Honda will reveal its electric vehicle ambitions for the European market at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show with two debuts, including a hybrid version of its popular CR-V crossover, another sign that automakers are diversifying their portfolios as emissions regulations tighten and customer preferences change.
Honda says it will reveal the CR-V Hybrid Prototype—essentially a pre-production version of the all new vehicle CR-V SUV—at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. The CR-V Hybrid first debuted at the Shanghai Auto Show in April.
The automaker will also debut its first all-electric vehicle for Europe. Honda hasn’t given any hints on what this Honda Urban EV Concept will look like, only saying it will set the direction for a future production model. A teaser image shared by the company shows the Honda logo with a backlit “now 80% charging” message.
Of course, many Honda CR-V fans in the U.S. are probably wondering when this hybrid version might come to the U.S. Honda hasn’t discussed plans for the U.S. market. However, now that Honda has decided to offer the vehicle outside of China, the next logical step beyond Europe, might be the U.S.
Honda does sell an plug-in hybrid mid-sized car, the Clarity BEV, in the U.S. That five-passenger sedan has the same body and platform as its Clarity fuel cell vehicle. The Clarity BEV isn’t a pure electric however. It has as estimated electric battery range of 42 miles, before it switches over to gas.
Honda will also feature its Jazz supermini (the EU version of the Honda Fit) and a new diesel diesel-powered variant of the tenth-generation Civic hatchback at the Frankfurt Auto Show.