Honda’s FOS ‘Club EV’ stand celebrates electrification

‘Club EV’ embodies Honda’s ambition to have 100 per cent of European automotive powertrain sales electrified by 2025, and takes inspiration from the Honda e, the manufacturer’s all-new electric city car which will make its world dynamic debut at this year’s Festival (at the hands of Formula 1 driver Alexander Albon, no less).

The ground floor of the temporary building will guide visitors through Honda’s electrification journey; from the 1972 Civic to the 1999 hybrid Insight, and finally to today’s cutting-edge NSX, the new facelifted version of which also makes its debut at FOS. Meanwhile, the first floor of the stand will be dedicated to the ‘e’ prototype, giving Goodwood visitors an exclusive look around the innovative model via virtual reality headsets.

Representing two-wheelers is the Mugen Shinden Hachi, an electric motorcycle designed for the Isle of Man TT Zero race. Since it joined the grid in 2012 the Shinden has claimed six victories, thirteen podium-finishes and set four records around the 37.73-mile course, with Michael Rutter piloting the bike to a new lap record of 121.9mph earlier this month.

Sticking with the electric motorsport theme, there will be an F1 racing wall, complete with simulators where visitors can recreate the experience of driving an F1 car at Suzuka in Japan.

In keeping with Honda’s motto that ‘anything difficult is worth doing’, an alternative exhibit on the stand is a wobble board, which challenges visitors to beat the Honda team average of 63 seconds. The stand will also feature classic games from the 1970s, including Space Invaders and Asteroids, and a game themed around Who Wants to be a Millionaire, which was at peak popularity in 1999 when the Insight was originally launched.

Speaking of the stand, Dave Hodgetts, managing director of Honda UK, commented: “Honda has been a sponsor of the Goodwood Festival of Speed for over 20 years and we have continually brought something new for visitors to see over the years. This year is no different as we now turn our attention to electrification and the arrival of the new Honda e next year. Our stand this year is called Club EV – a destination for future thinking motoring enthusiasts that showcases the joy of going electric and focuses on our electrification journey, welcoming all visitors to the electric vehicle club!”

Away from Honda’s electrification story, 2019 marks 60 years of Honda Racing. In order to tell the tale of Honda’s two-wheeled racing heritage, five famous motorcycles will take to the 1.16-mile Hillclimb, from the manufacturer’s premier TT entry, the 1959 RC142, to the present day RC213V on which Marc Marquez won the World Championship last year. Five-time World Champion Mick Doohan will pilot a 1989 NSR500 up the Hill, while a pair of 2019 Honda Racing CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2s will complete the cohort. Prolific TT riders, including 16-time Honda winner John McGuinness, Ian Hutchinson and Manxman Conor Cummins will also be in attendance.

Meanwhile, the very-much-petrol-powered famed McLaren-Honda MP4/4, one of the most successful F1 cars ever, which won 15 out of the 16 races in the 1988 season, will speed past the crowds.

Photography provided by Honda and Motorsport Images.