Not As Affordable As You'd Hope For?
Honda has a pretty neat little EV that's coming soon to Japanese showrooms. That car is the Super-One EV, and in some ways, it's a modern rendition of the City Turbo II from the '80s. Its short and stubby bulldog stance is reminiscent of the classic subcompact hatch. The Super-One is just about ready to reach home market customers soon; however, specs and pricing are still up in the air.
However, a report from Japan (via Creative311) claims it'll be in the region of ¥5 million. Convert that to dollars, that's about $32,000 at current rates. Not too bad, but not as affordable as first thought — especially given its size.
Why the (Possible) Price?
Aren't kei cars supposed to be cheap? Well, yes, but despite appearances, the Super-One isn't a kei car per se. While its underpinnings are straight from the Honda N-One, its dimensions push it out of that category. Its width breaches the limit for what could be classified as a kei car, pushing it to a higher tax bracket.
On top of that, kei cars are restricted to 63 hp, and the Super-One will reportedly pack way more than that. It is said that its punchier motor will put out about 95 hp, again, breaching kei car rules. Still, it's not exactly cheap, as the Honda Fit in Japan maxes out at under ¥3 million (approx. $19,000).
Will it Make Sense in America?
U.S and Japan pricing have been close in recent years. Just take a look at Prelude pricing in America, and it's about the same as the home market. At that price, there are larger and more affordable EV options. The Nissan Leaf springs to mind, and that is an EV crossover that starts under $30,000.
Should it be sold stateside, it'll be a niche product at most, and not Honda's true entry into the mainstream EV market. Its pricing could make more sense in Europe, where cars are generally more expensive to purchase.
Do note that the report mentions indicative pricing and not the final MSRP. It could be less, but hopefully, not more.
There are Cheaper Alternatives
If you want the look but not the price, Honda has a retro-styled EV for much, much less. There's the N-One :e, and that one goes for under ¥2.7 million or around $17,600. It's nearly half the price of the Super-One, mainly because it's classified as a kei car.
Cheaper still is the fuel-powered version of the N-One, starting at just ¥1,767,700 or about $11,500. There's even a manual option available for it, making it an absolute bargain. Unfortunately, you'll have to move to Japan to enjoy these models.
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