This is Honda's all-electric N-VAN: The N-VAN e:
04 Jul 2024|6,123 views
Electrification doesn't have to be a death knell for kei cars. Not convinced? One of Japan's bestselling electric vehicles (EVs) last year wasn't a mid-sized sedan, but Nissan's charming little micro-MPV: The Sakura.
It makes sense, then, that Honda is now giving the fully electric treatment to a member of its family that has grown a cult a following in recent years. Enter: The N-VAN e:, a fully electric variant of the brand's N-VAN.
The N-VAN e: retains all of the original N-VAN's popular qualities, including its fold-flat seats, large cargo space, and the omission of a B-pillar on its left side - which allows for ease of loading and unloading cargo
In true Honda fashion, the electric micro van continues the brand's habit of weird colon-placement - as we've seen on its e:HEV hybrid models, as well as the all-electric Vezel lookalike, the Honda e:Ny1 (not sold in Singapore currently). Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to tell the N-VAN e: apart from its combustion-powered twins.
It's effectively the same structurally, with the vehicle's popular qualities carried over - including its fold-flat seats, large cargo space, low floor and high ceiling. One of the N-VAN's most intriguing original features - the lack of a B-pillar on the left - has also been retained, ensuring that the N-VAN e: remains as practical as before.
What Honda has apparently done, however, is fit a "large-capacity battery" (of unspecified size) under the N-VAN e:, as well as minimise the space occupied by high-voltage components via a reconfigured centralised layout.
The N-VAN e: gets a "large-capacity battery" that can provide up to 245km of range and optionally support DC charging at up to 50kW
Said battery gives the N-VAN e: a WLTC-rated range of 245km, and (optionally) supports fast DC charging at up to 50kW, through which its state of charge can hit 80% in just 30 minutes. AC charging at up to 6kW, on the other hand, will see a full recharge completed in 4.5 hours.
Honda hasn't provided official details on the N-VAN e:'s powertrain, but electric kei cars are subjected to the same power caps as combustion-powered ones - so it's likely that this electric microvan will get the same sort of power seen in something like the Sakura. In other words, within the limit of 64bhp, but with far more torque than even a 660cc turbocharged engine can muster.
As with the original N-VAN, the N-VAN e: is being offered in multiple different variants.
Two of them, the e: G and e: L2, are only available for lease, and put a larger emphasis on cargo carrying.
The e: G and e: L2 variants, which are only available for fleet use, put a larger emphasis on cargo carrying by offering only one and two seats respectively
Notably, the e: L2 has a front/rear tandem configuration of seats on the driver's side, which Honda says, allows for easier loading and unloading of items. The e: G, meanwhile, is even more extreme; in its pursuit of functionality, the variant only offers one seat, with a reshaped passenger side dashboard that enables longer items to fit well. Interestingly, the e: G also sees its interior length increased by 95mm over the gasoline-powered N-VAN.
The remaining two variants - the e: L4 and e: FUN - blend passenger ferrying with commercial use.
Of course, it's likely the latter that most of us will find most familiar; it's essentially the electric twin to the turbocharged variant that has populated Singapore's roads in recent years, boasting those charming, circular LED lights. As standard, the e: FUN offers additional features over the e: L4 as standard, including fast charging capability.
The e: FUN is likely the variant that Singaporeans will find the most familiar-looking, and offers seating for four
The N-VAN e: isn't all fun, ferrying and games, though, as it seems that Honda is aiming for it to set a new benchmark for safety among kei cars in the market.
The company proudly claims that this will be the first commercial-use light van model in the domestic market to be equipped with side curtain airbags for both the driver and front passenger seats as standard. The N-VAN e: is also apparently the first mini-vehicle model in Japan to adopt a 'Post-Collision Braking System': A technology that aims to mitigate secondary damage in the event of a collision.
The N-VAN e: claims to be the first light-commercial microvan in Japan to be equipped with side curtain airbags for both the driver and front passenger seats as standard
Additionally, the e: L4 and e: FUN variants are equipped with Honda SENSING, and boast advanced driving assistance systems such as a lead car departure notification system, adaptive cruise control, and traffic sign recognition.
It appears that Honda is giving itself a fair runway to drum up interest for the N-VAN e: ahead of its market launch. It's not as if the microvan is retailing immediately; domestic sales are set to begin on 10 October 2024, with prices for the e: FUN starting at $24,465 (¥2,919,400). For now, it is unclear if the N-VAN e: will eventually make its way to Singapore.
