Honda thinks small for new EV
Honda has decided smaller is better for its first mass-produced all-battery car, even though many of its rivals are focusing on sedans and SUVS when creating new electric vehicles (EVs).
The Honda e is a compact model meant solely for city driving and delivers 220km per charge, according to the marque.
Tomofumi Ichinose, chief engineer of the Honda e, says: “Most EVs use large capacity batteries, but often, much of that capacity goes unused during city driving.
“We question whether larger vehicles are appropriate for urban areas, and believe that smaller is a better option for cities.”
The approach contrasts with Tesla, whose Model 3 sedan dominates the EV market, and other marques that focus on SUVs with driving ranges of more than 500km.
The two-door Honda e, which was launched in Europe in August 2020 and will go on sale in Japan from late October, has a price tag of about €33,000 (NZ$58,700).
Honda expects annual sales of about 10,000 in Europe and 1,000 in Japan, reports Reuters.
