Archive for the ‘Honda’ Category

Futuristic Honda The Great Race in 2025 : Combination of Marine, Jet, Robotic, and Automotive

Here comes something beyond our imagination. The Great Race 2025 is a futuristic concept car created by Honda. This design is surely inspired by some dragon games because the design looks like an unbelievable car with dragon wings that can be used to fight and travel any kind of track. The concept is designed to fulfill all the demands of a great race in 2025 which will be a toughest race ever devised. The vehicle’s sonar sensors are smart enough to detect the changes in speed, terrain and altitude. If you have enough credit to afford this vehicle, then you must go for it.
Text from designer :
In 1908, 17 men dared to take on the “toughest race ever devised.” Spanning six months, the Great Race brought these men over 22,000 miles, through three continents and around the world. 117 years later, the Great Race of 2025 is tougher than ever.

Competitors must circumnavigate the globe in 24 hours on land through the United States, by sea through Asia and by air over Europe.

The vehicle’s sonar/echolocation sensors are able to detect changes in speed, terrain, and altitude, allowing it to switch to any configuration. With expertise in automotive, marine, robotics, and jet technologies already in place, Honda possesses a distinct, competitive advantage over its rivals, allowing it to lead in the evolution of motorsports in the 21st century.

Honda FC Future Sports Car with V Flow Fuel Cell Technology

The new FC Sport fuel based car from Honda was recently displayed at the LA Auto Show is one traffic stopper. The designers have taken into their advantage the flexibility which is extended by the fuel cell powertrain as it is placed on the back of the driver. It’s a 3-seater with the styling of sports car major McLaren F1 vehicle, where in the driver is in the middle with passenger seats on side and back. The concept car is right now under study and testing to understand the full utility of the product. Though there may be a possibility of Honda releasing a full fledged version for commercial use.

[Press Release]
Honda FC Sport Design Study Suggests Hydrogen Sports Car Future

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 19, 2008 – Honda today revealed the Honda FC Sport design study model, a hydrogen-powered, three-seat sports car concept, at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show.

The FC Sport emphasizes the design flexibility and potential of Honda’s V Flow fuel cell technology – already deployed in the Honda FCX Clarity sedan – and reconfigures it into a lightweight sports car design with an ultra-low center of gravity, powerful electric motor performance and zero-emissions. The design study concept is inspired by supercar levels of performance through low weight and a high-performance, electrically driven fuel cell powertrain.

“The Honda FC Sport explores how to satisfy automotive performance enthusiasts in a world beyond petroleum,” said Dan Bonawitz, vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “People who love sports cars will still have a reason to love in a hydrogen-powered future.”

The high-output Honda fuel cell powertrain and a sleek, aerodynamic body contribute to the vehicle’s performance potential. A modular approach to fuel cell component packaging and the electric drivetrain contribute to the FC Sport’s low center of gravity with the majority of vehicle mass distributed between the axles, creating the balanced weight distribution sought after in sports cars.

The ideal placement of the Honda V-Flow fuel cell stack and related components demonstrates the benefits of a platform-specific, hydrogen-powered fuel cell powertrain. The FC Sport is configured to accommodate a custom-formed high-power fuel cell stack, located between the rear seats, and a battery pack placed low in the middle of the vehicle. The electric motor resides just forward of the rear axle. Two fuel storage tanks, visible from above, are located above the rear axle.

The optimal placement of fuel cell components for performance also allows for a relatively large passenger cabin by conventional supercar standards with enough space for three seating positions. The interior layout focuses primarily on the driver with a racecar-like center driving position. The enclosed canopy opens upward from the rear to allow for entry and exit. Two rear passenger seats flank the driver’s left and right side.

The sleek, low-profile body is designed to convey a high-technology appearance with sculpting that combines angular shapes in the front of the vehicle that taper into geometric, hex forms in the rear. The rear hex forms house cooling radiators for the fuel cell. Formula 1-style barge boards behind the front wheels enhance high speed aerodynamics and convey the vehicle’s racing pedigree. The hydrogen storage tanks, visible from the rear deck, showcase the FC Sports fuel cell technology in much the same way that a “naked bike” motorcycle showcases its engineering technology.

The glacier white body color conveys the FC Sport’s clean environmental aspirations while the dark wheels and deeply tinted glass provide a symbolic contrast befitting of the vehicle’s unique combination of clean power and high performance. Green construction techniques further contribute to a reduced carbon footprint. An organic, bio-structure theme is carried through to the body construction where exterior panels are intended to use plant-derived bio-plastics.

The Advanced Design Studio of Honda R&D Americas, in Pasadena, California, developed the FC Sport design study with the primary objective of using existing fuel cell technology as the basis for an ultimate Honda sports car. Designer Jason Wilbur led the design efforts.

Honda R&D Americas, Inc. began its operations in California in 1975 with local market research activities and has steadily grown its capabilities over the past 33 years to include all aspects of new vehicle design and development. Recent development efforts include trend-setting products such as the Honda Pilot, Ridgeline, Element, Civic Coupe and Civic Si.

