Honda has detailed the platform and the battery pack
of its upcoming electric compact hatch, which is simply named the Honda e. The e is designed from the ground
up and will be the first vehicle to feature the automaker’s dedicated EV
platform.
Just like any other EV-specific chassis on the
market, Honda’s platform has the battery pack mounted within the wheelbase of
the vehicle on the floor for a low center of gravity. The Honda e comes with a
perfect 50:50 weight distribution and independent suspension all around,
claiming to offer “outstanding stability in all conditions”.
The car will feature a 35.5kWh water-cooled
lithium-ion battery pack that’s compatible with either Type 2 AC connection or
a CCS2 DC rapid charger. Use the latter and Honda claims a 80 percent charge in
just 30 minutes. Honda had previously announced that the e would offer a driving range
of over 200 km, which sounds less impressive these days than other
electric vehicles on the market but still more than enough for daily commuting.
The charging port will be integrated into the
bonnet, sitting under a glass panel and illuminated with LEDs to highlight the
battery’s charging status.
The company has already received 31,000 expressions
of interest across Europe for the Honda e, with a near-production prototype set
to make its dynamic debut at the upcoming Goodwood Festival of Speed. The full production Honda e is
expected to debut later this year, complete with futuristic interior that
features a dashboard dominated by five displays and rear-view door cameras as
standard.
