Consumers in Europe and Japan have different needs than North American consumers. The Honda Micro Commuter Prototype is a glimpse into the near-future for Honda’s tiny mobility needy. That’s the market that begs for tiny runabouts that need very little power, take up very little space and are utilitarian.
How small?
The Honda Micro Commuter Prototype is just over eight feet long, a hair over four-feet wide and about four & 1/2 feet tall. Minus humans, it should weigh under 1,000 lbs.
There is a 15-kW li-ion battery that should make over 20-horsepower to the rear wheels. That may not seem like much, but keep in mind: this car weighs less than half a ton and is built for city driving. Driving range is said to be around 37 miles and top speed is 50 mph. Maximum charging time – under three hours.
Here’s the cool part: you can reconfigure the interior to take two small passengers with the driver (the two small passengers are presumably children) or one additional adult. Simply put, you can reconfigure your individual commuter to pickup passengers if you absolutely must.
The Honda Micro Commuter Prototype has several controls and utilities based on a tablet that should come with the car. Solar cells on the roof can charge the pad too. Honda is in the process of testing the Honda Micro Commuter Prototype for production.
No, there are no plans to bring the Micro Commuter here. Sorry San Francisco.