The development of electric mobility in China has been the fastest. This makes Honda ready to introduce 10 pure electric car models in five years. At the 2021 Shanghai Auto Show, they showed off the Honda SUV e: Prototype. There is no official name if it will be mass produced. However, if you look at the body design and waist line grooves. It is very similar to the latest generation HR-V. Well, the prototype is scheduled to go on sale in the spring of 2022.
Through vehicle electrification, Honda admits that they are trying to achieve the goal of realizing carbon neutrality by 2050. They will develop a number of comprehensive strategies while continuing to see the market potential. Also a broad perspective beyond battery-based products. Based on company dynamics technology. SUV e: prototype will carry dynamic acceleration performance, but smooth and high performance.
If that happens, Honda promises a lot of driving joy with it. In addition to a futuristic design, this prototype model features the third generation of the Honda CONNECT. So that it can offer a number of advanced functions such as daily connectivity, smartphone link. Includes an OTA update based on an advanced voice recognition interface system. But unfortunately, at the moment they have not yet presented the specifications contained in the SUV e: Prototype.
China is a potential country. The development of electric vehicles there is flourishing. Many manufacturers have come there to develop electric cars (EV), even partnering with local producers. In addition to cutting major research costs, collaboration can also accelerate car development. The good thing is; the government there issues regulations and incentives for car makers to accelerate their electrification. This has resulted getting a lot of new EVs in China.
Well, before the emergence of SUV e: Prototype. Honda also introduced the Everus VE-1 at the 2018 Guangzhou Auto Show. The electric crossover looks like the HR-V model in the USA and European Countries today. This Japanese manufacturer is in partnership with the GAC Group. They work together to realize the mass production version for the domestic market there.
To simply compare with the SUV e: Prototype. The Everus VE-1 or electric HR-V (old model) has a length of 4,308 mm, a width of 1,824 mm and a height of 1,625 mm. Then the wheelbase is 2,610 mm and is equipped with 17-inch rims in the form of slightly tight spokes. However, there are styling adaptations to accentuate an electric car. For example, the LED headlights plus a touch of blue color on the body. The roof of the car was washed in black. The body kit and fascia changed, making people feel uncomfortable.
This stun car uses a 53.6-kWh battery. When fully charged, it has a cruising range of about 340 km (211 miles) on the NEDC test cycle. While the electric motor has a power of 120 kW. According to the manufacturer, its power is equivalent to that of a conventional car that exhales 163 hp and produces 280 Nm of torque. The car offers three different driving modes, based on preferences and road conditions: Normal, Battery Saver and Sport.
SUV e: Prototype should have more capabilities than that. For example, the cruising range is further enhanced. The variant of the Hyundai Kona EV alone is able to provide a distance of 449 km based on the WLTP test. Completeness and other features, hopefully it can be more interesting than before. For additional information, Honda and GAC combined an investment of 3.27 billion yuan (around Rp. 7.3 trillion) to build a new car factory in China. The production facility is said to be capable of producing 170,000 units of plug-in hybrid and electric cars every year. It is possible that the SUV e: mass version of the prototype was created here.
