New B-segment Honda electric SUV goes on sale in Europe next year.
This is the Honda e:Ny1 Prototype – a preview of a new car coming next year that Honda says will be ‘at the centre’ of its future line-up, highlighting the important role the production version will play in the brand’s electrification strategy. So far, it is destined for Europe and other markets are yet to announce plans.
To that end, the e:Ny1 Prototype is fully electric and it will be Honda’s second full EV in Europe, offering greater space, versatility and, more likely than not, range compared with the Honda e supermini. It will also be joined by a brand new hybrid C-segment SUV to sit between the HR-V and the CR-V.
“Coming to market in 2023, this new B-segment SUV EV will be at the centre of Honda’s future product line-up,” said Honda Europe president Katsuhisa Okuda. “Offering the unique blend of dynamics, technology and design that Honda is known for, this car will provide a great option for families looking for their first EV.”
The brand has revealed images of the prototype vehicle, suggesting that, as predicted, it is a European-market specification version of the e:NP1 and e:NS1 SUVs revealed for the Chinese market. The styling is based heavily on the SUV e:concept revealed by Honda in 2020 and the current-generation HR-V. The vehicle occupies the B-segment – so think of it as a new rival for the likes of the MG ZS EV and Hyundai Kona Electric.
No technical basis for the new car has been revealed, but senior Honda figures had previously explained to Automotive Daily that the new car would be based on an adapted version of the Honda e’s platform, stretched to incorporate a larger battery for greater range.
And that’s certainly what the Chinese market specification version of the e:Ny1 suggests. The Chinese-made e:NS1 and e:NP1 use Honda’s e:N Architecture F chassis, which is an electric platform designed for compact EVs with front-wheel-drive electric powertrains. A 68.8kWh battery is claimed with a range of up to 500km on a single charge, although homologated to Chinese market standards.
It’s not known at this stage if this will be the case for the e:Ny1, but we can almost certainly expect a better range than the Honda e supermini.
No interior shots have been revealed, but the Chinese-market cars make use of a large, 15-inch portrait central display on the dashboard as a hub for the car’s interior controls.
More will be revealed about the e:Ny1 Prototype in the coming months.
James Brodie
Keyword: Honda e:Ny1 Prototype revealed as new electric SUV