Electrification doesn't have to be a death knell for kei cars. Not convinced? One of Japan's bestselling electric vehicles (EVs) last year wasn't a mid-sized sedan, but Nissan's charming little micro-MPV: The Sakura.
It makes sense, then, that Honda is now giving the fully electric treatment to a member of its family that has grown a cult a following in recent years. Enter: The N-VAN e:, a fully electric variant of the brand's N-VAN.
The N-VAN e: retains all of the original N-VAN's popular qualities, including its fold-flat seats, large cargo space, and the omission of a B-pillar on its left side - which allows for ease of loading and unloading cargo
In true Honda fashion, the electric micro van continues the brand's habit of weird colon-placement - as we've seen on its e:HEV hybrid models, as well as the all-electric Vezel lookalike, the Honda e:Ny1 (not sold in Singapore currently). Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to tell the N-VAN e: apart from its combustion-powered twins.
It's effectively the same structurally, with the vehicle's popular qualities carried over - including its fold-flat seats, large cargo space, low floor and high ceiling. One of the N-VAN's most intriguing original features - the lack of a B-pillar on the left - has also been retained, ensuring that the N-VAN e: remains as practical as before.
What Honda has apparently done, however, is fit a "large-capacity battery" (of unspecified size) under the N-VAN e:, as well as minimise the space occupied by high-voltage components via a reconfigured centralised layout.
The N-VAN e: gets a "large-capacity battery" that can provide up to 245km of range and optionally support DC charging at up to 50kW
Said battery gives the N-VAN e: a WLTC-rated range of 245km, and (optionally) supports fast DC charging at up to 50kW, through which its state of charge can hit 80% in just 30 minutes. AC charging at up to 6kW, on the other hand, will see a full recharge completed in 4.5 hours.
Honda hasn't provided official details on the N-VAN e:'s powertrain, but electric kei cars are subjected to the same power caps as combustion-powered ones - so it's likely that this electric microvan will get the same sort of power seen in something like the Sakura. In other words, within the limit of 64bhp, but with far more torque than even a 660cc turbocharged engine can muster.
As with the original N-VAN, the N-VAN e: is being offered in multiple different variants.
Two of them, the e: G and e: L2, are only available for lease, and put a larger emphasis on cargo carrying.
The e: G and e: L2 variants, which are only available for fleet use, put a larger emphasis on cargo carrying by offering only one and two seats respectively
Notably, the e: L2 has a front/rear tandem configuration of seats on the driver's side, which Honda says, allows for easier loading and unloading of items. The e: G, meanwhile, is even more extreme; in its pursuit of functionality, the variant only offers one seat, with a reshaped passenger side dashboard that enables longer items to fit well. Interestingly, the e: G also sees its interior length increased by 95mm over the gasoline-powered N-VAN.
The remaining two variants - the e: L4 and e: FUN - blend passenger ferrying with commercial use.
Of course, it's likely the latter that most of us will find most familiar; it's essentially the electric twin to the turbocharged variant that has populated Singapore's roads in recent years, boasting those charming, circular LED lights. As standard, the e: FUN offers additional features over the e: L4 as standard, including fast charging capability.
The e: FUN is likely the variant that Singaporeans will find the most familiar-looking, and offers seating for four
The N-VAN e: isn't all fun, ferrying and games, though, as it seems that Honda is aiming for it to set a new benchmark for safety among kei cars in the market.
The company proudly claims that this will be the first commercial-use light van model in the domestic market to be equipped with side curtain airbags for both the driver and front passenger seats as standard. The N-VAN e: is also apparently the first mini-vehicle model in Japan to adopt a 'Post-Collision Braking System': A technology that aims to mitigate secondary damage in the event of a collision.
The N-VAN e: claims to be the first light-commercial microvan in Japan to be equipped with side curtain airbags for both the driver and front passenger seats as standard
Additionally, the e: L4 and e: FUN variants are equipped with Honda SENSING, and boast advanced driving assistance systems such as a lead car departure notification system, adaptive cruise control, and traffic sign recognition.
It appears that Honda is giving itself a fair runway to drum up interest for the N-VAN e: ahead of its market launch. It's not as if the microvan is retailing immediately; domestic sales are set to begin on 10 October 2024, with prices for the e: FUN starting at $24,465 (¥2,919,400). For now, it is unclear if the N-VAN e: will eventually make its way to Singapore.
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