilluminated portion of the light bar on the car’s charging port and is “cradled” by creases on the bumper.

The lower apron is where you’ll find the main intake, along with angular sections on either side that houses vertical side inlets and additional light strips. Down the sides, the prototype gets black body cladding, retractable front door handles and sleek door handles. Like the new HR-V, the rear door handles are further up and closer to the C-pillars.

Details about the prototype’s powertrain weren’t provided, but the company says its new all-electric SUV will get its third-generation Honda Connect system, which will also make its way to other Honda models from the second half of this year. The AI-powered system features a host of connected services, including for smart home appliances and online shopping, while also supporting digital key via smartphone and over-the-air updates.

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