Honda HR-V electric imagined as e:Ny1 Prototype as brand promises EV only by 2040

Honda has unveiled a new all-electric compact SUV called the e:Ny1 Prototype – and the HR-V-inspired EV is set to hit the European market in 2023 as part of an ramp-up of electrified vehicles.

It comes as the Japanese brand recommits to building its last internal combustion engine vehicle by 2040.

While officially a concept car (or prototype), the e:Ny1 also appears to give solid clues of the upcoming production car that will almost certainly spread beyond the European market it will launch in.

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Honda has already committed to selling a compact electric SUV in China – showcased in 2021 as the Honda e:prototype – and the e:Ny1 looks like an evolution of that car.

The e:Ny1 is being pitched as “a great option for families looking for their first EV”.

The e:Ny1 Prototype shares plenty with the new Honda HR-V that will soon go on sale in Australia with a hybrid drivetrain option.

The basic proportions of each are the same as are many design cues, including the profile with its semi-concealed rear door handles.

Headlights and tail lights are also similar, although the e:Ny1 gets a mostly enclosed grille, presumably to improve aerodynamics given it doesn’t require the same level of cooling as its ICE sibling.

However, the e:Ny1 Prototype has a revised rear-end that does away with the Honda logo and instead spells out the brand’s name across its tailgate.

For now it’s unclear what’s going beneath the skin of the e:Ny1 Prototype. Given the similarity in styling and proportions with the HR-V it seems logical it shares an adapted ICE architecture with the HR-V, although overseas reports suggest it will use a stretched version of the rear-motor EV platform sitting beneath the Honda e electric hatchback.

All Honda is saying is that the e:Ny1 will be “an all-electric B-segment SUV” and that it “will be at the centre of Honda’s future product line-up”.

“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,” says Tom Gardner, Senior Vice President, Honda Motor Europe.

Honda has also committed to hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of its next generation CR-V, which will be available in 2023.

Given the success of the RAV4 Hybrid and the imminent influx of new hybrid mid-sized SUVs – including the Mazda CX-60, Nissan X-Trail e-Power and delayed Ford Escape PHEV – it will add to the choices for consumers.

The Japanese car maker also says it will build a new “C-segment full hybrid SUV” to slot between the HR-V (and e:Ny1) and CR-V.

In making the announcement of its new hybrid and electric SUVs, Honda also put an end date on ICE.

It says it will “end the sale of internal combustion engine automobiles globally by 2040”, something Honda Australia has also committed to.

Given Honda makes more internal combustion engines than any other brand – mainly because it also uses them in power tools such as lawn mowers and generators – it’s a big move.