THREE NEW SUVS FOR EUROPE – With the trio of models just unveiled in Frankfurt, Germany, Honda announces an important piece of the strategy with which it intends to strengthen its presence in the SUV and crossover sector also in Europe. To try to conquer new market shares on this side of the Atlantic, the Japanese company is betting on three new high-wheeled cars, two of which, the Honda CR-V and the Honda ZR-V, have already been on sale for a few months in countries such as Japan and the United States. Instead, it is intended only for the markets of the Old Continent Honda e:Ny1, presented less than a month ago at the Shanghai show. All three models for Europe are produced in China.
WE HAVE ALREADY MET? – Second car at 100% electric sold by the Tokyo house in Europe after the city car and, the new one Honda e:Ny1 is basically the current version of theHR-V. Length 439 cm and with a trunk of 386 litres, it can be recognized by the closed grille. This hides the grip of recharge: the car accepts up to 11 kW of alternating current and 78 kW with direct current; in the second case, many rivals do better (according to the manufacturer, it takes 45 minutes to recharge from 10% to 80%). Some details, such as the “H” of the logo and the writing “Honda” in tiny white block letters affixed at the rear, prefigure the aesthetic characterization that will identify future current models of the house.
400 KM WITH A “FULL” CURRENT – Under the “skin”, however, the hybrid HR-V and the new one Honda e:Ny1 they are cars very different. The small suv on tap just unveiled, in fact, rests on the platform e:N Architecture F, a native electric architecture developed by the Japanese manufacturer in joint venture with the Chinese Dongfeng for the Honda e:NS1 and e:NP1, which are practically the variants of the e:Ny1 for China, where a year ago, right now. The car is powered by an electric motor 204 CV and 310 Nm, powered by a 68.8 kWh lithium-ion battery. This is not integrated into the floorpan, but protrudes far below, reducing ground clearance to 142mm. When full, the pile promises mileage of up to 412 kilometres.
EVERYTHING AT YOUR FINGERTIPS – The interior of the Honda e:Ny1 they take up the modern and well-made ones of the HR-V, but with a greater openness to digitization. At the center of the dashboard towers a huge 15.1-inch tablet, from which multiple on-board services can be managed simultaneously, from the navigator to the passenger compartment climate control, to real-time monitoring of the main vehicle functions. The instrument panel is also completely digital, containing all the most important information – from speed to the remaining range – in a rectangular screen located behind the steering wheel. The internal environment is well organised, with a couple of USB sockets for connecting mobile devices, a plate for wireless charging of the smartphone, numerous storage compartments and a few physical buttons, all within easy reach.
