Honda might have taken some time to launch its first mainstream electric car in the UK, but it’s ensuring that it won’t be going unnoticed.
Named the ‘e’, this new urban EV is set to cause a stir for several reasons. First and foremost, there are its quirky looks, which will draw many buyers in. But this car is also a technological masterclass, featuring pieces of tech not yet seen on a car of this size.
Honda has already had nearly 10,000 expressions of interest for the e – even before the production car has been unveiled. Here’s why the ‘e’ is set to become the most talked-about EV…
Impressive levels of tech
When the Honda e launches shortly, this will be one of the very first production cars to be fitted with camera-based wing mirrors – just the first astonishing piece of kit fitted to this EV.
These are both smaller and lighter than traditional bulky wing mirrors, and also reduce blind spots, too, as they are able to portray a broader sense of vision.
Images from the cameras are relayed live onto both sides of the dashboard on screens and will be easy for drivers to adjust to. As for the cabin, the entire width of the dash is covered in five touchscreens – the first production model to feature an interior like this.
It promises to be great fun to drive
Electric cars often bring great amusement behind the wheel – thanks to the seamless torque delivery – but the e, especially, is a model promising to deliver when it comes to driving pleasure. The battery is located low to the vehicle floor, giving the car a low sense of gravity, which will improve the handling of the model. It’s also going to be rear-wheel-drive – a trait of most sports cars.
It will also offer a low weight for an EV – adding to this sense of fun – while Honda is also fitting a ‘Sport’ mode, which boosts performance further.
The ideal city car
With cities increasingly looking to clamp down on pollution and promote cleaner modes of transport – including EVs – the e is exactly the right car of these built-up areas.
The e’s 124-mile electric range is not going to win any awards, but with this being a car aimed for the city market, that won’t be of much concern to owners. Fast charging also enables the 35.5kWh battery to be topped up to 80 per cent in just 30 minutes, meaning that even if the driver has nowhere to charge at home, they can quickly top-up the e during their lunchbreak or while out shopping.
Its dinky dimensions are also ideal for tight streets, while the turning circle is absolutely incredible at just 4.3 metres. That’s half that of most conventional city cars.
Distinctive styling
Many label modern cars as “all looking the same” but the e’s distinctive styling certainly proves that theory incorrect. The model has a unique matching signature at the front and rear, with two round lights being surrounded by a glass panel at each end of the vehicle. The digital wing mirrors are also a somewhat bold feature, as the only other production car you would find them on today is the Audi e-tron.
Bold colour options such as a luminous yellow will also ensure this car doesn’t go unnoticed.
So far, we’ve only seen the Honda e in ‘prototype form’, albeit the production model will be more or less unchanged from the car we’ve seen so far. The road car will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month.
If you can’t wait that long, you can also reserve your car today through the Honda website.
