The Honda JV-X Was A Concept Billed As The World’s First Hybrid Supercar – SlashGear

The J-VX wasn’t weighed down by conventional electric batteries either. Instead, it was outfitted with what Honda called an “ultra-capacitor” that stored all the electricity from which the IMA system could pull. This setup allowed the sports car to go about 62 miles on a little less than a gallon of gas (via Old Concept Cars).

The interior was so devoid of accouterments that the only feature worth noting is Honda’s Air-Belt system, seen for the first time in the J-VX. Upon impact, the shoulder and chest pads on the four-point harness would inflate to protect passengers from painful abrasions and general bruising (via Old Concept Cars).

If it looks familiar, it should. The almost identical GRX concept was in development in Honda America’s Torrance Design Studio at about the same time, with one big difference: it ran a 1500cc six-cylinder engine from Honda’s Gold Wing motorcycle (via conceptcarz.com). Both concepts helped spawn the production line of Insight hybrid vehicles (via Top Gear) two years later.

Honda America dusted off the GRX in 2006 and entered it in the Michelin Challenge Design at the North American International Auto Show, leading to confusion about these cars. This version was apparently spruced up with a spoiler, scissor doors, and in one account (via Top Gear), a vastly different 1.5-liter engine. Others contend it still had the 1500cc bike engine (via Motor Trend).

Whatever the case, it again proves that the role of concepts is integral to the development of the cars we see on the road every day.