Honda’s Electric – The Fit EV
In 1999, Honda discontinued production of their first electric vehicle, the Honda EV Plus, in order to focus the majority of their electrically-oriented energies on their current EV star, the Honda FCX Clarity.
The Fit EV concept, a predecessor of the rumored upcoming completely electric Honda Fit hatchback, throws out the gas tank and replaces it with a lithium-ion battery.
It also features an economical coaxial electric motor – the star of Honda’s FCX program, a research program created to explore the future possibilities of fuel cells.
This is not Honda’s first foray into the world of electric vehicles.
Now, before the end of 2012 and with the same compact design of the original Honda Fit in mind, Honda plans to release a fully loaded electric wonder that can seat up to five people.
With a 100 mile per charge driving range, this new electric vehicle will be geared toward regular, everyday city folk and their driving wishes.
The Fit was originally patterned after Honda’s 2011 sports plug-in hybrid, the CR-Z – Compact Renaissance Zero – with which they had hoped to inspire a renaissance or revitalization of their low sales rates.
Depending on whether he or she wants to save the environment or tear up the road, the driver of a new Fit EV may choose from three drive modes – Normal, Econ, and Sport. Much like its name implies, Econ mode economizes the engine’s power affording up to 17 to 25 percent more range than in Normal or Sport modes.
Sport mode throws the tree hugger out the window and puts the racer in the driver’s seat, allowing for impressive acceleration and a huge improvement in the Fit’s performance.
The Fit EV comes with an array of novel features including a meter that advises when the other features must be shut down in order to go easy on the battery. Other features include an automatic public charging station locator and a standard Satellite Linked Navigation System.
Recharging the Fit EV’s battery takes fewer than 12 hours using a regular 120-volt outlet and only about six hours using the specially designed 240-volt plug. Recharging the Fit is an easy and user friendly process.
Even though the final price tag has not been officially determined yet, the Fit EV seems to be another great warrior alongside the other plug-in hybrids and fuel cell electrics in Honda’s electric fleet, not excluding the FCX Clarity. Look out for it in Japan and the US in 2012.
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