Honda hasn't been aggressive when it comes to EVs so
far, but it's working on that now. In addition to a Honda HR-V-based EV
(previewed by Honda Everus EV Concept), the company plans to launch a Honda
Jazz (Honda Fit)-based EV.
A new report from Nikkei says that Honda is teaming
up with Contemporary Amperex Technology for a project that involves developing
batteries and related technologies for an EV based on the Honda Jazz (Honda
Fit). The two companies want the EV to have an affordable pricing of a tad
above JPY 2 million, which converts to roughly INR 12.5 lakh.
The report says that the company plans to launch the
Honda Jazz EV in China and other international markets by the first half of
2020. The small, fully battery-powered hatchback will offer a range of 300 km
on a full charge. The Japanese automaker aims to sell more than 1,00,000 units
of this model a year. The company wants to increase the contribution of EVs and
PHEVs in its total sales to about 65% by 2020.
This isn't the first time Honda is planning a Honda
Fit-based EV. The company had introduced the Honda Fit EV Concept at the 2010
LA Auto Show. The production Honda Fit EV followed at the 2011 LA Auto Show. It
had an electric motor delivering 125 PS and 256 Nm of torque and a
Toshiba-sourced 20 kWh Lithium-Ion battery that offered a range (JC08 test
cycle) of 225 km on a full charge. It was offered on lease to private customers
in the USA and to local governments and businesses in Japan starting in 2012.