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Honda 3R-C is part motorcycle, part Segway, all weird

Someone at Honda's been watching too much 'Akira,' because the automaker's latest electric vehicle concept looks a lot like the main character Kaneda's bike with training wheels.

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Antuan Goodwin Reviews Editor / Cars
Antuan Goodwin gained his automotive knowledge the old fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway and picking up speeding tickets. From drivetrain tech and electrification to car audio installs and cabin tech, if it's on wheels, Antuan is knowledgeable.
Expertise Reviewing cars and car technology since 2008 focusing on electrification, driver assistance and infotainment Credentials
  • North American Car, Truck and SUV of the Year (NACTOY) Awards Juror
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Antuan Goodwin
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Honda 3R-C concept
Honda bringing three-wheeled concept to Geneva Honda

Someone at Honda's been watching too much "Akira," because the automaker's latest electric vehicle concept looks a lot like the main character Kaneda's bike with training wheels.

Honda 3R-C concept with rider
With a driver behind the wheel, the RC-3's smallish size is more apparent. Honda

Created by Honda's research-and-design facility in Milan, the 3R-C concept is an inverted trike that is powered by a battery electric drive train and seats a single passenger. When parked, the driver's seat and controls are covered by a clear canopy for added security and protection from the elements. This canopy rises and slides forward to become a windshield when the vehicle is in motion, protecting the driver from wind, debris, and a face full of bugs.

The electric drive train and its accompanying battery pack are mounted below the driver, somewhere between the vehicle's three wheels. This has the advantage of freeing up a reasonably sized storage space in front of the seating position and lowering the vehicle's center of gravity for better stability. However, as an urban transport concept with a high seating position, we don't think that the 3R-C is built for high speed cornering.

The 3R-C will be displayed at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show alongside the likes of the EV-N concept and the P-NUT concept.