In 2008, the company opened two new design centers in Southern California: the Acura Design Studio (Torrance), for the research and design of new Acura products; and the Advanced Design Studio (Pasadena), for the exploration and development of advanced design themes for both Honda and Acura.

The company operates 11 major R&D facilities in North America, including a full vehicle development center in Raymond, Ohio, and three design studios in Southern California. Honda R&D designers, engineers and support personnel are engaged in the development of Honda and Acura automobiles, powersports products, and power equipment for North America and global markets. The company’s main centers of operation include the Los Angeles Center (Torrance, California), responsible for market research, concept development and styling design; the Ohio Center (Raymond, Ohio), responsible for complete product development, testing, and support of North American supplier and manufacturing operations; and a dynamic test facility in Cantil, California.

Futuristic Honda Zeppelin Luxury Sports Sedan Concept Was Inspired by An Airship

Myung Jin Jung, who is studying in car design course of Hongik University, has designed the Honda Zeppelin, a luxurious futuristic sedan car as his final year thesis. As the name suggests, this splendid car was partially inspired by airships. The mass impression of this car was achieved by combining soft volume elements of an airship and potent lines that are commonly found in luxurious automobiles. The symmetric styling of this Honda Zeppelin is an extraordinary feature which can run from the hood, down the roofline and the entire rear end. Slit-like windscreen is another exclusive feature of this car. There is an inclusive video display inside the car which will allow the driver a greater field-of-vision.

by An Airship

The 2030 Honda’s luxury sports sedan, Zeppelin Concept, was designed with a design direction of “High-tech Dynamic”, inspired from an airship. The feeling of mass has been completed by applying design elements of aerodynamic form from an airship, and on top of that, expressed the distinct powerful image of Honda. Especially the asymmetrical main character line extends from the front hood along the roof line, to all the way back at the rear end. Hexagonal front grille and thick nose volume and the protruding horizontal lamp completes the dynamic face.

The interior was also inspired from the airship, reminiscent of a cozy salon or a first-class seat of an airplane. There is no dashboard in Zeppelin. All the necessary information and other elements needed for driving is displayed on the inter panel of the car, and everything is controlled with only the minimum physical movement due to the use of voice recognition technology. The seat position can be changed freely. That front row seat can rotate 360 degrees and so when the car is not moving, the front row seat and the back row seat can face each other. This makes it possible for a brief meeting, enjoying tea and even working in the car, which could also provide a new experience to the family or a fellow passenger. Due to the display environment on the windshield it was possible to use the angle of windshield and the shape of the A-pillar as a design element of the exterior without any restriction.

Honda Air : A Vision Of The Future Vehicle For Aggresive Lifestyle

Honda Air gives you a vision of the future lightweight and alternative fuel performance vehicle for the aggressive lifestyle. Just like its name, this vehicle is powered by a compressed air and pneumatic regulator system, it was inspired by the modern roller coaster as well as skydiving wing-suits. As you can see Air’s cockpit has been designed to provide the passengers maximum open air experience. In order to reduce weight and increase dynamic performance, a hub-less wheel and drive system eliminates the use of heavy drive train components. Glass reinforced seating panels, urethane tire composition and skeletal sub-frame components combine for drastic weight savings. Using a Honda generator / air compressor at home or tire filler at your local filling station, the main tanks and reserves can be filled quickly and safely.
Air utilizes turbo vacuums and external air-flow to regenerate tank pressure for extended range and increased boost for an estimated 100 miles. The chassis doubles as the master tank and all components, including seating, are mounted to the central chassis/tank to eliminate redundant structure and reduce overall weight.

Honda Air is very light, at just under 800 lbs., the powerful anthem of pneumatic propulsion and a character unlike any zero-emission vehicle exemplifies Honda’s concept of fun to drive.

Honda Micro Commuter : Compact Futuristic Electric City Commuter with Joystick Steering System

Honda has announced its new concept automobiles for the 42nd Tokyo Motor Show 2011 and one of them is Honda Micro Commuter concept. This vehicle is a micro-sized futuristic electric city commuter to provide high accessible form of mobility in the future. Honda booth at this motor show will boast the concept of “What makes people feel good?”. Through their phenomenal transportation designs, they’ll propose an exciting and fun personal mobility life to people all around the world.

Honda Micro Commuter has been designed to offer the joy of driving and communication between people and mobility. The exterior is equipped with advanced technology to enable each user to enjoy customizing more casually by changing the body panels of this car with cool variety of graphics and colors.

For the interior, say goodbye to steering wheel as Honda replaces the conventional steering wheel with two joysticks. The aquamarine blue light theme provides bright and futuristic atmosphere inside this green vehicle. What we love the most about Honda Micro Commuter concept is the compatibility to load Motor Compo, a two-wheel electric scooter, in the space between the driver’s seat and the side door. Thank you to a great collaboration between Honda’s motorcycle and automobile R&D centers. The detachable battery of this compact scooter can also be used as a power-source for USB-powered gadget.