Honda took to the track back in July, with an electric four-door kei car called the Super EV. Now it looks like the concept has gone into production, as the company launches the compact N-One e: city car on its home turf.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the production model has lost much of its Goodwood track flair, but we now have more of a complete picture of what to expect from the little city runabout.
This latest vehicle follows the introduction of the N-Van e: for corporate customers a few years ago. But it's based on the non-electric N-One model – which was inspired by the Honda N360 launched in 1967 – though with some EV-specific tweaks, including cleaner lines and more curves to the fenders and tail.
"While the exterior design follows the characteristics of the previous N-One, it has a plump, high-quality roundness, a smooth texture that makes you want to stroke it, and an adorable face that makes you want to spend every day with it," said Honda's Hidetomo Hotta. "I believe we have created a car that you will grow to love as your daily partner."
The round headlights of the concept have made it through to production, with the same upper eyelid-like appearance thanks to part of the upper curve being sacrificed to the hood. The head- and tail-lights are also surrounded by daytime-running LED rings.
The N-One e: features a slim 29.6-kWh under-floor battery, which is said to offer a per-charge WLTC cruising range of 295 km (183 miles), which isn't too shabby for such a small EV. The charging port is positioned to the front, with standard charging taking around 4.5 hours but fast-charging is also supported. Should you have juice to spare, the battery architecture allows for vehicle-to-home applications up to 1,500 watts.
Though there doesn't appear to be mention of a top speed, Honda does note that the car is capable of highway speeds. The vehicle is reported to be the first Honda mini car to come with single-pedal control, where acceleration, slowing down and stopping can all be undertaken using one pedal. This is activated by a dedicated button, and there's a regular brake pedal too for those who prefer not to drive this way.
As with other kei cars, the N-One e: has compact dimensions that cater for improved maneuverability in crowded city streets, as well a parking ease. There are four doors for access plus a trunk hatch, with the car's adult-sized occupants promised a fairly comfortable journey despite the limited external proportions. And the rear seats can be folded down to extend the cargo space, or tipped up to accommodate taller items.
An e:L edition comes with a 9-inch touchscreen interface for EV metrics and navigation, but folks who mainly drive the same familiar route can opt for the e:G version – which rolls without this panel. Naturally the driver still gets an instrument cluster, and can still play music over Bluetooth, as well as access physical controls.
A rather squat hood helps the driver better gauge the distance from the vehicle in front. Honda's driver support technologies are included, such as adaptive cruise control, collision avoidance tech, sign recognition, lane-keeping assist, auto high beam and traffic jam assist. Owners can also subscribe to Honda's free Total Care package, which will allow for some remote functionality via a smartphone app. Additional features are available to e:L owners for a monthly fee.
And finally, the front grille is fashioned from recycled bumpers from end-of-life Honda vehicles, and other eco-conscious nods include a trim made from plant-derived bio-resin and carpets from recycled materials such as plastic bottles.
The basic e:G model doesn't support fast-charging and lacks the touchscreen for JPY 2,699,400 (which converts to about US$18,280). The more premium e:L variant with fast-charging, touch interface, aluminum wheels and so on comes in at JPY 3,198,800 (~US$21,660). We've no word on international availability, but the appearance of the Super EV concept at Goodwood is suggestive.
Source: Honda (in Japanese)
