Honda E | Test Drive

22 February 2021 Redazione News, Tested

Words by Marco Mancino / Photos by Bartolomeo Lazzarini

Set aside for a moment the war for the most shocking 0 to 100, the most correct vision of electric cars absolutely mirrors that of a city car, something with reduced dimensions and not only able to eliminate fuel consumption, emissions and facilitate the hunt for a parking next to the office, but to make those home-work journeys more lively which in most cases involve very specific itineraries and which rarely exceed a mileage that implies recharging anxiety, leaving the mileage topic to be addressed in the evening, once back home and charging the vehicle, ready to carry out its task the following morning and with 100% batteries, simply by plugging it in as you would with a toaster.

The Honda E embodies all this to perfection and does so with a really nice look, almost cute I would say, where the front is intentionally mirrored to the rear one and where everything is designed to simplify and optimize everyday life, making the routine not only eco-friendly, but also innovative from many points of view. In our first contact we limited ourselves to living a whole day with the Advance version (a long term test drive is coming in spring, ed) which unlike the base model offers a more powerful electric unit with 154 horses instead of 136 and the possibility of choosing between 16 or 17 inch wheels, as in the case of the one you see here. Between the two there are about € 3,000, but keep in mind that performance does not change so much (just 1 second less on 0-100 kph), as the idea of having the complete package from an aesthetic point of view.

In this regard, the E is perfectly at ease in a future at hand offered by door handles that integrate into the sides made even smoother thanks to the lack of traditional rear-view mirrors replaced by video cameras that project an HD image perfectly adjustable via the two side screens inside the passenger compartment. The same goes for the central mirror, which with a simple click switches from being a traditional one to a digital one, of course using the rear view camera. This requires a bit of practice, but it becomes really enjoyable in an urban setting, an ideal situation for the little Honda that sports, among other things, an exceptional turning circle, also thanks to the fact that it is rear wheel drive.

Getting on board, the small dimensions of the body reveal a bright and spacious interior, with the rear seats not too sacrificed as a 254 cm wheelbase would suggest – the trunk is instead small, but after all we are still talking about a car that does not aim to take you on vacation. The passenger compartment is a meeting point between minimal surfaces and materials that usually belong to the domestic environment, but the contrast between the wooden panels and the cloth seats works very well, giving the E a character that you will not find on any other car in the list. Together with all this, an almost entirely digital instrumentation, thanks to the 8.8-inch main display that can work together or independently from that of the passenger (12”), between excellent connectivity and some fun goodies to entertain even when you are recharging, like the integrated socket in the central tunnel. The wait required to recharge the 60 kW batteries are approximately 5 hours from a domestic socket, while just 40 minutes from rapid chargers.

The Honda E is not just an object that entertain, but a surprising car to drive, where we obviously have an automatic gearbox with a single speed, still with the possibility of varying between Normal and Sport, even setting and choosing the intensity of the deceleration mode using the paddles on the steering wheel, once you have chosen to drive with a single pedal. Its small size always plays in your favor and the declared mileage of 210 km is quite realistic, as long as you do not exaggerate with the throttle, because after all you still have the right amount of power and 315 Nm of torque available always and immediately. The elephant in the room comes in the form of the weight of the car itself, which with all this technology and 35.5 kWh batteries (where however only 28.5 kWh are useable), almost reaches 1,600 kilograms, in line with other electric models of similar dimensions, but significantly heavier than the respective counterparts with petrol or diesel engines.

It is in the real world that you realize how much a car – especially if 100% electric – is really exploitable and in the case of the Honda E we are facing one of the best models on which to draw your attention, regardless of the fact that offers an inferior mileage than most of the competition. Its strong point is in fact the project itself, the fact that it represents something completely different and that adds a pinch of imagination to those journeys that would otherwise be monotonous even at the wheel of a McLaren. And if the home-work route becomes an opportunity to get all eyes on you, being pointed out for the sympathy that the little Honda inspires in other motorists, you have to pay a bit of money for getting your hands on one of these. In fact you have to spend € 35,900 for the base model, reaching € 38,900 for the Advance, regardless of whether you choose for 16 or 17-inch wheels.

But if the price is challenging, what the E offers in return is ultimately the best electric city car out there. City car – I emphasize – because it is intended for the working week and for city life, areas in which mileage will never represent a problem and in which its size and the practicality offered by its technological side are able to remove boredom no matters the hours spent stuck in traffic, maybe relaxing together with the tropical aquarium that invades the dashboard with the awareness of not killing their real environment on the other side of the planet.

HONDA E Advance 17

Engine Electric engine with 35,5 kWh battery (28,5 kWh useable) Range 210 km Power 60 kW (82 hp) Torque 315 Nm

Traction Rear wheel drive Transmission Automatic single-ratio gearbox Weight 1.595 kg

0-100 kph 8,3 sec Top Speed 145 kph Price €38.900