Honda Urban EV turns in to the Honda E Prototype for Geneva

The Honda E Prototype has been revealed as the almost production ready take on the Honda Urban EV Concept. Debuts at the Geneva Motor Show.

This is the Honda E Prototype, the ‘almost’ production-ready take on the appealing Honda Urban EV Concept we saw in 2017. And considering how much Honda has had to tone down the Urban EV to create a production viable city EV, it still looks appealing.

Yes, the huge wheels and swollen arches are binned for a set of more prosaic 17″ alloys (actually, 16″ will be standard fit), the doors are now normal and not suicide hinged – and there’s five of them – and the roof is now blacked out.

But there’s a small roof spoiler, cameras instead of door mirrors, hidden rear door handles and pop-out front handles and round LED tail lights. The E Prototype looks a bit less appealing than the Urban EV, but it’s still distinctive and well thought out.

Inside the seats are made from recycled polyester (they look better than they sound) and there’s fake wood, but the standout is the pair of 12.3″ screens across the top of the dash with a smaller screen each side for the door mirror feed. It’s a four-seater, and a bit snug.

There’s a new EV Platform under the Honda E and the battery pack is under the floor and appears a single electric motor drives the back wheels. Which, with instant EV torque, should make the Honda E fun to drive, even though it’s unlikely to have much more than 100bhp to play with.

Range is also not exactly stellar – Honda are saying around 125 miles, although it could grow before the Honda E arrives as a production model later this year – but it’s enough as a ‘Premium’ commuting car in urban areas. Which is where Honda seem to be pitching the car.

But it does seem there’s enough of the Urban EV left to make the Honda E a properly appealing electric car.