Honda has set itself ambitious goals: by 2030 they want to have 30 electric cars in their range worldwide. The most recent model presentations were full hybrids, which in and of themselves are by no means bad. But nothing will work in the coming years without a fleet of electric cars, especially in China. Apart from the Honda e (test), the brand currently has nothing on offer. Unbroken worldwide, SUVs are the format that promises the highest approvals. As with the competition, it is therefore obvious for Honda to compete with a combination of compact SUV and electric drive. The Honda e:Ny1 should therefore bring together what is currently in demand.
Image of the HR-V
Externally, the brand new electric car is already familiar. Because Honda has planted the e:Ny1 in the body of the HR-V with only minor changes. With a length of around 4.34 m, it is roughly the size of a Peugeot e-2008 and considerably shorter than a Honda CR-V. Inside, the display stands out with a size of 15.1 inches, a format that many notebooks do not have. Honda moves almost the entire operation of all functions to the screen. There are almost only buttons on the steering wheel. This looks modern, but also requires the driver to be willing to familiarize himself with the menu interface for basic functions. One can hope that Honda installs a good voice control.
Clean interior with huge screen
(Image: Honda)
Power train with large battery
Honda configured the powertrain in an idiosyncratic way, at least in one detail. With 150 kW, the electric motor installed at the front is a good deal more powerful than the current Stellantis e-drive, which offers 115 kW. At 68.8 kWh, the battery is also more lavish in the Honda, but not the range. Honda promises 412 km in the WLTP, which is only marginally more than in the Peugeot e-2008. The suggested power consumption in the e:Ny1 is 18.2 kWh/100 km, well above what Stellantis promises in the cycle.
Below average charging performance
But the e:Ny1 still has a completely different problem. Honda promises that the 68.8 kWh battery can be charged from 10 to 80 percent in “just 45 minutes”. 70 percent of the storage corresponds to around 48 kWh. Without taking charging losses into account, the maximum charging power under ideal conditions is around 64 kW. This is no longer competitive in this form and for a new electric car it is a hurdle that only a few customers will probably accept. Honda will have to step up here if they want to seriously fight for significant market share. Similar large cars like Kia Niro (test), VW ID.3 or Renault Megane E-Tech – each not considered a charging hero – fill their memory much faster.
Honda has not announced any prices yet. Despite the large battery, we expect a base price of around 40,000 euros.
(Image: Honda)
Honda does not provide any information about the start of sales or prices. We expect that the e:Ny1 will be in dealerships this year and that the basic model will cost around 40,000 euros. Although it offers a slightly larger battery than most direct competitors, the high consumption, the resulting comparatively short range and, above all, the poor charging capacity must be factored in. Otherwise the e-SUV doesn’t stand a chance.
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(mfz)
