Honda, If You’re Reading, We Really Want The E EV in India!

• The company is using case studies to determine the electric vehicle (EV) for India.
• It could electrify an existing vehicle or introduce an all-new model line.
• Honda e hatchback is under 4 metres long and has a claimed range of 219km.
• The e comes with active safety features and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).

Honda India has important cars lined-up for 2020 including the new Honda City and the updated Jazz. Both these cars will offer hybrid powertrains globally. However, since the Indian government incentivises only electric vehicles (EVs) and not hybrids, the Japanese carmaker wants to add an EV to its lineup here. It is unclear what the vehicle will be or when it will arrive, but we do know from a Honda R&D engineer that the pretty little Honda e hatchback is on the probables’ list. Prices in the UK start from the equivalent of Rs 24 lakh. That’s a tall ask for a hatchback, as it is in the same range as the Hyundai Kona EV and the estimated price tag of the upcoming MG ZS EV in India. But hey, we will make an exception for a car this good looking and, um, also to save the planet. No? 

The Honda Urban EV concept was first shown at the International Motor Show in Germany in 2017. It had a retro design based on the second-generation Honda Civic hatchback, which was produced between 1979 and 1983. The production-ready car displayed at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show adopted a more conventional four-door hatchback body shape. It features rear-view cameras (no ORVMS) on the outside, and a dashboard with five screens including two 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreens. 

The electric city car is one of the many options that Honda is contemplating. “We have been thinking of many different approaches on how to meet that demand,” said Kohei Hitomi, the R&D Chief Engineer, who divulged the news. The company could also introduce an electric powertrain to a vehicle it currently manufactures in India. Honda tried that in December 2017 with the Brio EV, but we never saw the fruits of that experiment. The company could use relaxed import norms and incentives on EVs to test the waters with a completely built unit (CBU) of an internationally sold EV. And that vehicle is the Honda e.  

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Based on a dedicated rear-motor, rear-wheel-drive, ground-up electric car platform, the Honda e’s drivetrain isn’t exactly transferable to other Honda vehicles. It makes 136PS of power and 315Nm of torque; the e Advance trim makes 152PS of power and 315Nm of torque. A 35.5kWh battery gives the e a claimed range of 218km. The car is capable of DC fast charging at up to 100kW. Safety features such as collision mitigation braking, road departure warning, and Lead Car Departure Notification System are standard. Blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are available on the more powerful Advance trim. The e is also likely to retain its driver assistance features such as lane keeping assist and adaptive cruise control with low speed following. The Advance trim also adds Honda Parking Pilot to the mix. 

Honda will start selling the e in international markets from early next year. Starting prices are quoted on the UK website as GBP 26,160 for the 136PS e, and GBP 18,660 for the e Advance, the equivalent of Rs 24 lakh and Rs 26.28 lakh respectively. If launched, the Honda e would not only compete with the Hyundai Kona electric SUV and the upcoming MG ZS EV, but also with other long-range electric hatchbacks such as the upcoming Tata Altroz EV and Mahindra XUV300 EV.

Source: The Economic Times