Honda e Electric (Hatchback): The Complete Electric Car Buying Guide For India

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Electric Cars: The Basics

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For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:

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The All-Electric Honda e Hatchback

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Honda Motor Company is a leading global manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles and power equipment. The company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Honda is the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer. The company is also the 7th largest automotive manufacturer in the world, with an annual production of over 5.2 million vehicles. Honda has won strong loyalty from its customers, given the reliability of its cars. Models like the Honda Civic and the Honda CR-V crossover have helped establish the company enviable reputation for reliability.

Honda is strongly committed to the development and manufacturer of plug-in electric vehicles, and has an ambition to achieve two-thirds of its global sales from zero-tailpipe emission electric vehicles. The company currently has the following portfolio of electric vehicles (EVs):

• All-electric Honda e (BEV)
• All-electric Honda e:Ny1 (BEV)

The all-electric Honda e-prototype car is based on the Honda Urban EV concept.  The Urban EV concept made its debut at the 2017 International Motor Show, in Germany. It is Honda’s first mass-market all-electric car. Honda is ramping up its commitment to electrification with all new Honda’s in Europe to be electrified by 2025.  

An adorable, cute, clean and simple design. The premium compact battery-electric vehicle (BEV), minimalist design has been inspired by the first-generation Honda Civic. Positioned primarily for driving in urban environments, with a range that is appropriate for shorter commutes. Honda is targeting urban commuter that drives up to 50 km a day. Also, do keep in mind that the majority of day-to-day car journeys are short i.e. to the grocery store, school-runs, local high street, work etc.

The pure electric Honda e is built on a dedicated platform. It is available in only one EV battery size (35.5 kWh). The automotive manufacturer has been keen to stress that urban needs do not require a larger EV battery, and by reducing the size of the onboard battery, the weight of the EV is lower i.e. resulting in a more efficient electric car.

Honda claims a zero-emission electric range up to 222 km. Real-world range will be lower, impacted by a number of factors, to include: driving profile, weather, road condition, tyre size, onboard services used and more. An EV range closer to 190 km is more realistic. Of course, the EV also incorporates regenerative braking to improve efficiency and electric range.

The Honda electric car can be fast charged up to 50 kW DC. The EV can be charged up to 80% in 31 minutes and incorporates a 6.6 kW AC onboard charger. The Honda electric car can be fully charged in 4.1 hours via a dedicated single-phase EV charger like myenergi zappi. Though the EV can be charged via a domestic 3-PIN plug, we at e-zoomed do not encourage using a domestic plug for charging an electric car. The EV will take up to 18.8 hours to fully charge via a 3-PIN socket.

In terms of performance, the real-wheel drive Honda e is respectable. The zero-tailpipe emission electric car can achieve 0-100 km/h in 8.3 seconds. The maximum power available is 154 ps with 315 Nm torque. The top speed is 145 km/h. More than sufficient for urban driving.

The interior of the Honda-e is minimalistic, technology-filled and good quality. The EV incorporates two 12.3″ LCD touchscreens across the dashboard. The dashboard also features a side camera mirror system (6″) at each end (replaces conventional door mirrors) and a centre camera mirror system. Also on offer are a host of safety features, to include: collision mitigation brake system, intelligent speed limiter, traffic sign recognition system, lane keeping assist, smart entry & start and more.

Despite the compact size of the EV, practicality for passengers is reasonable. Though the boot space is limited to 171 L, it is suitable for urban needs. Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet! The Honda e electric car is not available in India.

