Honda Sports EV: leaked patents point to supercar-inspired design

A production version of the Honda Sports EV Concept may soon be given the green light, as leaked patents of a sleek-looking electric sports car emerge online.

The patents, posted by Car magazine, suggest that the Sports EV will bear a striking resemblance to a compact supercar, complete with mid-engined looks and a racing car-esque diffuser tucked underneath the rear bumper.

It’s a significantly different look to the concept version, which made its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2017.

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While the car’s styling was a hit with both fans and critics, the Japanese carmaker has remained tight-lipped over the electrified sports car and has instead focused its efforts on its upcoming Honda e electric city car.

With the Honda e due to arrive later this year, it may not be too long before the company takes the wraps off the revamped Sports EV.

In the meantime, here’s everything we know about the electric sports car:

Design

Judging by the new patents, the production version of the Sports EV will be radically different to the concept shown two years ago.

While the concept’s silhouette resembled that of a front-engined car - perhaps a nod to the company’s iconic S2000 - the vehicle in the patents adopts a style akin to a mid-engined supercar. For instance, the cabin is far closer to the front wheels than the concept version, while the rear roofline slopes downwards at a far shallower angle.

The front end, meanwhile, has a more aggressive look to it. The circular headlights have been carried over from the concept, but they appear to sit lower on the proaction model. Moving further back, the wheel arches are more pronounced on each corner of the car and black panels on the doors contrast with the vehicle’s paint.

At the back, the EV gets a small diffuser that’s located at the bottom of the rear bumper. It’s not yet known whether the device generates downforce at higher speeds, but it certainly gives the car a sportier look.

Performance

Details about the Sports EV’s powertrain remain scarce, especially as Honda has yet to confirm whether the car will enter production.

However, project manager for the Honda e, Kohei Hitomi, told Autocar in March that the Sports EV could use the same production platform as the highly anticipated city car.

“It [the Honda e platform] can be any car”, he said. “It can be a sporty car or a box-type car. Personally, I’d very much welcome a sporty car on that platform.”

If the Sports EV is given the green light, we’d expect it to produce more power than the 148bhp on offer in the Honda e, though range may take a backwards step as a result.