Tokyo — Honda today revealed this tiny concept car that is
appropriately named the Micro Commuter Prototype. It’s designed to fit
new Japanese rules that create a class of car that bridges the gap
between motorcycles and automobiles.
Honda previously unveiled a version of the Micro
Commuter at the Tokyo Motor Show earlier this year, but that was a
fanciful show car with a yoke instead of a real steering wheel. The
Micro Commuter we saw in Japan looks much closer to a production-intent
vehicle.
The car consists of a chassis that integrates a lithium-ion battery,
15-kW electric motor, and all the car’s suspension components. Various
different body types can be bolted on top of that chassis, from the
hatchback seen here to convertibles and even small pickup trucks. Honda
says the Micro Commuter could manage a top speed of 50 mph and a driving
range of 37 miles before it needs a three-hour charge. The teensy car
measures just 98.4 inches long and 49.2 inches wide, and is said to
weigh less than 880 pounds.
Although the Micro Commuter has its own instrument cluster, a special
dashboard dock lets owners slide their own tablet commuter in place and
use special Honda software that provides navigation, a backup camera,
and more. Solar panels on the roof charge the tablet computer and other
accessories, but are not yet able to charge the battery.
Honda showed this prototype with a centrally mounted driver’s seat
and two small rear child’s seats. Although the proposed Japanese laws
for this vehicle class stipulate a maximum of two adult passengers,
Honda has interpreted this to also include one adult and two children.
After all, notes an engineer, it’s far safer than the Japanese families
who precariously transport two children on a bicycle. For those who want
to follow the letter of the law, a full-size single rear seat can be
installed instead.
Honda plans to start demonstrating the Micro Commuter on public roads
in Japan next year. The company also hopes the car could sell in
Europe, but admits that such a small and impractical vehicle has no real
chance of success in the U.S.
Source: Honda
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