Part of a series of electric vehicles set to launch in China in the next five years, the e:N SUV and Coupe Concepts were displayed at the Guangzhou Auto Show. Introducing a new design vision, the SUV is produced in partnership with GAC and is one of five e:N vehicles the companies will produce together. Another five vehicles in the e:N lineup are expected in the next five years from Dongfeng Honda.
Details relating to the e:N SUV and Coupe
Concept remain scant but the sharp, angular design is intended to alert
passersby to the vehicle’s electric drivetrain from a distance. The concept
will be joined by an e:N GT Concept, the automaker previously announced. Powertrain
details are still a little unclear, but the first two models in the e:N lineup,
the e:NS1 and the e:NP1, have a range of more than 500 km on the
Chinese test cycle. They will also be capable of accelerating from 0-100 km/h in less than eight seconds.
Honda said in October that it had
developed a new “e:N Architecture” exclusively for the e:N range of vehicles
and batteries will be provided by CATL. It promises that it will be fun to
drive while also integrating its latest Honda SENSING, Honda CONNECT, and
Digital Cockpit technology.
Honda explained that the E in the new
sub-brand’s name is a stand-in for its e:Technologies. Part of an important
shift, Honda has vowed not to introduce any new purely gas-powered vehicles in
the market from now on. The N, meanwhile, stands for “new” and “next.” Honda
plans to have e:N dedicated sections in its Chinese dealerships while
introducing dedicated e:N dealerships in major cities. It also intends to open
new plants in China by 2024 to produce the vehicles, with a view to exporting
them to global markets.
