Honda E breaks cover with up to 152 HP, 137-mile range

With a number of sneak peeks in the past and a near-production prototype demonstration at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Honda prepared us for what to expect from the final mass production variant of the car.

The waiting is now over as the Japanese company has finally introduced the version of the EV that you’ll actually be able to buy from the nearby dealership.

Well, at least if you live in Europe. The E will play a major part in Honda’s plans to electrify its entire line-up and reach 100 per cent electrified sales by 2025.

The cute-as-a-button city car hasn’t changed a lot in the transition from a concept car to a production vehicle and (probably) the good news is that the study’s side cameras acting as side mirrors are here, providing live images to two six-inch screens inside the vehicle.

But, of course, there’s more good news. With a perfect 50:50 weight balance and a rear-wheel drive, the Honda E should be a blast to drive around town.

The electric motor of the car, positioned on the rear axle, will be offered in two power outputs – 136 horsepower (100 kilowatts) and 154 hp (113 kW), both with a peak torque of 232 pound-feet (315 Newton-meters). That’s enough power for a 0-62 mile per hour (0-100 kilometres per hour) acceleration in about eight seconds.

But, what’s probably more important for a zero-emission city car, the four-door E can travel up to 137 miles (220 kilometers) on a single charge of the 35.5-kWh battery. A fast-charging function allows for 80 per cent of the battery to be recharged in just about 30 minutes, providing juice for roughly 110 miles (177 km).

In terms of connectivity, the Honda E offers an intelligent interface with a dual 12.3-inch touch screen display. The highlight of the system is the Honda Personal Assistant application, which uses “unique contextual understanding to create natural conversations and provide access to a range of online services.”

Just say “OK Honda” and tell the car what’s your question or instruction. Honda already offers reservation for priority ordering online in the UK, Germany, France, and Norway.

Pricing and delivery details are not available at the moment. If you are in Frankfurt next week, you can check out the car in person at the 2019 IAA.