Honda N-One e: teased – production Super EV Concept; is this kei EV going global?

Not long after gunning its Super EV Concept up the Goodwood hillclimb, Honda has released the first teaser image of the new N-One e:, its forthcoming electric kei car. The tiny hatchback provides some much-needed competition to the Nissan Sakura and Mitsubishi eK X EV (and the forthcoming BYD kei EV) and should utilise the same powertrain as the N-Van e:.

That would be a single front motor churning out 64 PS (47 kW) and 162 Nm of torque, juiced by a 29.6 kWh battery for a WLTP-rated range of 245 km. That’s usefully more than the Sakura and eK X EV, which max out at 180 km; this is also reportedly the target for BYD’s competitor.

The sole image provided shows a typical kei car narrow body fronted by a blacked-out front mask, cutesy round headlights and dual charging ports – one is presumably for the AC charger, the other hiding a CHAdeMO DC port. Speaking of which, the N-Van e: supports up to 50 kW DC fast charging, taking 30 minutes to charge to 80%; the same will probably apply to this car.

Does this thing look familiar? That’s probably because the N-One e: is almost certainly a narrow-body version of the Super EV Concept. That car appeared remarkably similar to the regular petrol-powered N-One with its upright glasshouse and distinctive square taillights, with the only differences being the aforementioned front mask and fattened wheel arches (meaning it won’t fit restrictive kei car size regs).

This suggests that the N-One e: will become the first Honda kei car to be sold overseas as a somewhat sporty city EV. Interestingly, the carmaker is positioning the concept version as a “fun-to-drive” car with an “uplifting, heart-pounding driving experience,” which probably means it will be heavily modified over the more humdrum Japanese model.

Expect a more powerful electric motor (given that Honda won’t have to abide by the Japanese gentlemen’s agreement on kei car power outputs) and sports-tuned suspension. Would you like to see the N-One e: in its Super EV form in Malaysia? Sound off in the comments after the jump.

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