Honda e has a claimed driving range of 300 km on a single charge and it has a compact design targetting city customers
Honda showcased the Urban EV concept in 2017 and it was followed by the Sports EV concept that was also displayed at the 2018 Indian Auto Expo. When the close-to-production Honda e Prototype broke covers in 2019, it was easy to see what the brand was trying to achieve it. Amidst its retro charm, the simplistic nature of the road-going version blended well into the modern EV tech.
The Japanese manufacturer’s first all-electric car for global markets was released in the Old Continent a few days ago as it targets customers that primarily look for a small city runaround. With its conventional attire, the Honda e will appeal to the masses due to its range capabilities and efficient nature by being a small and compact hatchback.
The design of the Honda e harks back to the ’60s and is priced at around 33,000 euros (Rs. 28.91 lakh approximately) and it will compete against the Renault Zoe. Honda says the e has been engineered to have accurate and sharp handling characteristics and the side mirrors are replaced by interior displays to avoid damage. It also has a full-width digital dashboard with five integrated high-res color screens.
Honda has limited the availability of the e hatchback to the European continent and Japan and a total of 10,000 units has been targeted annually. In its home market of Japan, Honda aims to sell 1,000 units of the e hatchback over the course of twelve months and it will also be retailed for ride hailing services. It will go on sale in a couple of months’ time in the intended markets.
Measuring less than four metres in length, Honda is said to be prioritizing compactness with the e hatchback for the betterment of city maneuverability. Honda’s Japanese compatriots such as Toyota, Nissan and Mazda are already making moves in the EV space but the approach with the e hatch is rather unique.
It has a claimed driving range of 300 km on a single charge and it is the first step into Honda’s aim of electric vehicles and hybrids contributing to two-thirds of the worldwide sales by 2030.