Honda has revealed more details about its forthcoming likeable little retro-styled compact electric vehicle (EV). Firstly, and the most confusing of all, what is it called? The answer appears to be the Super-ONE in Japan and elsewhere, but the Super-N in the UK. Whether it’s ONE or N, the super-cute little lightweight boxy city car will launch in its home market at the end of May and in July in the UK.
And the Super Thing has a unique marketing stance: it has plug-in emission-free battery power – plus a switchable simulated gas engine experience for when you feel like a bit of old-school driving fun.
This is how it works: for normal operation, the lightweight compact trundles along with around 63 hp (47 kW) of motor power. There’s a quoted 199-mile (320-km) range for urban driving, but press the go pedal a bit more and that drops to 128 miles (206 km).
And pushing ‘go’ is what this dinky little Honda seems to be about. Press the ‘Boost’ button and the car completely switches personality. This mode activates extra horsepower, up to 94 bhp (70 kW), adds fake exhaust noise and bathes the interior in purple light. It’s as if you’re suddenly in some rally-bred hot hatch. You now even operate a simulated seven-speed gearbox with paddleshifters.
The digital triple-gauge cluster, (battery temperature, pseudo-tachometer and power gauge) also switches to mimic mechanical analog gauges in Boost mode, displaying a completely made-up virtual engine rpm. Honda says it creates "a visually stimulating experience."
It sounds as if Honda has lost its marbles but we think there’s something in this. The Super-One has a sporty streak running through it which was partially revealed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last year, when we reported how a camouflaged version of the car was seen speeding up the hill climb course.
The car may be small but it has a wider stance than previous N Series Hondas and the low central battery position gives it a remarkably low center of gravity. The weight of 2,403 lb (
1,090 kg) makes it one of the lightest passenger EVs around. Add in the performance-oriented suspension and the Super-ONE has sporty handling potential that most little EVs can only dream of. It is certainly potentially much more than a successor to the Honda e, which was discontinued in 2023.
The fake ICE experience is sort of nonsense and yet, there’s a potential marketing genius at work. We’re told the Super-ONE "embodies Honda’s commitment to the joy of driving." Not sure what Honda Jazz or Avensis Touring owners would say to that, but it’s eye-catching gimmickry that will set people talking about a product arriving into a rapidly crowding marketplace.
Rivals in this compact EV scrap will include the Renault Twingo, BYD Dolphin Surf (or Seagull), Dacia Spring, Hyundai Inster and upcoming Volkswagen ID1. Cars in this genre tend to be humdrum stripped-out functional domestic appliances but no-one could accuse this new Honda of that. It seems to have been devised with a built-in extra few cars have: a sense of humor.
The whole look of the thing is attention seeking: blister fenders encase wide tires and emphasize the low and wide stance. The aerodynamics are helped by front and rear air ducts too. And to top it off, the Super-ONE will be available in ‘Boost Violet Pearl’, a new color developed exclusively for it.
To reinforce the bipolar character inside, you get sports seats and asymmetric blue highlights. Ambient lighting bathes the dashboard in a cool blue light at night, changing to a rich purple for BOOST Mode of course. There’s nothing humdrum about the standard eight-speaker Bose Premium Sound System either. It automatically adjusts volume AND tone based on vehicle speed and includes a 13.1-liter high-capacity subwoofer in the trunk.
The Super-ONE is actually built on the lightweight platform of the N Series retro ‘Kei’ car range sold in Japan. It also takes inspiration from the 1980s City Turbo II nicknamed "Bulldog,” a high-performance hot hatch featuring a 1.2-L intercooled turbo engine in a tiny 735-kg body. It too had bold, flared-fender styling and a ‘scramble boost’ mode with extra power. The Bulldog also eccentrically featured a matching 49cc Motocompo folding scooter designed to be stored in the trunk.
All this is proving that Honda, once you step away from lawnmowers, portable generators and the Accord, seems to have a mad creative streak running through it. And that’s probably a very good thing. The compact city electric is expected to cost under £20,000 (about US$27k) when it launches in the UK shortly.
Source: Honda