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PROS	CONS
Perfect for city driving. Easy to drive and park (impressive turning radius)	Expensive compared to other BEV city cars on the market
Sufficient range for city dwellers	Only available in one EV battery size
Technology-filled EV	Electric range not as impressive as some competitors

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The All-Electric Honda e Hatchback (credit: Honda)

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At A Glance
EV Type:	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)
Vehicle Type:	Hatchback
Engine:	Electric
Available In India:	No

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Trims (1 Option)
Honda e (from ₹ N/A)

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EV Battery & Emissions
EV Battery Type:	Lithium-ion
EV Battery Capacity:	Available in one battery size: 35.5 kWh
Charging:	50 kW DC rapid charging (up to 80%: 31 mins). Onboard charger 6.6 kW AC (0%-100%: 4.1 hrs)
Charge Port:	Type 2
EV Cable Type:	Type 2
Tailpipe Emissions:	0g (CO2/km)
Battery Warranty:	8 years or 160,000 km

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Charging Times (Overview)
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW):	6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC)
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW):	3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging AC (43 kW):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+):	0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW):	0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)

• Note 1: SoC: state of charge

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Dimensions
Height (mm):	1512
Width (mm):	1752
Length (mm):	3894
Wheelbase (mm):	2538
Turning Radius (m):	4.3
Boot Space (L):	171

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Honda e Advance
EV Battery Capacity:	35.5 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):	222 km
EV Operation Efficiency (kWh/100km):	17.2 kWh
Charging:	50 kW DC rapid charging (up to 80%: 31 mins). Onboard charger 6.6 kW AC (0%-100%: 4.1 hrs)
Top Speed:	145 km/h
0-100 km/h:	8.3 seconds
Drive:	Rear-wheel drive (RWD)
Electric Motor (kW):	100
Max Power (PS):	154
Torque (Nm):	315
Transmission:	Automatic
Seats:	4
Doors:	5
Kerb Weight (kg)	1,520 – 1,543
Colours:	5
NCAP Safety Rating:	Four-Star

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Electric Vehicles (EVs): Top Jargons

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Despite the increased visibility of EVs in India, the vocabulary (jargon) used in electric driving is still new to consumers. In fact, for many, it can seem daunting and confusing. We have therefore put below some of the more commonly used terms in the EV glossary, to give you an easier introduction to electric driving in India!

Glossary: Electric Vehicles (EVs)
Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV):	What is a BEV? A battery-electric vehicle (BEV) is more commonly referred to as a pure electric car. A BEV is ‘pure’, in that, the vehicle only uses electric power for propulsion i.e. a BEV does not have an internal combustion engine (ICE). It is easy to recognise these zero-tailpipe emission green cars, as these vehicles are silent (except for the artificial noise), and do not have a tailpipe!
Frunk:	What is a frunk? Though a frunk is not a new term, its availability is becoming more widespread with the development of electric vehicles (EVs). A frunk is a storage space/ compartment/ trunk in the front of a vehicle, rather than the rear. In the case of pure electric cars, given that these vehicles do not have an onboard internal combustion engine (ICE), there is space for a frunk. It is worth noting that a frunk is usually much smaller than a trunk, and in EVs, a good space for storing the EV cable.
Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicles (MHEVs):	What is a MHEV? Mild hybrids use both an internal combustion engine (ICE) and an electric motor. These cars are also known as ‘self-charging hybrids’. The vehicle uses regenerative braking (recuperated electric energy) to improve the fuel efficiency and to reduce tailpipe emissions (CO2 g/km). However, mild hybrids cannot be charged by an external power source, like an EV charger.
Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV):	What is a PHEV? Like a MHEV, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) aims to increase the fuel efficiency and reduce tailpipe emissions. However there is much difference between a PHEV and a MHEV. A PHEV has a more powerful electric motor and a larger onboard EV battery. In a PHEV, the electric motor and onboard EV battery are also used to propel the electric vehicle. Moreover, a PHEV battery is charged by using an external power source, like a dedicated EV charger.
Regenerative Braking:	What is regenerative braking? Also known as regen braking or brake recuperation, regenerative braking is a process of capturing the wasted energy (during braking) from an electric vehicle, to be reused (recycled). In the case of electric driving, the ‘captured’ energy is reused to increase the pure electric range of the EV.

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While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.

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