TOKYO MOTOR SHOW: Honda e ruled out for Australia
One of the coolest cars from Honda in years will not be available to Aussie buyersIf you had your eye on the funky retro-styled Honda e electric vehicle, you'll have to move overseas.
In his keynote address at the 2019 Tokyo motor show, Honda CEO Takahiro Hachigo said the Honda e would go on sale in Japan in 2020 and European sales would follow.
"Honda e is a dedicated EV model developed based on our vision of what cars should look like 10 years from now," he said.
After the press conference carsales.com.au quizzed him over whether the iconic EV would be coming Down Under.
"Honda e is just for Japan and Europe," he said. "There are no plans unfortunately for Australia now."
No reason was given for the no-show, but it's understood a high price was a significant barrier.
Honda Australia has previously maintained the compact EV was under consideration for Australia, but any chances of the rear-drive compact coming to Oz are virtually quashed.
Fitted with a smallish 35.5kWh lithium-ion batterym the Honda e has a 220km range. Peak power is 100kW (136hp) or 113kW (154hp), depending on the model ordered.
Peak torque is 315Nm for both models, providing the cute city runabout with a 0-100km/h acceleration time of around eight seconds.
Expected to deliver engaging dynamics, thanks to 50/50 front/rear weight distribution, the Honda e's biggest asset is undoubtedly its cute design, which has hints of the original Volkswagen Golf.
Other features include concealed, pop-out door-handles, funky circular LED headlights, door cameras (with twin 6.0-inch screens) that replace side mirrors.
The interior is likewise a talking point, fitted with a pair of wide 12.3-inch touch-screens that dominate the cockpit, plus an advanced AI-powered voice-controlled operating system.
On the surface, the Honda e appears to be an EV with the potential to bring new buyers into Australian showrooms, but unfortunately it will not see the light of day Down Under.
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