Honda Unveils New Fully-Electric Crossovers for the China Market

author: Manish Kharinta   

The new fully-electric Honda e:NP1 for the China market.

Japan's Honda announced its initial electrification plans for China last week. The automaker also recently said it intends to go full-electric from 2030, pledging to sell only electrified models in China, which is the world's biggest auto market.

In a virtual press conference last week, the automaker unveiled three new EV concepts. These include a two-door coupe, a four-door GT, and an SUV from its e:N Series, which is the company's upcoming family of all-electric models. 

The concept versions are expected to enter the market over the next five years. 

Honda also unveiled two new electric crossovers called e:NS1 and e:NP1. The automaker will start production of these models shortly, as they are slated to go on sale in China in spring 2022.

Both EVs are essentially the same car but will be produced in two different factories. The e:NS1 will be built by Honda's joint venture Dongfeng Honda and the e:NP1 will be built by Honda's other joint venture GAC Honda.

The Honda e:NS1 is fitted with an electric motor powering the front wheels, which produces 201 HP (150 kW) of maximum power. The SUV has a top speed of 93 MPH (150 km/h). A 68.8-kWh battery powers the motor, which Honda claims can deliver a maximum range of 310 miles (500 km).

Although the two new EVs are special edition versions, they are essentially all-electric versions of their ICE counterparts, which are Honda's Vezel and XR-V nameplates. Both are currently on sale across the world. 

We first got a glimpse of the electric Honda HR-V at Auto Shanghai in April. In terms of exteriors, the e:NS1 and e:NP1 differ slightly from the third-gen Honda HR-V e:HEV, thanks to the closed grille. 

Honda has also confirmed that its e:N Architecture will underpin both e:NS1 and e:NP1.   

The automaker unveiled the design of the SUV as a part of the homologation process by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) for the local markets.

The charging port is located behind the Honda Badge on the front grille. Another visible difference is the additional spoiler under the rear screen. However, this feature could be exclusively limited to the special editions. 

The interiors also get modern additions, including a 10.25-inch liquid-crystal digital cluster display and a 15.2-inch HD center display. Both of these additions are a part of the e:N OS, which is an integrated vehicle operating system, which includes Honda Sensing, Honda Connect and a smart Digital Cockpit. 

It's still unclear if Honda intends to offer its new all-electric models in other markets. But the company is ramping up its global electrification plans, so its likely the EVs eventually will be available outside of China.

Manish Kharinta

Manish Kharinta is a automotive writer based in the Los Angeles area. He has worked for automotive industry websites TheSmokingClutch.com, CarDekho.com and CarBikeindia.com. His experience ranges from covering auto shows, to car reviews and breaking automotive news. Manish aims to bring forth his unique perspective on automotive design and technological innovations in the automotive industry.