HONDA e: Ny1
IT’S more than three years since Honda launched its first pure-electric model in the UK, the pint-sized e. Now the firm has ambitious electrification plans, and the push to zero-emissions motoring will really kick in with this new crossover, the e:Ny1.
Pronounced “e-en-why-one”, the complex badge will adorn a model with a relatively simple mission statement, because the e:Ny1 is clearly designed to pull customers of the conventional Civic hatchback and HR-V SUV, particularly younger families, into all-electric motoring. It has typical Honda design cues, albeit with a smooth nose that houses the centrally mounted charging port and a new EV-specific badge treatment that has the Honda logo in white.
The model is based on a new all-electric platform that sits in parallel with the underpinnings of the HR-V, and it shares that car’s wheelbase, at 2,610mm. The overall length is 4,390mm, making the e:Ny1 a few centimetres longer overall than Peugeot’s e-2008. The boot capacity is 346 litres, around 10 per cent larger than the current HR-V’s load bay.
Under the skin, the e:Ny1 is front-wheel drive and has a single spec of motor, with 201bhp and 310Nm of torque. Honda says the usable battery capacity is 62kWh, and that the e:Ny1 can travel more than 249 miles between charges.
Charging speeds look relatively modest by modern standards, with a maximum DC rate of 78kW. Honda claims that’s enough to take the battery from 10 to 80 per cent of charge in 45 minutes, or to add 62 miles in 11 minutes. Subtle lighting hidden beneath the leading edge of the bonnet will sweep from left to right to indicate charging, flash if there’s a charging fault and then ‘wink’ goodbye when the cable is removed.
Inside, there’s more technology on show than you’ll find in Honda’s combustion powered offerings. The e’s full-width display isn’t present, though; instead, there’s a 10.25-inch digital instrument panel and a 15.1-inch portrait touchscreen that has three distinct zones within its interface. The top section is for navigation and smartphone systems, the centre is for audio and EV functions, and the bottom area contains the climate controls. The system supports wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, and users can also interact with the car through their smartphone via the My Honda+ app.
The e:Ny1 is due on sale in late summer, with first deliveries expected just before the end of the year. There’s no word yet on the range structure or pricing, but based on the positioning and battery capacity of the existing Honda e, the new arrival is likely to be noticeably more expensive. It should enter the increasingly busy all-electric SUV market at around £45,000.