Honda’s very first electric car has arrived, conveniently named the Honda e, and it’s worth your attention.
Here at By Miles, we’re very excited about the future of electric cars. Last year, we launched the world’s first connected car insurance policy, giving Tesla drivers the chance to try it first. We’re also quite passionate about helping drivers to become more mindful about lowering their emissions. Our policies are environmentally-friendly too, since when you drive less, you pay less, and they’re also electric-friendly, covering things other policies might not – like charging cables.
Team all that with the fact that Honda cars statistically tend to have some of the highest pass rates in MOT tests, and naturally we were very eager to see what their electric offering would look like.
It’s safe to say that Honda’s first entry into the world of EVs has caught our attention. With a futuristic look, Honda says this new model was inspired by city life and how we live our lives each day. The car is packed with high-tech new features, offering comfort and style, and most importantly, boasts zero carbon emissions.
If you’re thinking about going electric, this could be the car for you. What’s more, you can let us know if you’re interested in taking it for a test drive, should you fancy being one of the first people to get behind the wheel of the Honda e.
What’s going on inside the Honda e?
The Honda e has been designed to be completely electric from the ground up. Its power comes from a 35.5kWh lithium-ion battery, which drives the rear wheels using a brand new electric system that was specially developed for the car. It also features a special liquid-cooled battery which ensures that the car is working at optimum performance, whatever the conditions are like out there.
With a full charge, the car can go up to 137 miles, making it a reliable city motor for any driver. There’s a 50:50 weight distribution and a low centre of gravity, so the car feels great to drive, and it’s got a rear-mounted electric motor that powers the rear wheels, meaning you’ll always feel in control. This is a small but mighty city car that’s also pleasing to look at.
Any features I won’t have seen before?
‘Single Pedal Control’ allows you to drive using, as the name suggests, just one pedal. By pressing down to accelerate and easing off to brake, you can make your way through the city using minimal effort. The car also has Apple CarPlay integrated, meaning you can stick on a smooth jazz playlist with ease making your morning slightly more tolerable next time you’re in a traffic jam on the way into work.
Honda Parking Pilot will ensure that you’re making the most of the city’s parking options by squeezing you into those tricky spaces all by itself. The car also has a 4.3 metre turning radius, so those dreaded three-point turns may finally become a thing of the past.
The rearview mirror has dual function, so you can stick with the standard wide-angle view, or switch to camera mode, which has a crisp digital image, both during the day and at night. Honda has solved yet another problem by adding anti-dazzling technology too, so you’ll no longer have to squint if the car behind you hasn’t managed to figure out how to dim their headlights.
Perhaps the car’s most exciting addition, or lack of, is its approach to wing mirrors. No longer will you undergo the grave task of having to fold in your wing mirrors on a busy road. The Honda e has removed that obstacle altogether, and replaced the mirrors with cameras, which screen live images inside the car onto the sides of the dashboard. By leaving out the wing mirrors, narrow city streets can finally be a less stressful experience to drive down.
Let’s talk tech.
With the Honda e’s smartphone app, you can talk to the car, scheduling charge times, closing windows, locking and unlocking the car and even preheating the inside on a cold winter’s day. It’s the motoring equivalent of getting home to a nice toasty house with central heating after a long commute battling the elements.
Honda’s answer to Siri allows you to hold a natural conversation with the car, meaning you’re one step closer to your fantasies of becoming David Hasslehoff in Knight Rider. It’ll offer you relevant recommendations and actively learn about how you use the car. With this feature, things like finding the nearest charging point, the perfect Spotify playlist for your drive or even a good place for a pitstop sandwich becomes a doddle.
How’s the interior of the Honda e?
This is the kind of car you won’t want to sully with even so much as an empty water bottle rolling around the back seat. The dashboard stretches across the entire width of the car, made up of five displays that will keep you fully connected with relevant information while you’re driving. You can add personalisation to the display so it feels like your own space, too.
Apparently, the rear legroom is deceptively spacious for such a small car, but we’ll leave that up to the long-legged folks to decide. Most importantly, you can fold the back seats down flat for extra storage on those stressful IKEA trips, which is always a bonus.
You’ll be able to send directions to your car from your smartphone, meaning typing satnav commands into a tiny touchscreen will finally be a thing of the past. Thankfully, there’s a USB socket for every passenger, so the dreaded “What percent is your phone on? Can I just get a few minutes of charge?” questions can finally be put to bed.
How does the charging work?
The car’s charge point isn’t hard to find. It’s placed right in the centre of the bonnet, so you can reach it from either side of the car – a smart design choice. Its LED light shows clearly what stage of charging it’s at, and there’s a safety lock to stop the cable being removed while the car is getting some juice.
There’s even a rapid charge function that will get the car to 80% charge in 31 minutes. Using a public or home charger will get you to 100% in about four hours.
Now is probably a good time to remind you that every By Miles policy is electric-friendly, so things like charging cables and even leased electric car batteries are covered to give you peace of mind.
Are there any personalisation options?
If you want to make the car your own, then you can really make the car your own. The Honda e comes in five colours – Charge yellow, platinum white pearl, modern steel metallic, premium crystal blue metallic and crystal black pearl. They might sound like video game challenges, but they’re also a pretty special collection of colours.
You can also turn it into a more sporty experience by adding doorstep garnishes, side body trims, bumper mouldings, alloy wheels, under spoilers and more. It’s a blank canvas that you can project your hopes and dreams onto, if you so wish. Check the options in the brochure here.
Fancy taking the Honda e for a test drive?
We’ve teamed up with Honda in London to get you sorted with an early test drive of the new Honda e. If you’re a By Miles member and you’re based in or around London and the South East, we’ll even throw in £20 free miles credit* after you do the test drive. If you’re not on a By Miles policy, don’t panic, you can still register your interest for a test drive through us.
Register your interest here and your nearest garage will be in touch to sort out a time that suits.
The future is electric. Happy driving!
Whether you’re going electric or sticking with the classics, if you drive under 150 miles a week, get a quick quote for a pay-by-mile car insurance policy by clicking here. See if you could make a saving in under a minute.
*Free miles credit will only be offered if a test drive of a Honda e is completed at either Chiswick Honda or Wimbledon Park Honda, and only if your interest in the test drive is registered via the link we’ve provided in this blog. Free miles credit is not transferable, refundable or convertible into cash. Read our terms at bymiles.co.uk/terms-of-business. By Miles Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) number 773046.
