Honda e drive by Steve Rogers
So now we know.
Come 2035 and production of petrol and diesel cars will end for good.
Joe Public won't be
able to buy a new conventional engined car after 2030 and the only exception to
electric will be hybrid or plug-in hybrid models which will have a five year
grace period until the shutters finally come down.
Honda will have all
its models electrified by next year, having decided to chop three years off its
original 2025 deadline a move that will have big consequences for its biggest
star, the Civic Type R.
Production of the current
super quick bad boy is about to end but there will be a hybrid version next
year which might not be a bad thing as electric motors boost horse power. You
can just imagine the clamour to snap up a Type R the closer we get to E Day.
For now the Japanese
company's only electric offering is the pint sized Honda e, a five door city
car with a modest range of 125 miles. A larger electric model will arrive next
year and although Honda is keeping schtum it is likely to be a Civic or HR-V
sized car. The new hybrid HR-V hits our showrooms in November, ahead of
mainland Europe which will have to wait until next year.
As for Honda e it
is ahead of its time when it comes to styling. At first sight it is a car that
looks unfinished, there are no visible door handles, and then you think 'there
is something odd here'. It has no door mirrors and the answer to that conundrum
is an even bigger surprise. Get inside and take in a new take on dashboard
design. Everything is minimalist with clean surfaces, and then there is this
strange full width black box stretching the full width of the dash. Futuristic
or what?
All becomes clear
with a press of the starter button when two 12 inch screens light up with a wing
camera screen at each end taking the place of a door mirror. It is a world
first and works perfectly well, in fact it gives a wider field of vision than a
conventional door mirror. There is also the option of a remote camera view from
the driver's mirror but I found that a bit weird and flicked to a normal view.
The main screens
provide information and plenty of connectivity options and, of course, personal
devices can be synced so you can plug your whole life into the car. It's all a
bit mind boggling at first but pretty straight forward once you get the hang of
it.
At 3895mm long
Honda e sits between a city car and supermini, or to give a bit of context a
Ford Ka and Ford Fiesta, but with rear wheel drive and the wheels plonked in
each corner it is surprisingly roomy with space for four although I would not
be planning any big holidays given the size of the boot. Shall we just say it
is good for a few shopping bags.
Like all electric cars acceleration is brisk,
even very brisk, and with 315Nm of torque on tap there are never any worries
about quick overtaking. It is not the sharpest tool in the box when it comes to
driving dynamics, wallowing slightly through sweeping bends and roundabouts but
the car is about convenience and clean motoring, not rally driving!
My test drive was
mainly around busy Surrey commuter roads and it was a case of e for easy,
relaxing and, in the main, with silent running.
For now the
stumbling block with Honda e, and every other electric car, is the price. No
matter how much kit you pack into these cars, and the Honda has a more than
generous spec, they are just too expensive and that is because volumes are
still low and they are costly to build. All we can hope is that the price gap reduces
the closer we get to 2030.
Fast facts
Honda e Advance
£31,265
Range 125 miles
Battery: 35.5kWh
Charge time 3h
30mins
0-62mph 9secs;
100mph
VED: Zero
Insurance group 29
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