China is currently leading the way in electric vehicle (EV) normalization, prompting several major automakers to adapt quickly. In a recent development, Honda has launched e:NP1 electric crossover SUV in China, which is a rebranded electric version of the Honda Vezel.
Honda’s new marque ‘e:N’ is meant to exclusively cater to the EV market. The ‘e’ stands for energized (power) and electric (electricity) and the ‘N’ stands for New (brand new) and Next (evolution). Put together, e: N’s mission statement is to offer “a pure electric vehicle with unique Honda characteristics in the new era.”
Powertrain
Honda e: NP1 is a compact crossover SUV that competes with Tesla Model Y, Volkswagen ID 4, Kia EV6, Hyundai IONIQ 5, and other similar SUVs. It has two powertrain options.
The base powertrain makes 180 horsepower (hp), 310 Newton-meters (Nm), has a 53.6 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, and a driving range of up to 420 kilometers. The advanced powertrain makes 201 hp, similar torque, has a 68.8 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, and a driving range of up to 510 kilometers.
Features
Honda e: NP1 might be the company’s most well-equipped passenger vehicle yet. The SUV has several modern features including:
- 10.25″ LCD instrument screen.
- 15.2″ central control screen.
- Dedicated e:N operating system.
- Honda CONNECT 3.0 intelligent guidance interconnection.
- Honda Sensing 360 advanced driving assistance system.
- Remote-operated doors, windows, and air conditioning control.
- DMC driver status perception system to recognize the driver’s state, detect changes in emotions, and actively send safety reminders to drivers.
Price
The prices of 420 km and 510 km range models are 175,000 RMB (Rs. 5.5 million) and 205,000 RMB (Rs. 6.5 million) respectively, which make them somewhat of a bargain compared to other similar electric crossovers.
Vezel in Pakistan
Images of a wrapped 2022 Honda HR-V recently spurred speculations on social media that Honda Atlas Cars Limited (HACL) might be planning to launch it in Pakistan.
The SUV has been spotted somewhere in Pakistan, wearing the same wrap as the 11th gen Honda Civic test unit before it. As always, HACL is keeping the matter under wraps — no pun intended — however, it is likely that the new SUV will debut in late 2022 or early 2023.
It is unknown if Honda will bring the SUV as a CKD or a CBU to Pakistan or if it will be a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) or an internal combustion engine (ICE) based SUV. It seems, however, that both, Honda HR-V and Toyota Corolla Cross will hit the Pakistani market at the same time.
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