Honda has adopted a step by step approach when it comes to revealing details about the upcoming e small EV.
Earlier today, we learned that the production version of the e Prototype will feature an electric motor delivering 150 PS (110 kW / 148 hp) and more than 300 Nm (221 lb-ft) of instant torque. These numbers may sound great for a B-segment-sized car but they don’t paint the whole picture as far as the driving experience is concerned.
While Honda has only great things to say about what its small EV is like to drive, nothing beats actually driving it, right? The folks from the Fully Charged show were among the first to get behind the wheel of the Honda e, albeit in near-production Prototype form.
Also read: Honda e Reveals Platform Secrets, Water-Cooled 35.5 kWh Battery Pack
Still, the e Prototype is 99 percent of what the finished item will be like when deliveries start in early 2020. That said, the first impressions are really promising, even though reviewer Robert Llewellyn only had 19 minutes to drive the car on a closed course in Frankfurt, Germany.
Acceleration-wise, the reviewer says the Honda e pulls away very nicely, especially in Sport mode, but we’ll have to wait some more to learn the official 0-100 km/h (62 mph) time. Given the 50:50 weight distribution and the rear-wheel-drive setup, the car feels nimble in corners and steers beautifully. Speaking of steering, it has a remarkably small turning radius of approximately 4.3 meters (169.3 inches) — that’s tighter than the Smart Fortwo eQ’s turning circle.
Overall, the reviewer could not find one bad thing to say about the Honda e and that’s very good news indeed for the people who have already pre-ordered one. Not even the rearview cameras bothered him — actually, he found those much better than the traditional mirrors.