European sales of the Honda E retro EV are being halted amid slow sales, Automotive News Europe reported last week.
Unveiled at the 2019 Frankfurt auto show, the E market the start of a new generation of compact EVs, and it earned praise for its cute exterior and dashboard full of screens. As it was revealed by executives, the Honda E was originally planned for the U.S., but higher-ups feared there would be no demand here. Now it seems that’s happened in Europe instead.
2020 Honda E
Honda set a modest target of 10,000 annual sales in Europe after deliveries started in 2020, Automotive News Europe noted, but only sold 3,436 in 2021 and 2,110 in 2022.
Sales might have been stunted by the E’s relatively high base price. In Germany, the car was initially priced at 33,850 euros (equivalent to $36,428). But the price rose to almost 40,000 euros in 2023 after Honda discontinued the cheapest version. An underwhelming 138 miles of range (from a 37.5-kwh battery pack) likely didn’t help matters.
2020 Honda E
And in the meantime for Europe, Honda is selling the off-key e:Ny1 crossover, which is based on Honda’s efforts in China. Its U.S. plans include the 2024 launch of Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX crossovers built by General Motors, with an in-house EV platform to follow.
Teaser for Honda global EV concept debuting at 2024 CES
The timing of the Honda E’s demise might also be a calculated move to signal a shift of attention to a new generation of EVs. Honda is planning a global EV debut for CES next month, which it’s teased with the above photo.
The first in-house developed Honda EV for the U.S. based on that platform is slated to arrive in 2025, beginning a planned shift away from internal-combustion engines. It’s also said that its dedicated EV platform may (later) be able to accommodate solid-state batteries.