Honda may have found the solution to lower the cost of electric cars in Europe

If, for the most imposing cars, electric vehicles can now reach a price parity with thermal models, their production cost on the lower segments remains higher than that of their internal combustion motor counterparts.

The best -selling cars in Europe are however precisely reduced size models, such as versatile city car (segment B). And what can we say about the mini-city segment (segment A), where thermal models are already struggling to remain profitable in the face of all environmental and security regulations to which they must respond.

Offering an electric city car, even a mini-city, within the reach of the greatest number and with comfortable autonomy is then particularly difficult, but it is however a necessity. The Honda E, the first high series electric car from the manufacturer, has indeed paid the price with very low sales due to a high price and too short autonomy.

To reduce costs, Honda therefore plans to import into Europe a kei because; Category of congestion cars and reduced engines that enjoys Japan of advantageous taxation, in particular. Honda has just presented on its domestic market the N-One E, an electric version of the second generation N-ON which appeared in 2020 and whose style was slightly revised.

Predigated by the Super EV concept presented this summer at the Festival of Speed in Goodwood, England, the N-One E will in particular aim for the European market. This decision comes a few months after Luca de Meo, then at the head of the Renault group and the ACEA (the Association of European Automobiles manufacturers), pleaded to facilitate the sale of small cars in Europe, such as Kei Cars in Japan.

Ultra-compact dimensions

In its thermal version, the Honda N-One measures 3.395 m long, 5 mm from the legal limit of the category, and 1.475 m wide, again 5 mm less than what the imprint on the maximum ground of a kei car. The dimensions of the N-One, which can embark up to four passengers, therefore place it under those of a European car in segment A, such as the Fiat 500th, which measures 3,632 m long and 1.683 m wide. As a comparison, the latest generation Smart Fortwo was only 2.695 m long, but still 1.663 m wide.

The N-ONE E does not yet reveal the entire technical sheet, but announces an autonomy of 270 km according to the WLTP protocol, which seems quite generous with regard to the urban vocation of the car. In particular, it will compete with the next electric Twingo, which will be sold under the € 20,000 excluding state aid. The price of the N-One E remains to be announced. It will be marketed in Japan from the start of the school year, but its launch in Europe, which will necessarily require some modifications, seems unlikely before 2026.

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