Honda just premiered two CRAZY electric vehicle designs at this year’s CES event in Las Vegas, and has plans to bring them to market with a launch in 2026.
Honda’s Saloon and Space-Hub vehicles are the first pieces of a wider introduction of the Honda 0 Series, which is based on the Saloon concept in North America. It will present these vehicles in Japan, Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and South America, as well.
Saloon
Saloon is being labeled as the “flagship model” of the Honda 0 Series, and will sit on a dedicated EV platform. We’ve seen a lot of other automakers do this, and a good example of it is General Motors with the Ultium platform.
Honda’s Saloon delivers on the M/M, which stands for man maximum/machine minimum, a packaging concept that has a low and wide exterior and a spacious interior. This makes for more room for passengers while also eliminating difficult driving conditions that can come with larger cars.
It also features “excellent visibility and a sporty driving position” for a unique and one-of-a-kind experience.
It also will equip steer-by-wire, a popular technology feature of several new vehicles, including the Tesla Cybertruck. It is expected to hit the North American market in 2026.
-->Space Hub
The Space-Hub is much lighter on details, but it was developed under the theme that Honda calls “augmenting people’s daily lives.”
Honda describes the vehicle briefly:
“Realizing a spacious cabin and excellent visibility based on the “Thin, Light, and Wise” development approach, the Space-Hub offers a flexible space that immediately accommodates a variety of passengers and becomes a “hub” that connects people to each other and the outside world.”
Honda ‘H’ Badge
Honda has used the H badge since its launch in 1981. However, its next generation of EVs will feature a new “H” mark, which will “express the company’s determination to undergo a historic transformation as well as the ability to constantly pursue new challenges and advancements.”
All 0 Series EVs from Honda will be equipped with the new H badge.
Honda 0 Series Technology
Honda is bringing a lot of fresh ideas to the 0 Series lineup, one of which is to outline the entire family of vehicles by three core principles: Thin, Light, and Wise.
-->The company also wants to introduce new advancements in design, automated driving, connected technologies, performance, and battery efficiency.
–Artistic Design refers to the philosophy called “The Art of Resonance,” which brings together the environment, society, and users in harmony.
–ADAS and Automated Driving Features will be added to vehicles in the Honda 0 Series. This will start with ADAS, which the company first introduced in the Japan release of the Honda Legend. During the second half of the 2020s, Honda 0 Series models will have automated driving features, including wider-scale systems.
–Connected Technologies will help the cars learn the tendencies, behaviors, and preferences of a driver. They will also enhance the ownership experience.
-Enhanced Aerodynamic Performance will be one of the main focuses of the 0 Series, especially as Honda has years of motorsport experience.
-->-New Level of Battery Efficiency helps with a seamless transition to EVs for customers. Honda is planning to offer stress-free charging with the 0 Series, shortening charging time and leveraging new technology to minimize battery degradation.
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Tesla Model 3 named New Zealand’s best passenger car of 2025
Tesla flipped the switch on Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in September, turning every Model 3 and Model Y into New Zealand’s most advanced production car overnight.
The refreshed Tesla Model 3 has won the DRIVEN Car Guide AA Insurance NZ Car of the Year 2025 award in the Passenger Car category, beating all traditional and electric rivals.
Judges praised the all-electric sedan’s driving dynamics, value-packed EV tech, and the game-changing addition of Full Self-Driving (Supervised) that went live in New Zealand this September.
Why the Model 3 clinched the crown
DRIVEN admitted they were late to the “Highland” party because the updated sedan arrived in New Zealand as a 2024 model, just before the new Model Y stole the headlines. Yet two things forced a re-evaluation this year.
First, experiencing the new Model Y reminded testers how many big upgrades originated in the Model 3, such as the smoother ride, quieter cabin, ventilated seats, rear touchscreen, and stalk-less minimalist interior. Second, and far more importantly, Tesla flipped the switch on Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in September, turning every Model 3 and Model Y into New Zealand’s most advanced production car overnight.
FSD changes everything for Kiwi buyers
The publication called the entry-level rear-wheel-drive version “good to drive and represents a lot of EV technology for the money,” but highlighted that FSD elevates it into another league. “Make no mistake, despite the ‘Supervised’ bit in the name that requires you to remain ready to take control, it’s autonomous and very capable in some surprisingly tricky scenarios,” the review stated.
-->At NZ$11,400, FSD is far from cheap, but Tesla also offers FSD (Supervised) on a $159 monthly subscription, making the tech accessible without the full upfront investment. That’s a game-changer, as it allows users to access the company’s most advanced system without forking over a huge amount of money.
