Honda Malaysia will launch its first electric vehicle (EV) in Malaysia very soon and they have confirmed that the Honda e:N 1 will be their first BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) model. The fully electric SUV is currently being showcased at KLIMS 2024, and this is essentially a fully electrified Honda HR-V.
There’s no indicative pricing yet and the EV specs of the e:N 1 is quite similar to the BYD Atto 3 in terms of motor and range.
The Honda e:N 1 is a B-segment SUV and for our region, it is currently assembled in Thailand. While it has an exterior that’s identical to the current HR-V, it is built on an e:N Architecture F. The front features MacPherson Strut with Stabiliser Bar while the rear uses Torsion Beam suspension.
In China, the same SUV is offered as a Honda e:NS1 that’s offered by DongFeng Honda and Honda e:NP1 from GAC Honda. Meanwhile, in the UK, it is sold as the Honda e:Ny 1.
Honda e:N 1 key specs and features
The Honda e:N 1 comes with a single motor driving the front axle and it pushes 150kW (201hp) and 310Nm of torque. It comes with a 68.8kWh Lithium Ion battery and it has a NEDC-rated range of up to 500km on a single charge.
According to the UK spec sheet, this fully electric SUV can do 0 to 100km/h in 7.6 seconds up to a top speed of 160km/h. For a more realistic range figure, the EV has a WLTP-rated range of up to 412km on a single charge.
In terms of charging, it comes with a 11kW three phase AC onboard charger and it also supports DC fast charging of up to 77kW. On paper, 10-80% charge via DC takes about 45 minutes while AC takes approximately 6 hours for a full charge.
Similar to the Chery Omoda E5, the CCS2 charging port is located at the front and the cover is released electronically with a push of a button.
For the most part, it looks like your typical Honda HR-V and except for the white “H” logo and the full “Honda” lettering on the boot. The model on display lacks a glass roof and a power tail gate. The EV shown at KLIMS 2024 rides on 225/50 R18 wheels with Continental UltraContact UC6 tyres.
The biggest difference in the interior is a 10.25″ fully digital instrument cluster and a tablet-like 15.1″ touch screen infotainment display which supports Android Auto and Apple Car Play. Unlike your regular HR-V, the e:N 1 also utilises push buttons for its gear selector.
The biggest question is the price. Considering that the current Honda HR-V e:HEV RS hybrid is priced at RM141,900, we are guessing that the Honda e:N 1 could go on sale for about RM160,000 to RM180,000. Would you pay this much for a fully electric Honda SUV with 412km of WLTP range?
