Honda e Arrives In Ireland!

The all-electric Honda e will go on sale in Ireland from November 2020, priced from €29,995 including SEAI grants and VRT relief.

The quirky electric city car was first revealed as a concept back in 2017 to great reception at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Now the production model of Honda’s first battery electric vehicle is ready to hit Irish roads. It is a car made for urban driving and built on a dedicated EV platform. The advanced electric drivetrain employs proven Honda electrification technologies, with fast-charge capability to meet the demands of everyday commuting. The new Honda e uses a high capacity 35.5 kWh battery putting out 136 hp, providing a range of 222 km. Fast charging is available through a CCS charging adpater with the opportunity to add 80% of charge in just 30 minutes.

A unique thermal management system optimises battery range in high and low temperatures, allowing the car to maintain optimal range capability and enabling more frequent rapid DC charges.

Honda says that the all-new EV-specific platform has been engineered to deliver “fun and effortless electric performance with exceptional driving characteristics in urban environments”. A powerful electric motor, compact proportions, 4.3 m turning radius, 50:50 weight distribution and low centre of gravity are said to all combine to give the car a sporty and dynamic character. The result is a quiet, smooth and rewarding drive with instant acceleration to help navigate busy streets with ease. As well as Single Pedal Control, the Honda e also has two drive modes; Normal, and Sport, which increases responsiveness and heightens the dynamic appeal of the car.

The new Honda e brings unique features to the compact electric vehicle class including pop-out door handles and a Side Camera Mirror System. Inside contemporary materials are used to create a relaxing and modern lounge-like space enhanced by sofa style fabric and other tactile materials.

Five high-resolution colour screens span the entire width of the car’s interior, with the Side Camera Mirror Systems screens ergonomically placed at either end of the dashboard to ensure a natural feel and vision for the driver.

The Honda Parking Pilot debuts in Ireland on the Honda e to assist the driver in locating an appropriate space and then manoeuvring the car into it. In addition to this feature, the Honda SENSING suite has also been enhanced with three new functions – Lead Car Departure Notification System, Collision Mitigation Throttle Control and Low Speed Brake Function.

Honda e spearheads the Honda brand’s ‘Electric Vision’ strategy for the European region, representing a commitment to a more sustainable model range. It will see all of Honda’s mainstream models in Europe electrified by 2022, three years ahead of the previously announced 2025 goal, demonstrating the confidence Honda has in its electric and hybrid powertrain technology.

This accelerated plan will see six electrified models launched over the next 36 months, including the Honda e, all-new hybrid-only Jazz, a stylish SUV and an additional battery electric vehicle. Honda’s new ‘e: Technology’ branding will unify all its electrified products under the same global name. Ahead of its European 2022 electrification goal, Honda will expand the application of its e:HEV dual-motor hybrid system to the entire line-up of Honda vehicles in Europe, starting with the next-generation Jazz, available in Ireland later this year.

In Ireland, buyers can already sample hybrid technology in the new Honda CR-V Hybrid, tested by Changing Lanes back in 2019.

Honda in Ireland has chosen to sell the new Honda e from a number of urban Honda dealers nationwide, including Des Darcy Honda  and Clonskeagh Motors Honda in Dublin, Kevin O’Leary Honda in Cork, and Sheils Honda in Limerick and Galway.

John Saunders, Sales and Marketing Director of Universal Honda Ltd., said:

“We are very excited at Honda to be welcoming the urban city-car, the all new Honda e, into our model line-up. The all-electric Honda e is part of a wider transition to newer technologies and is the next step on our vision to electrify all our mainstream models sold in Europe by 2022. Later in the year we will be also be welcoming the Honda Jazz Hybrid to sit alongside the already launched CR-V Hybrid. We firmly believe this is the perfect car for urban living, offering fun and effortless electric performance, whilst also producing zero emissions.”

Read our first drive review of the new all electric Honda e here.