SPY PICS: Honda Urban EV moves closer to reality

These spy photos show that Honda's BMW i3 rival, so far known as the Urban EV, will remain relatively true to the concept car that wooed the crowds at last year's Frankfurt and Geneva motor shows.

While this first real-world glimpse of the upcoming Honda EV reveals that, rather than being a four-seat three-door, it will be a five-seat five-door, the concept's boxy but immensely appealing shape will be replicated – with some concessions to production realities.

Some concessions. Though the test mule pictured here shows evidence of the endearingly boxy concept's squared-off, chopped-and-channelled, MINI-roofed look – complete with oversize wheels, perky round headlights and squared-off tail-lights – it's all been pared back to more conventional proportions.

Appearing to be at odds with the concept's ultra-thin A- and B-pillars, the test mule's general rounding-off is particularly evident in the roofline, windscreen surrounds and rear windows –which, we kind of hope, won't affect the positive emotional responses to the show car.

The Urban EV Concept – which was quoted as being shorter overall than the Honda Jazz and of a similar size to the original 1973 Honda Civic – also featured a stunning interior with a massive wide-angle dash display that continued through to the doors, where it included camera-fed rear-view screens. It's unknown whether the system will appear on production models.

So far little is known of the Urban EV's electrified mechanicals other than it will use a high-density lightweight battery pack and will offer energy transfer not just to, but also from the vehicle.

Talking to Britain's CAR magazine, Honda CEO Takahiro Hachigo gave clues to plans for the upmarket Urban EV when he said the company is "Going to create a dedicated EV platform for the Urban EV. This is city commuter-sized vehicle, so a small segment car.

"The Urban EV will be your close friend as a city commuter. We will connect the driver to the car with artificial intelligence – people will have fun driving this car. The model will change the image of Honda and present our determination to electrify our cars in Europe.

"We will position these EVs as iconic cars for the Honda brand because they present our intention to accelerate electrification."

Given Honda -- once a hybrid pioneer in Australia -- currently offers no hybrid let alone pure-electric models Down Under, and has no plans to offer any (perhaps apart from the next Accord in late 2019), Australians might not have access to the funky battery-powered retro-hatch any time soon.