Honda ALPHA – that’s what the Japanese carmaker’s first EV for India will be called. Based on the 0 Alpha concept, the midsize electric SUV will make its global debut in India on December 2. The Honda ALPHA will be manufactured in India at the brand’s Tapukara plant in Rajasthan, which is also expected to serve as its global production base. It is the first model where Honda India is using the new H logo, which has already been adopted by the brand globally.
- Honda ALPHA SUV expected to be offered with two battery pack options
- India is likely to be the global production base for the model
- ALPHA SUV will rival the likes of Creta Electric and Sierra EV
Honda ALPHA: What we know so far
Technical details are limited for now, but the Honda ALPHA will likely offer two LFP battery pack options, with capacities likely ranging between 65kWh and 75kWh. At launch, the SUV is expected to get a single-motor, front-wheel-drive layout.
Spy shots of the pre-production test mules have hinted that the SUV will retain the radical shape of the 0 Alpha concept. Its design is unlike any current Honda model, with a near-vertical rear end and a very thick C-pillar. It has a large windscreen at the rear, while the lower section has a protruding bumper. The front nose section is expected to house an illuminated Honda logo and the charging port.
When Honda unveiled the 0 Alpha concept last year, it said the design was already close to production. The quasi-MPV-like shape could work as a unique proposition for the ALPHA SUV, similar to how the Mahindra BE 6’s radical design was one of its biggest draws.
An earlier sighting of a camouflaged test vehicle also gave us a look at the interior. The main highlight is a large touchscreen, with a relatively smaller digital driver’s display to its right. The cabin also gets a three-spoke, flat-bottom steering wheel with paddleshifters. The centre console has several physical buttons, seemingly for functions such as climate control and ventilated seats. This upcoming SUV could have a wheelbase of around 2,700-2,800mm, with a focus on maximising interior space. Its upright tailgate also hints at good luggage space.
The ALPHA SUV will mark Honda’s entry into the burgeoning midsize electric SUV segment and will be a hugely important model for the brand in India. The fact that Honda chose India for the model’s global debut is a testament to that. It will rival midsize electric SUVs such as the Mahindra BE 6, Hyundai Creta Electric, Tata Sierra EV, Maruti e Vitara and Toyota Ebella.