Honda confirms small electric SUV, hybrid compact SUV for 2023

Honda will launch an electric small SUV next year, based on the e:Ny1 Prototype revealed today.

It also announced two more electrified models for 2023: a compact hybrid SUV and a new-generation Honda CR-V SUV, which will be offered with both hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains. 

The Japanese brand said the upcoming e:Ny1 will be “at the centre of Honda’s future product line-up” and offer “the unique blend of dynamics, technology and design for which Honda is known”.

It added that the small SUV will be “a great option for families looking for their first EV”. 

It also revealed its latest hybrid-only Honda Civic hatchback for Europe, which completes its plans to electrify its entire mainstream line-up by the end of 2022. 

When it arrives in autumn, the eleventh-generation Civic will sit alongside the hybridised Honda Jazz and Jazz Crosstar, Honda CR-V, Honda HR-V and electric Honda E. 

The E has proved popular with its retro looks since launching in 2020 but has limited appeal as a city car with only 137 miles of range.

The upcoming e:Ny1, which will be a similar length and width to the Jazz, will look to correct that as a family-friendly car with a longer range. 

It will sit on a newly developed platform called e:N Architecture F, which Honda said had been created for the new model. However, economies of scale mean the platform is likely to be used in a number of future models.

The second new electric Honda, a hybrid compact SUV, will be a similar size to the current CR-V, rivalling models such as the Kia Sportage and Toyota RAV4.

In turn, the new CR-V will grow in size to compete with the Skoda Kodiaq.

Honda said it plans for its EVs and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles to make up 40% of sales by 2030 in Europe and 80% by 2035. It has committed to end the sale of ICE cars globally by 2040.

The firm added that the next stage in its electrification journey is using a “multi-pathway strategy” to achieve carbon-neutrality by 2050.

It added that it will invest in “a range of zero-emissions technologies, including solid-state batteries, swappable battery systems, carbon-neutral fuels and hydrogen cells”.

Honda Europe senior vice-president Tom Gardner said: “The completion of our electrification goal marks a significant moment for Honda in Europe.

"However, we’re not resting on our laurels. We're already well advanced with our plans to further expand the choice of battery-electric and hybrid vehicles for our customers and increase our offering in the fast-growing B- and C-SUV segments.

“The new models we will introduce in 2023 set the course for the next generation of electrified Honda cars, all retaining the engaging driving dynamics, comfort and exceptional usability to which our customers have become accustomed.”