Honda Fit EV Slated To Make A Return In 2020

The Honda Fit EV went out of production a few years ago but it appears the model could soon be making a return.

According to the Nikki Asian Review, Honda will team up with battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology to develop new batteries that will be used on a Fit-based electric vehicle. The car will reportedly be launched in China by the first half of 2020.

Little is known about the car but the publication reports it will be an affordable electric vehicle that will cost “slightly more” than ¥2 million ($18,305). In order to keep the price down, the model will reportedly use a small battery that will enable the Fit to have a range of approximately 300 km (186 miles).

The model will reportedly be sold in a handful of markets but there’s no word on whether or not the Fit EV will be offered in the United States. Regardless of where the vehicle is sold, Honda is reportedly aiming to sell more than 100,000 units annually.

If the report pans out, the car could be a major improvement over its predecessor as the previous Fit EV debuted in 2011 with a 20 kWh lithium-ion battery and a 123 hp (92 kW / 125 PS) electric motor. The electric vehicle could travel approximately 82 miles (132 km) combined before needing to be recharged.

Speaking of recharging, the Fit EV required slightly less than 15 hour to be recharged with a standard 120-volt outlet. A 240-volt connection reduced that time to less than three hours but the limited range meet recharging was a common occurrence.

Honda had low expectations for the model and the company only expected to sell around 1,100 units in the United States. Part of this was due to the model’s high price of $36,625 but the car was available for a $389 per month lease. The company eventually cut the price to $259 a month.