Honda’s Upcoming Compact EV Will Have A 200km+ Range

The compact EV is the first-ever electric vehicle from Honda to be developed on a dedicated electric platform

• The Honda e will use a relatively compact 35.5kWh battery pack.

• It will have a claimed range of over 200km on a single charge.

• 150PS/300Nm electric motor drives the rear wheels.

• It will also feature fast charging (0-80 per cent in 30 minutes).

• The Honda e will first go on sale in Europe later this year.

Honda has revealed that its first ground-up attempt at a fully electric vehicle will be ready before the end of the year. Dubbed the Honda e, it is based on a completely new EV platform. The prototype version of the Honda e was shown at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show.

The Honda e’s styling is reminiscent of compact Japanese cars from the past. However, contemporary touches like modern lights and its minimalistic design highlight its modern roots while also giving it a neo-retro look. The platform it is based on will underpin future EVs from Honda.

The Honda e will pack a 150PS electric motor delivering torque in excess of 300Nm! It will come with a 35.5kWh battery pack that will deliver a claimed range of over 200km. It will be offered with both a regular AC charger as well as a fast charger. Using the fast charger, the Honda e’s battery can be charged from zero to 80 per cent in just 20 minutes. The all-electric hatch will feature a rear-wheel drive setup as its electric motor is mounted at the rear. 

It also gets a single pedal control system similar to what we’ve seen in the India-bound Nissan Leaf EV. It will enable the driver to accelerate and slow the car using only the accelerator pedal. When the accelerator pedal is depressed the car will accelerate as normal. And when it is released, automatic regenerative braking kicks in, slowing the car down to a halt.

The neatly integrated charging socket on the bonnet has a visible LED light that can show the driver the status of charging. Dual touchscreens inside the car also show this information along with other key stats of the powertrain. 

While India’s EV market is still in its nascent stage, it is set to expand in the near future with many EVs set to be launched here soon. Almost all carmakers in India are in the process of testing and introducing electric vehicles in the country. And with the government set to introduce CAFE norms in India, it will become even more imperative for carmakers to shift towards hybrid or electric technology. 

Maruti Suzuki has been testing the electric WagonR while Hyundai will soon be launching the Kona Electric in India. Premium carmakers like Audi are also planning to introduce fully-electric vehicles here. It unveiled the e-tron, an all-electric SUV, in India, recently. So it’s not hard to imagine that Honda might look to introduce the Honda e in India in the future.