Honda UK boss Jean-Marc Streng has confirmed that the brand will launch a second all-electric model within the next two years to join the Honda e-city car.
In an exclusive conversation with Auto Express, Streng said: “We will be launching a new BEV model in 2023 – this is the next step that will help us to have a wider range.”
Streng did not want to give any further details about the new model, but said: “This will be an offer in the right segment that will generate more sales.”
Auto Express believes it’s likely a crossover, similar to the Honda SUV e: concept that was unveiled at last year’s Beijing Motor Show. Our exclusive pictures show what the new car might look like, with sleek LED lights surrounding a hidden grille with the same distinctive Honda logo in the center.
As with the upcoming HR-V, the clean lines on the sides of the new EV are only broken by a dark lower sill section, which, like many current electric cars, is designed to hide the extra height required to install the battery. Slim LED taillights help emphasize the width of the car.
In terms of size, we expect the new model to be somewhere between the popular Jazz Crosstar model (which accounts for over 50 percent of all Jazz sales) and the new HR-V.
Honda’s head of engineering had previously confirmed to us that the e-hatchback will soon be followed by a fully electric compact SUV – and that it would be based on the same platform. That underpinning needs to be stretched to incorporate a bigger body and a decent trunk, but expect a similarly futuristic interior as the Honda e in the new model, with two 12.3-inch widescreen displays and a couple of six-inch monitors on both sides, which instead of exterior mirrors forwards a video feed from cameras.
There’s no word yet on what technology might be beneath the skin, but we expect a battery larger than the e’s 35.5kWh unit to offer over 200 miles of range and fast charging capability similar to that of the smaller car .
Honda’s e-city car is already doing strong business and bringing new, younger customers to the company. “We have more than 85 percent Conquest customers,” said Streng. “This is how we bring new customers to the brand and see a decrease in the average age.” According to Streng, the average age of a Honda buyer has dropped by four years in just two years.
The new all-electric Honda will be fully electrified by 2022, as Streng explains: “Our goal was to be electrified by 2022, and we will achieve that goal, which is nice because in the UK it is certainly eight.” Government plan.
“We have Hybrid for Jazz and Jazz Crosstar, we’re taking orders for HR-V in August and launching the car in October – and after you’ve driven the car in Japan, you get a seamless transition between the three modes: Gasoline, hybrid and free electric. We have CR-V hybrid and next year we will come with a new Civic that is electrified. “
Performance fans will be pleased to hear that there will definitely be a new Civic Type R with the launch of the new model – Streng confirmed the model’s arrival while also revealing the importance of the hot hatchback when it comes to attracting new customers .
With the expansion of the Honda range, Streng and his team have restructured the company’s dealer network with fewer franchises, but it doesn’t seem to have affected sales, with strong results since showrooms reopened earlier in the year.
“In May [2021] we had the best retail volume for Honda in five years, the best-selling store for dealers, new and used.
“The important thing is to grow the company, but in a healthy way. It’s very easy for us to go in all directions, but we want to make sure that we grow well and stress-free for our dealers and ourselves. “
But how has the current shortage of semiconductor components affected the supply of dealers with new Hondas? “To be honest, not so much so far, certainly in the UK,” says Streng. “Because we secured a good supply between November last year and April this year.
“Overall, we can see that we currently have a lot less influence than probably our competitors. So we have good availability – we have 9,000 cars in the UK so we can deliver very quickly to our customers. “
Do you like the look of Honda’s electric SUV plans? Let us know in the comments …
