After impressing the motoring world with the Urban EV concept back in 2017, Honda has decided to take into production and showed off what it will look like.
The e Prototype is the near-finished article and will go on sale before the end of 2019 – with Honda claiming that it has taken a lot of risks with this new all-electric city car.
But what are the stand-out features on this new offering from the Japanese brand?
Wing cameras
Instead of the conventional wing mirrors you would find on a car, the e comes with cameras as standard on the sides – much like the recently released Audi e-tron SUV. The feeds from the cameras are then displayed on two screens – which we will get on to in a moment – with the driver able to move the view around just like with a mirror. The indicators are also mounted on the cameras so the car doesn’t lack the lights on the side.
Rear-view display
Honda has also replaced the rear-view mirror with a similarly-sized display that shows an unobstructed feed from a camera mounted on the back of the car. This system is beginning to be employed by manufacturers, as it allows people to fill the boot of the car up without worrying about blocking the rear window.
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Rapid-charge battery
Using the same battery pack used in the Accord PHEV from the United States, the e comes with a range over 124 miles. Not only is that similar to most of its rivals, but it allows for later versions of the production car to go further with improved technology. Honda says that the battery can go from flat to 80 per cent full in 30 minutes when connected to a rapid charger. The system is recharged by a port on the bonnet of the car.
New electric platform
The Japanese brand has developed a new chassis for the e, which Honda says could be used on future EVs up to the size of the current HR-V. Here, the electric motor is mounted on the rear axle for rear-wheel drive, but the motor could be moved up front if needed for future models.
Got a full look around the Honda E Prototype before it was officially revealed. My favourite looking EV so far - love the retro design pic.twitter.com/jJ8AU2tgem
— Jack Healy (@jack_healy19) February 27, 2019
Interior screens
The e comes with five – yes, five – screens on the dashboard to give users a widescreen effect. The two outermost displays are used to show the feeds from the wing cameras, while the one behind the steering wheel shows all the instrumentation. The remaining two are touchscreens used for the infotainment, and when the driver is concentrating on the road ahead, the passenger can look up new navigation instructions and then swipe the new route across onto the driver-side screen.
