Honda Australia has confirmed plans to bring the futuristic 0 Series electric vehicle (EV) lineup to Australian showrooms, which will follow the launch of the brand’s first EV Down Under in the second half of 2026.
Speaking to media in Melbourne, including CarExpert, Honda Australia managing director Rob Thorp said the 0 Series EV range was being looked at among plans to launch its first EV in local showrooms.
“Beyond 2026 and into 2027 … New products, new nameplates, new segments are what we’ll be looking to [for sales growth],” said Mr Thorp.
“We have a real premium plan to expand the product growth and the offering we have … within that, is the Honda 0 Series … we are intending to bring that to market.”
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It’s a reverse of the previous stance from Honda Australia, which told CarExpert earlier this year it had no plans to bring 0 Series models here.
Both Mr Thorp and Honda Australia CEO Jay Joseph started their current leadership roles on April 1, 2025.
The 0 Series was first shown in a computer-animated digital concept form in 2024 – with sedan and people mover models previewed – before physical concept cars were revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, United States (US), in January.
The two CES cars showed a 0 Series sedan alongside a “near production” 0 Series SUV, both due on sale in the US and Europe in 2026.
When asked by CarExpert which of the 0 Series Honda Australia intends to offer here, Mr Thorp replied: ”At the moment, we are looking at all of them – we haven’t been able to lock in or confirm anything yet, but we want them all.”
“We want them all because it’s going to be – they are going to be – the best of breed within the global Honda portfolio.”
“Timing and availability of the [0 Series] product is not yet confirmed, and we’re working our way through that, but it is basically an innovation of technology all centred around a theme-like design concept and iconic nameplates.”
“The [0 Series] brand is going to sit within the Honda portfolio and those are the vehicles we intend to bring to market.”
While full details are yet to be released, Honda has confirmed the 0 Series will debut a new ‘ASIMO’ (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility) software.
It will also use artificial intelligence (AI) and LiDAR-based systems for advanced driver assist systems, which will include Level 3 semi-autonomous technology.
Level 3 is not yet able to be used on Australian roads, with Tesla officially confirming testing its Full Self-Driving (FSD), a Level 2 system, on Australian roads earlier this year.
Honda doesn’t currently offer an EV in Australia, with the company instead focusing on expanding its hybrid lineup here. This hybrid expansion will continue, with the return of the Honda Prelude next year after a 25-year absence.
Mr Thorp told media the local lineup will be 80 per cent hybrid once the Prelude arrives in mid-2026.
While no Honda EVs have been introduced here yet, the Japanese brand has an array of different EVs for different markets.
These include the Afeela 1 electric sedan (pictured, above) developed with Sony as a low-volume, luxury flagship, while it also showed the city-sized Super EV Concept at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed in July.
Others include the Prologue for North America, based on a General Motors platform; the e:N1/e:Ny1 small SUV offered in markets like Europe and New Zealand; and kei cars for Japan like the N-Van e.
Yet while the local arm is set to add EVs, the company recently pulled back from its 2030 target for 30 per cent of global sales to be EVs.
It also cut 30 per cent off its previous 10 trillion yen ($103.1 billion) budget for EV development, focusing on hybrid powertrain technology instead.
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