The Honda e urban compact will retire next month never to return, Motor1 reports quoting the manufacturer’s HQ in Japan. Apparently, its value for the price turned out insufficient to stay around for longer than three years.
Back in 2020, the e was Honda’s first mass-produced electric vehicle targeting Europe as the primary market. It was based on the Urban EV Concept and came based on a proprietary RWD platform optimized for electric powertrains. It had a minimalistic and retro-inspired exterior with round headlamps and offered a modern driver’s cockpit with large displays spanning nearly the entire dashboard width.
According to the media, two major factors are to blame for the e’s lack of commercial success: high price and low range. The five-door hatch doesn’t offer more than 220 km (136 miles) of WLTP-rated driving range with its 35.5-kWh battery pack, and the number shrinks even further if you opt for a heavier trim or larger wheels. This is arguably just about acceptable for a city car, but in France, the Honda e starts from €42,100 (U.S. $45,400) in the cheapest possible trim before any options. With the EV market as populated as it is now, there is no way for this odd hatchback to be profitable.