Renault Zoom
The Renault Zoom was introduced at the 1992 Paris Motor Show, and was designed to be the City Car of the future. The Renault Zoom came with a number of different features that seemed lightyears away at the time including an all electric powertrain and scissor doors.
The biggest draw to the Renault Zoom however, was its ability to ‘retract’ in order to make parking a breeze, with the rear wheels being able to fold up into the bodywork, so that it was just 2.3 long when retracted! This meant that it could be parked at a right angle to the kerb, meaning that it could fit into just about any gap.
Volvo ECC
The Volvo ECC concept was launched in 1992, and designed to offer superior safety, comfort and performance, whilst being incredibly eco friendly, which is reflected in the name, as ECC stands for Environmental Concept Car. Utilising a Hybrid Powertrain, light weight aluminium construction and drag coefficient of just 0.25, meant that it was able to be incredibly fuel efficient.
The ECC concept pioneered a variety of features such as satellite navigation as we know it today, and regenerative braking, to convert the energy generated during braking into electrical energy that can be stored in the battery and used again to power the car. Ultimately, this concept culminated in the production S80, launched 6 years later.
Nissan Cocoon
During the 1980’s, the Minivan was invented, which meant that plenty of manufacturers were trying to create models that were more usable for families in order to compete. Nissan’s Cocoon Concept, launched in 1991 was no exception, with its MPV meets Estate car design, with space for up to 6 and smart features, like the boot lid, that doubles as a seat. It’s curvy design really stood out and its long wheelbase meant plenty of interior space.
The Cocoon also featured new technologies like a heads up display with built in navigation, as well as an anti sleep system, that would spray you in the face if you were getting sleepy. The design was meant to be spherical and all encompassing, like a cocoon.
Mazda MS-X
In 1997, lots of manufacturers were beginning to experiment with the idea of crossovers through their concepts, and we were on the cusp of the crossover revolution that really kicked off during the 2000’s. Mazda was no exception to this, hence the introduction of the MS-X concept. An acronym of Multipurpose Sedan, it was meant to combine a minivan and a saloon, the result being quite unusual compared to anything else. Meanwhile inside featured a futuristic, yet minimal design, which could unfold to show the screens and dials.
Honda EVX
Honda’s history with electric vehicles goes back way further than before the iconic Honda e, in fact, Honda had been toying with the idea of electric vehicles from the late 1980s. In 1993, at the Tokyo Motor Show, they introduced the EV-X concept, a fully electric city car, which was purpose built, unlike other Honda electric concepts up until this point. The concept was designed to eventually tackle California’s Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, which meant that 2% of a car manufacturer's sales must be of zero emission vehicles. This eventually lead to the introduction of Honda’s first all electric model, the EV Plus, a model that was sold in small numbers in USA.
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