Tokyo 2011: Honda EV-STER previews electric powered, rear-wheel drive, two-seater convertible

Tokyo 2011: Honda EV-STER previews electric powered, rear-wheel drive, two-seater convertible

Ohayou gozaimasu! We are reporting live from the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, which returns to Tokyo proper after 24 years. The venue for this year’s show is the Tokyo Big Sight, just across the Rainbow Bridge in Odaiba, a change from the familiar Makuhari Messe. The first stop for this writer was Honda’s packed press conference, where Honda president and CEO Takanobu Ito unveiled some interesting machines and missions.

The main car under wraps was this – the Honda EV-STER concept. As its name suggests, the EV-STER is an electric powered sports car, one that is also rear wheel driven, topless and a two seater.

Tokyo 2011: Honda EV-STER previews electric powered, rear-wheel drive, two-seater convertible

If those points remind you of the S2000, that’s intentional. But today’s world is different from the one where the S2000 was born into – environmental concerns means that battery power is in, and high revving 9,000 rpm VTEC power is out.

The EV-STER is compact, measuring only 3,570 mm long and 1,500 mm wide. A large portion of the length is taken up by the 2,325 mm wheelbase, pushing the wheels far to each corner.

To give you an idea, the EV-STER is shorter than a Lotus Elise, but has an identical wheelbase with the iconic Brit. The adoption of carbon materials means that it should be lightweight too, although no figure is given.

Tokyo 2011: Honda EV-STER previews electric powered, rear-wheel drive, two-seater convertible

Honda says that lightness also contributes to the car’s performance and approximate range of 160 km per charge in the JC08 mode. The electric motor is powered by a 10 kWh lithium ion battery with 58 kW of max output. This will be good enough for a 160 km/h top speed and 0-60 km/h acceleration in five seconds. Charging time is under three hours with 200V and under six hours for 100V.

The cozy two-seat cabin (driver’s seat is “highlighted”) doesn’t have a steering wheel, but experimental twin-lever steering, joystick style. Don’t take that too seriously, or the high tech displays, for this is more of a design exercise that shows Honda’s intent to reintroduce sporty into the mix, after solely focusing on green for quite some time.

Tokyo 2011: Honda EV-STER previews electric powered, rear-wheel drive, two-seater convertible

Our gallery also includes exclusive pics from a pre-show briefing where we got to see a clay model of the EV-STER, which will give you a better 360-degree view of the car. Don’t write it off as a flight of fancy, as some did with the CR-Z concept car of 2009 – this could well be “the new S2000”!

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • gangully on Nov 30, 2011 at 12:03 pm

    return of the cappucino…

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    • 4G63T DSM on Nov 30, 2011 at 2:02 pm

      Cappucino? nah.

      This is the Honda Beat reborn.

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      • gangully on Nov 30, 2011 at 3:28 pm

        oh sorry, capucinno was the suzuki which looked like the beat…

        my mistake…

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  • blue-traveler on Nov 30, 2011 at 12:48 pm

    Now this a real cool looking e-car. no need to wait for gods-know-how-long be4 tesla goes world wide. honda please make it. the next s2000 or SE2000.

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  • ThePolygon on Nov 30, 2011 at 1:08 pm

    How to play? Where to insert coin?

    Looks very cool and futuristic :D Hope when it’s available it has a top :D

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  • benoxi on Nov 30, 2011 at 3:05 pm

    le back looks abit like EURO Civic hatchback with the roof chopped off, then sculpted to be futuristic. Dunno why i have those feeling

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  • Honda The Power Of Dreams on Nov 30, 2011 at 6:26 pm

    Nice futuristic design. I like it.

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  • RedBeanBun on Nov 30, 2011 at 7:22 pm

    BMW-i ? ?

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  • 2012 HONDA BEAT!!!!…..super like, head on with Smart Roadster…
    if cr-x can be cr-z, make this roadster to be a Honda BeatZ…… 1.3 or 1.5 vtec hybrid, if full EV cannot hapen…..
    lower the price and bring it in as hybrid by Honda Malaysia at below RM80k……

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • estimosis on Dec 02, 2011 at 9:22 pm

    Could anyone tell me what motorcycle on the bottom right of the first picture is? Is it a prototype by Toyota itself?

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  • Looks very much like Jackie Chan’s older movie with his futuristic cars…

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