Honda has showcased the new e:Ny1 prototype SUV, which will first go on sale in North America and Europe. The e:Ny1 seems to be a derivative of the Honda e:Ns1 and e:Np1 electric SUVs that will go on sale in China in the near future.
- e:N will be Honda's naming style for electric SUVs
- e:Ny1 is the third of the e:N series models showcased so far
- All three SUVs are based on the latest-gen Honda HR-V
The new Honda e:Ny1 SUV is the third model in the e:N series of SUVs, with the first two shown in China last year. All three models seem to be based on the latest-gen Honda HR-V, which is on sale in multiple markets overseas.
Honda says the new e:Ny1 SUV will sit on the freshly developed e:N Architecture F platform, which the company says has been created for the new model. However, for economies of scale, the platform is likely to be used in a number of future models. the company had earlier revealed that e:N Series models will use an architecture that's "developed exclusively for EVs" – a stretched version of the Honda E platform – and will offer a "sporty and exhilarating driver experience".
Honda e:N models: what are they?
Honda’s new range of electric vehicles that were earlier expected to be China-only, will now be seen in more markets globally. All new electric SUVs from Honda will use the new e:N Series branding.
The 'e' in the name references the firm's e:Technology brand, while 'N' stands for now and next, and represents "new value creation for the next-generation of mobility".
The first two e:N models, the e:Ns1 and e:Np1, are sibling cars based on the new HR-V and will be offered by Honda's Chinese joint ventures, Dongfeng Honda and GAC Honda. Both are due to go on sale in spring 2022. The third one, called the e:Ny1, is expected to go on sale a little later in markets like Europe and North America, among others.
The e:Ns1 and e:Np1 are developments of the e:Prototype SUV that Honda displayed at the Beijing motor show in 2020. The production models have five rather than three doors and the links to the HR-V are more pronounced, despite the blanked-off fascia for the electric car. The e: Ny1 prototype SUV seems to have a similar design but with slightly different exterior cues.
Apart from the e: series of SUVs, Honda had earlier also shown the e:N Coupé, e:N SUV and e:N GT, which it plans to use as the basis for production cars in the next five years. These machines show more aggressive and bold electric-only styling than the e:NS1 and e:NP1.
Honda in India
Back here in India, Honda is gearing up to launch the City Hybrid sometime in the coming months, which could very become India’s most fuel-efficient petrol car. Following that, the company is also developing an India-focused midsize SUV, which is expected to be launched in our market in 2023. It will be based on the City’s platform and could even borrow its powertrain options from the car.
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