Honda e Owner's Manual

About The e

Drivers of the all-new Honda e are remarking on how this smart new electric car reminds them of the classic Civic from back in the 1970s. It’s got a modern and progressive yet slightly retro edge to the exterior design.

The round inset headlights, an odd mixture of straight-edged boxiness and softly rounded sides, and the small-but-dynamic driving are very reminiscent of another amazing small car that emerged all that time ago.

It’s not a fast accelerator like the Tesla Model 3, getting from 0 to 60 in 8.3 seconds, nor does it have the class-beating range of other EVs at just 137 miles, but the fact is that this car is purposefully designed for shorter journeys.

In the European market where it is being launched, it is marketed as an urban car, and Honda points out that about 99 percent of journeys in a country like the UK are under 100 miles anyway.

The smaller battery does have one advantage, however, which is that it makes the car lighter, more agile and thus more fun to drive. Since Honda isn’t overspending on the battery pack, they can be more generous with technology.

For instance, it gets a side camera mirror system, which helps add to the streamlined look of the car, and also Honda Parking Pilot as an optional extra.

The interior cabin includes a panoramic sky roof, seating for up to 4 adults (though the rear is a bit of a squeeze), Honda Sensing ADAS features (adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring), heated front seats, heated windshield, all-digital instrument cluster blending seamlessly with the joined infotainment system and more.

At home or on a public level 2 charger, the battery will charge from 20 percent to full in about 6 hours, but it can also accept DC fast charging, going from 20 to 80 percent in just 30 minutes.