Honda’s electric advance starts from the bottom, a choice opposite to that of almost all other car manufacturers. After the 390 cm long Honda E that has already been on the market for some time, the 438 cm e:Ny1 will arrive within the year. It is a brand new SUV with which the house from the Rising Sun intends to colonize Europe, probably start from the northern one where zero-emission mobility finds more fertile ground. With 5 doors and 5 seats, the e:Ny1, an acronym that won’t necessarily be easy to memorize, has a wheelbase of 2.61 metres, just 8 centimeters more than the A-segment model.
Honda e, the test – «The electric car of 2030» ten years in advance
Also thanks to the panoramic roof, the cabin is airy and offers plenty of headroom. Standing out on the dashboard is a 15.1-inch diagonal tablet-format screen positioned vertically, the influence of which on visibility will be evaluated when driving on the road: the test is scheduled for the summer, naturally in Norway. The model exhibited in Offenbach also convinces with the quality of the materials and finishes, but only in a few months will we know what will be standard and what will not.
Honda has chosen a different path from the competition also as regards the lines, with a front that bears practically no resemblance to other models, much less to that of the other electric compact.
The decision to start from the lower segments is almost “philosophical”, because Honda has decided to be rational and ask itself which will be the most widespread environment for electric vehicles: the manufacturer believes that it will be the urban one and the contained proportions can adapt well. But when it comes to cars, consumers take into consideration other parameters, including that of autonomy, even though they may very rarely use the car for long journeys.
In any case, with its 68.8 kWh battery (62 net) the e:Ny1 is presented with an important range, up to 412 kilometers in the Wltp approval cycle. The accumulator can be recharged from 10% to 80% in 45 minutes through the socket inserted in the front of the openable grille: the Japanese company has favored the slower refueling option to safeguard the accumulator. Transmission, power electronics and electric unit with 204 HP and 310 Nm of torque are integrated.
The Japanese SUV is front-wheel drive, the one envisaged by the new global architecture characterized by high rigidity, a low center of gravity and by what is presented as an “accurate management of underbody aerodynamics”. The Honda e:Ny1 will be marketed throughout Europe by the end of the year and in Italy it will arrive with a conceivable price range between 45,000 and 50,000 euros, or at least 5,000 more than the Honda E.
