Honda has serious and defined plans in the environmental field for its immediate future. The Japanese manufacturer wants to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, not only in car manufacturing, but also in regards to its corporate activities. Before, by 2030, it will have reached global production of two million units of electrified vehicles.
All this with an investment of 64,000 million dollars in 10 years, dedicated to the research and development of new technologies. In fact, until 2030 it will present 30 new models equipped with electrical technology and highly efficient.
Another ambitious goal of Honda, also for 2050, is to achieve zero road fatalities in vehicles of its brand, whether cars or motorcycles.
Coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the founding of the brand and with the delivery of the first units to customers in our market, Honda has grouped in a presentation its range of electrified SUV vehicles: ZR-V, e:Ny1 and CR-V . And we got behind the wheel of the three new electrified models of the Japanese brand.
Aimed at a new profile of drivers, the e:Ny1 (some people pronounce it practically “anyone”), is the second 100% electric car for Europe. Its exterior design is very different from what Honda has offered until now and the interior sets new benchmarks in space and comfort.
Unlike other manufacturers that have opted for large SUV electric vehicles and, therefore, filled with heavy batteries to be able to offer autonomy in line with the car’s approach, Honda is committed to a less ambitious approach. And more rational.
On the e:N Architecture F platform, specific for electric cars, it uses a 204 HP electric motor and a useful 62 kWh battery that, in the WLTP approved cycle, is capable of traveling up to 412 kilometers.
Regarding recharging the battery, Honda explains that the car supports charging powers of up to 11 kW in alternating current and 78 kW in direct current, requiring 45 minutes to go from 10 to 80% of the available autonomy.
More spacious than it looks, the new e:Ny1 has a trunk capacity of 346 liters. Designed to be comfortable, not stressful, the new center console features a simple layout of easy-access buttons. The dashboard has a clear, simple design, with a large 15.1-inch touch screen in the center, in a vertical position, which allows access to a complete set of infotainment and driving options.
Behind the wheel, the driver finds a horizontal screen with high-quality graphics with all the information necessary to drive safely.
On the other hand, the My Honda subscription allows you to program the air conditioning and charging, in addition to locking and unlocking the car using a smartphone application.
It is available from 52,400 euros, with a five-year warranty, but this price does not include official aid. Of course, Honda offers financing of 470 euros per month for 48 months.
Measuring 4.57 meters in length and with a 380-litre trunk, the new ZR-V proposes a novel and different approach to the rest of Honda’s SUVs. So much so, that the brand hopes that it will become one of the star cars by 2024, with 25% of its sales.
More economical and simpler than a CR-V, it is an ideal car for daily urban or interurban use. In addition, being wider than the HR-V and lower than the CR-V, it is compact but spacious, offering a good balance between performance, spaciousness and versatility.
Honda’s compact SUV uses the same hybrid technology as the Civic, but conveniently updated. It incorporates a 2.0 direct injection four-cylinder gasoline engine and two electric motors.
The power to propel the car always comes from the electric motor, with 184 HP, which in the ZR-V Sport means going from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds. The thermal engine acts as an electricity generator, with outstanding efficiency: 5.8 liters per 100 km in the combined cycle and 131 g/km of CO2.
Honda’s e:HEV hybrid system automatically chooses the energy management modes: EV (electric), Hybrid and Engine. In addition, the driver has a driving mode selector with four options: Normal, Sport, Eco and Snow. The latter is a first for Honda.
It also stands out for the set of Honda Sensing technologies that assist the driver, such as the panoramic view camera and the high-speed image processing chip that improve the range and precision of accident detection.
The CR-V is currently Honda’s flagship in the European market, in addition to being the brand’s best-selling car in the world. The sixth generation of the model comes with the great novelty of plug-in hybrid technology in Europe.
We are talking about a 4.71 meter long SUV, with a lot of interior space and with the quality of the best European cars.
To achieve a more sophisticated and refined vehicle, the brand’s e:HEV hybrid technology has been updated, which now incorporates a smaller battery and a more efficient engine in the CR-V, while the new e:PHEV (hybrid) plug-in), with its larger battery, offers up to 81 km of all-electric range.
The new Honda Sensing 360 omnidirectional safety and driver assistance system also debuts in the CR-V. The camera and radars now provide complete 360-degree visibility.
And the cargo space improves to 587 liters, which becomes 636 liters in the PHEV when the battery is placed in the floor of the car and not the trunk.
The CR-V is available in 6 exterior colors, HEV 4×2 Elegance, HEV 4×4 Advance and PHEV 4×2 Advance Tech versions.
