Honda is putting its engineering prowess to altruistic use by creating a mini electric vehicle (EV) to bring joy to young hospital patients. Known as the "Honda Shogo," this special children's vehicle will have a limited production run of 60 units and will be distributed to various hospitals across America.
The Shogo's design might ring a bell as it traces its roots back to Honda's "Project Courage," introduced in December 2021. Initially, only a single prototype was operational at the Children’s Health of Orange County (CHOC), where it remains in use. Honda has now launched an extended initiative called "Project Courage 2.0" to bring the Shogo to more pediatric patients, thanks to partnerships with its U.S. dealer network.
Built and fine-tuned by Honda's internal team of engineers, the 60 small-sized EVs are currently being assembled at the Honda Performance Development (HPD) center in California. The inaugural two units have already found homes at Riley Hospital for Children in Indiana and Akron Children’s in Ohio, with more slated for delivery in different U.S. states this autumn.
Although compact, the Shogo is rich in design elements and engineering cues borrowed from other Honda models. It comes with an open, single-seat cockpit, specially designed attachment points for medical equipment at the rear, a small front storage area dubbed the "toy bucket," easily cleanable soft-touch materials, and personalized license plates with the driver's name.
Engineers with a background in Honda racing have further fine-tuned the Shogo by incorporating several upgrades over the initial prototype. Enhancements include a revamped battery pack, a new horn, more responsive steering wheel functions, and additional parts sourced from racing vehicles. Noteworthy among these are steering shaft washers and front knuckle bearings from IndyCar, and a steering assembly borrowed from Honda-powered go-karts.
This vehicle setup enables youngsters to control acceleration, steering, and braking solely through hand movements. For added safety, the vehicle’s maximum speed can be regulated between 1-5 mph (1.6-8 km/h), and an adult supervisor can also manually guide the EV using a rear handlebar.
The aim of Honda’s initiative is to "infuse joy and levity into the lives of children in hospitals." Based on available videos, the endeavor appears successful, as young patients seem to relish driving themselves to medical appointments, adding a layer of fun to their hospital stay. The unique, yoke-shaped steering wheel adds an extra thrill, especially for those children who spend considerable time in medical facilities.
Source: Honda