News
Tesla starts rolling out FSD V14.2.1 to AI4 vehicles including Cybertruck
FSD V14.2.1 was released just about a week after the initial FSD V14.2 update was rolled out.
It appears that the Tesla AI team burned the midnight oil, allowing them to release FSD V14.2.1 on Thanksgiving. The update has been reported by Tesla owners with AI4 vehicles, as well as Cybertruck owners.
For the Tesla AI team, at least, it appears that work really does not stop.
FSD V14.2.1
Initial posts about FSD V14.2.1 were shared by Tesla owners on social media platform X. As per the Tesla owners, V14.2.1 appears to be a point update that’s designed to polish the features and capacities that have been available in FSD V14. A look at the release notes for FSD V14.2.1, however, shows that an extra line has been added.
“Camera visibility can lead to increased attention monitoring sensitivity.”
Whether this could lead to more drivers being alerted to pay attention to the roads more remains to be seen. This would likely become evident as soon as the first batch of videos from Tesla owners who received V14.21 start sharing their first drive impressions of the update. Despite the update being released on Thanksgiving, it would not be surprising if first impressions videos of FSD V14.2.1 are shared today, just the same.
-->Rapid FSD releases
What is rather interesting and impressive is the fact that FSD V14.2.1 was released just about a week after the initial FSD V14.2 update was rolled out. This bodes well for Tesla’s FSD users, especially since CEO Elon Musk has stated in the past that the V14.2 series will be for “widespread use.”
FSD V14 has so far received numerous positive reviews from Tesla owners, with numerous drivers noting that the system now drives better than most human drivers because it is cautious, confident, and considerate at the same time. The only question now, really, is if the V14.2 series does make it to the company’s wide FSD fleet, which is still populated by numerous HW3 vehicles.
News
Waymo rider data hints that Tesla’s Cybercab strategy might be the smartest, after all
These observations all but validate Tesla’s controversial two-seat Cybercab strategy, which has caught a lot of criticism since it was unveiled last year.
Toyota Connected Europe designer Karim Dia Toubajie has highlighted a particular trend that became evident in Waymo’s Q3 2025 occupancy stats. As it turned out, 90% of the trips taken by the driverless taxis carried two or fewer passengers.
These observations all but validate Tesla’s controversial two-seat Cybercab strategy, which has caught a lot of criticism since it was unveiled last year.
Toyota designer observes a trend
Karim Dia Toubajie, Lead Product Designer (Sustainable Mobility) at Toyota Connected Europe, analyzed Waymo’s latest California Public Utilities Commission filings and posted the results on LinkedIn this week.
“90% of robotaxi trips have 2 or less passengers, so why are we using 5-seater vehicles?” Toubajie asked. He continued: “90% of trips have 2 or less people, 75% of trips have 1 or less people.” He accompanied his comments with a graphic showing Waymo’s occupancy rates, which showed 71% of trips having one passenger, 15% of trips having two passengers, 6% of trips having three passengers, 5% of trips having zero passengers, and only 3% of trips having four passengers.
The data excludes operational trips like depot runs or charging, though Toubajie pointed out that most of the time, Waymo’s massive self-driving taxis are really just transporting 1 or 2 people, at times even no passengers at all. “This means that most of the time, the vehicle being used significantly outweighs the needs of the trip,” the Toyota designer wrote in his post.
-->Cybercab suddenly looks perfectly sized
Toubajie gave a nod to Tesla’s approach. “The Tesla Cybercab announced in 2024, is a 2-seater robotaxi with a 50kWh battery but I still believe this is on the larger side of what’s required for most trips,” he wrote.
With Waymo’s own numbers now proving 90% of demand fits two seats or fewer, the wheel-less, lidar-free Cybercab now looks like the smartest play in the room. The Cybercab is designed to be easy to produce, with CEO Elon Musk commenting that its product line would resemble a consumer electronics factory more than an automotive plant. This means that the Cybercab could saturate the roads quickly once it is deployed.
While the Cybercab will likely take the lion’s share of Tesla’s ride-hailing passengers, the Model 3 sedan and Model Y crossover would be perfect for the remaining 9% of riders who require larger vehicles. This should be easy to implement for Tesla, as the Model Y and Model 3 are both mass-market vehicles.
Tesla Model 3 named New Zealand’s best passenger car of 2025
Tesla starts rolling out FSD V14.2.1 to AI4 vehicles including Cybertruck
