That range is an issue for some, but it really shouldn’t be.  The average mileage driven by cars in the UK is reportedly just 20 miles per day, or 142 miles a week.  That means that most people would manage most of their weeks drives on one charge.  The E has a capacity of 35.5kWh with a useable capacity of 28.5kWh.  Honda quote a maximum range of 137 miles, which would require an economy rate of 4.8 miles per kWh.  The EV database, which provides information on all the EVs on sale in the UK, states you might achieve anything up to 158 miles.  But, that is based upon low speed city driving in mild weather.  The cold weather hits the range, as does driving quicker.  A more realistic range from the car would be about 105 miles, but it fluctuates.

Apparently, less than 1% of journeys in the UK are over 100 miles.

By way of example, my daily car has an official range of 250 miles.  Most of my mileage is on the motorway, at motorway speeds.  In the winter, this means my range is only about 180 miles, whereas in the summer it might be around 220.  On the other hand, there are private hire drivers who are almost exclusively in towns and cities and they, driving at slower speeds, regularly quote achieving 300+ miles in range, some of them in excess of 350 miles.

So, drive sensibly and you’ll get further.
 

On the Road

I already mentioned that the E is rear wheel drive and it really is a great car to drive.  It is fun in the same way as the original Mini was fun (in its day).  It feels much quicker than the car statistics would suggest and, as with all EVs, benefits from instant torque.  

The steering is firm and direct, there’s not much body roll and it performs really well.  Of all the small electric cars on the market at the moment, this is the one that will appeal most to driving enthusiasts.  When I drove the Honda, it was assessing whether or not it might be a car for my girlfriend, but I really wanted this car myself.
 

The Interior

I mentioned at the beginning that there were elements of the Honda E that really stood out.  You can see one of the key areas in the interior of the car.  From one window to the other, there is a bank of five screens that fill the whole width of the car.  At each side, left and right, are screens that show what you’d normally expect to see in the wing mirrors.  There aren’t any wing mirrors; instead there are cameras on each wing that transmit the images to the screens just inside the doors.  I’ve seen reviewers suggest it might take time to get used to this, but I don’t think that’s true.  I was instantly confident in looking at the screens and trusting the information they conveyed.  I’m just surprised that more car manufacturers haven’t copied the idea.  I see them (the exterior wing cameras) the most on large trucks.

In between those two ‘wing mirror’ screens, there are three further screens.  The one immediately in front of the driver provides all the information you might expect to see in a traditional instrument binnacle.  This is clear and adjustable.  It simply works.

Then there are two other screens that are used to control and display all the other information you’d expect in a car, just on two screens instead of one.  These are touch screens with various controls.  You can have, for example, navigation on one, whilst the music information might be on the other.  The front seat passenger could set the navigation system up on the screen in front of them, then send it to the screen nearer the driver.  Whatever was on that screen would then be sent to the screen in front of the passenger.  It is a very clever system, although it can be a bit laggy.

The seats In the car I drove were a nice fabric, and these fabrics were also evident in the doors and other areas.  There was also a fair amount of what I imagine is fake wood; but it’s all very tasteful.  In essence, this car is a nice place to be sat, whether you’re the driver or a passenger.

I did say there are five screens, but that’s not quite true.  There’s a sixth screen.  The rear view mirror can be used in the same way as the rear view mirrors in most ordinary cars, but can actually show the live image from a camera at the rear of the car.  Therefore, if you have passengers or luggage on the back seats that might disrupt the view through the car and out of the rear window, you can instead have a high quality view from the camera.  I like this.  Whether the view would be impacted by rain and dirt during this country’s frequent bad weather if something I did not experience on my short test drive.

Range and Charging

Honda claim the E can drive for nearly 140 miles on a single charge, which isn’t exactly a thing to boast about.  The EV database would suggest that you could achieve as much as 158 miles, if you were driving solely around town and in mild weather.  If you’re driving on faster roads and in the colder weather, that predicted range would fall to just 75 miles.

But, let’s be honest, most Honda Es are not going to require even that range on a daily basis.  Cars in the UK drive an average of 20 miles per day, or more precisely, 142 miles per week.

When you need a charge, the Honda isn’t exactly quick.  The AC charging speed is a little lower than many, at 6.6kW, and the DC charging speed is very slow at just 46kW.  And that is the maximum stated rates; you might not actually achieve them.

So, the Honda E won’t get you too far before you need a charge and will be slow at replenishing its battery when you find a charger, but you will have an enjoyable drive along the way.

The Boot

I don’t make a habit of focussing on boot sizes in small EVs, but the Honda E is pretty small.  It’s just 171 litres in size; compared to the Fiat 500e at 185 litres and the Mini E at 211 litres.  Even the pocket Smart EQ ForFour matches the 500e at 185 litres.  Maybe this doesn’t matter too much, as this is unlikely to be used to go on far flung holidays with large suitcases.

I’ll admit that I didn’t notice the boot when driving the BMW i3, but on checking the statistics, it has a comparably whopping 260 litres of space.

Verdict

I should end my mini-review of the Honda E by saying that, whilst acknowledging its short range and slow charging speeds, I would really be happy to have one of these on my driveway.  My girlfriend is equally enamoured and says she wants the yellow one.