Honda is taking another step towards series production of its Micro Commuter with the announcement on the introduction of a third prototype that will begin field tests this fall in the Japanese city of Saitama.

The Micro Commuter is a battery-powered vehicle very similar in philosophy and size to the Renault Twizy. It was first shown as an overly futuristic concept in Tokyo in 2011, before Honda presented a more down to earth prototype last year in November.

We only get a sketch of the rear end of the Micro Commuter Prototype β from Honda, but it does appear that the design could change once again in the third concept model of the series.

According to Honda, for the test phase, it will provide two occupant (one driver/one passenger) models, with the automaker noting that by changing the rear seat, it is possible to seat one driver and two children. For the record, the previous concept measures only 2,500mm (98.4-in.) long, 1,250mm (49.2-in.) wide and 1,445mm (56.9-in.) tall, which means that the Micro Commuter is far from being spacious…

“The testing project will particularly study the potential of a micro-sized EV in various uses including assisting the short-distance daily transportation of senior citizens and car-sharing for commuting and commercial purposes,” said Honda in a statement. “In addition, the value of a micro-sized EV for child-raising families will also be studied,” the automaker added.

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