As any teenager worth his salt can tell you, the key to passing a successful lie is to pick a story and stick with it – a lesson Honda’s new P-Nut Concept could stand to learn. Honda has a reputation for being one of the greenest manufacturers on the planet thanks to its early adoption of hybrid technology and range of low-emission, efficient offerings, which may be why the P-NUT is such a disappointment. The car’s moniker stands for Personal Neo-Urban Transport, and Honda says the city car could be powered by an efficient gasoline engine, a hybrid drivetrain or an all-electric set up. Unfortunately, the confusion over what gives the P-NUT its grunt means we’re filing this concept on the same shelf as air cars and electrolysis-based fuel-saving systems.

We understand how critical concepts are for manufacturers. The designs allow carmakers to flesh out the look of future products and gauge public reception – a factor especially important for green vehicles. But the P-NUT amounts to little more than vaporware in era when we need real solutions to our transportation woes. Let’s see Honda’s super efficient diesel engine find its way into a U.S.-spec Civic, or better yet, how about a diesel-hybrid Fit? Either would be a welcome replacement for a car Honda has no intention of building and we have no desire to buy.