Honda Motor Co said Friday it will roll out a new compact electric vehicle in Japan in late May that creates the feel of an engine-powered vehicle with a powerful acceleration mode and simulated engine sounds.
The Super-ONE car weighs 1,090 kilograms, which the Japanese automaker says is “exceptionally light” for an electric vehicle, with a cruising range of 274 kilometers. It will disclose the price at a later date.
While other automakers have marketed EV models that run more than 400 km on a single charge, Honda said it chose to limit the range of the new model and use a smaller battery to reduce weight.
“We aimed to strike a balance” between usability and cost as “extending the range requires a larger battery, which ultimately pushes costs up,” Hidetomo Horita, who was in charge of developing the car, told reporters at a test-ride event.
Honda will begin taking pre-orders on Thursday at dealers across Japan, with plans to launch the model in several countries including Britain, Singapore and Australia.
The electric motor-powered vehicle offers five different driving modes, with the “Boost” option raising output to a maximum of 70 kilowatts, equivalent to around 100 horsepower, and providing what the company calls a “high-torque” feeling.
Speakers inside the car are positioned to create a sports car-like virtual engine sound and meters including a simulated tachometer displaying a virtual engine speed also enhance the experience visually.
“We developed the car with the concept of making drivers happy and we want them to enjoy not only driving but also the time they travel,” Horita said.
The main target is customers in their 50s and older who no longer need a large vehicle but still want an enjoyable driving experience, the company said.
© KYODO
