2024 Honda Sustaina-C Concept

Honda will present its evolutionary approach towards more sustainable product design with a European preview of its latest electrified urban vehicle concepts, SUSTAINA-C Concept and Pocket Concept, at Milan Design Week, from 16 to 21 April.

Together with the SH125i "Vetro" scooter, the two Concepts will be on display to highlight that it is possible to use innovative materials and create a unique design aesthetic, while reducing the CO2 emissions generated by the production process. This is one way Honda plans to achieve carbon neutrality across all its products and operations by 2050.

As already shown at the Japan Mobility Show 2024, SUSTAINA-C Concept is an example of how society can free itself from the constraints of limited resources. The SUSTAINA-C Concept is complemented by the Pocket Concept, a compact motorcycle that can be loaded in the trunk of your car for last-mile mobility.

The panels are produced using recycled acrylic resin, coming from end-of-life optical units, to obtain external panels that do not require painting. In this way, Honda has created a unique paint-free finish that would not be possible to achieve with traditional materials.

This approach to materials allows emissions to be reduced by up to 45% during the production process, partly thanks to the use of recycled materials and partly because the panels do not require painting, a process which can account for up to 80% of emissions. CO2 generated by an automotive plant.

The model on display in Milan has black and white veins, obtained by mixing colors with different melting points in the panel mold, so as to create a marbled effect as the material is deposited inside it.

In addition to having an attractive aesthetic, vehicle panels are resistant to cracks and have the ability to return to their original shape following minor impacts; furthermore, they have high resistance to atmospheric agents and minimal degradation in sunlight.

On the back, the excellent transparency of the acrylic resin allows the tailgate of the SUSTAINA-C Concept to be printed from a single panel, which acts like the screen of a smartphone. The mini-LED display has been designed to communicate with other road users via simple text messages or images, thus offering a potential new dimension for the exterior design of vehicles of the future.

Finally, the use of acrylic resin suggests a new possible approach to the future circulation of resources. According to the project developed in partnership with Mitsubishi Chemical, tailgates extracted from end-of-life vehicles are crushed and processed before being molded into the panels of the SUSTAINA-C Concept. This is one way Honda plans to reduce resource extraction and is part of its ongoing pursuit of advanced recycling, low-carbon, economical and energy-efficient technologies and value chain creation. circulate from vehicle to vehicle.

Kento Ishii, spokesperson for SUSTAINA-C , said: “SUSTAINA-C demonstrates the possibilities we have available when we think in terms of sustainability. This not only applies to car panels, but also to components that are not visible to the exterior. Whether it's using more environmentally friendly steel for the frames or recycled materials for the interior, there are many ways to make a difference in the way we produce our vehicles. And all without compromising the aesthetics of our products, because l The use of new materials allows us to obtain a unique aesthetic and generate added value for our customers."

Honda has already found solutions to reduce CO2 emissions in the production phase here in Europe, as demonstrated by the "Glass" version of its much-loved SH125i scooter, produced in the Honda Italia Industriale plant in Atessa (Italy). "Vetro" is a special edition model, which includes distinctive semi-transparent and unpainted green fairings, the production of which allows for a 9.5% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to traditional painted fairings.

Developed in collaboration with Honda Motor in Japan, the new material is an alternative to ABS plastic, which is traditionally used for non-structural parts and components, and allows for a soft, unified bodywork and premium look.

The elegant design of the SH125i Vetro combines with its natural practicality and efficiency, as the first Honda model built in Atessa that meets the new EURO5+ emissions targets, the regulation that applies to all new models by the end of 2024. 

Marcello Vinciguerra, CEO, Honda Italia Industriale , said: "The SH125i Vetro series is an example of how small changes in the use of materials can bring concrete benefits for the environment. In our Atessa plant, we are committed to improving the efficiency of our production methods, including the reduction of emissions produced. We are therefore very pleased to be able to contribute to achieving Honda's global carbon neutrality goals through continuous product innovation and development."

Honda's reduction of CO2 emissions through the use of innovative materials, as demonstrated by the SH125i Glass series, is just one of the actions taken by Honda in Europe to contribute to the company's global goal of achieving carbon neutrality in all its products and business activities by 2050.

The heart of the mission is the "Triple Action to Zero" initiative, which includes carbon neutrality, clean energy and resource circularity; the latter, specifically, aims to circulate resources from vehicle to vehicle and to use up to 100% sustainable materials. SUSTAINA-C Concept and Pocket Concept are prime examples of what the future could look like.

Victoria Friend, Head of Product Compliance & Sustainability, Honda Motor Europe ,  said: "SUSTAINA-C Concept, Pocket Concept and SH125i Vetro represent the change we intend to make as we accelerate Honda's transition from a

business model based on mass consumption to a business model based on circularity. This cannot happen overnight. But by identifying small actions that we can take today, like those undertaken in our Atessa plant, we will be able to implement measures with an ever greater impact and achieve carbon neutrality in all our products and our corporate activities by 2050." 

Honda will be the protagonist of the "Garden of Ideas" of Vanity Fair Italia during the Milan Design Week, with its installation in the cloister of the Diocesan Museum, from 16 to 21 April. The stand's mirrored exterior walls were designed to blend harmoniously with its surroundings, and the full-width iridescent glass creates an organic, nature-rich space that highlights the sustainable themes on display.

Inside, visitors will be able to observe the three examples, as well as some examples of the production process of the SUSTAINA-C Concept, such as the path of the acrylic resin from the end-of-life tailgates to the finished vehicle panel.

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