Honda N-Van EV Undergo Feasibility Tests Outside Japan, Marketed In ASEAN Region?

Honda N-Van EV Prototype. (Doc. Honda Global)

JAKARTA - The kei car market is on the rise in Japan. Several well-known automotive manufacturers have marketed several vehicles of this type to provide flexible mobility for consumers.

However, the kei car vehicle only dominates the home market itself. Several manufacturers have not taken the initiative to introduce this segment to the outside market. However, this vehicle will also be suitable for Southeast Asia (ASEAN).

Reporting from Top Gear Philippines, Tuesday, December 12, a kei car from Honda, N-Van e: is undergoing practical verification in various locations to test how well its performance is in the ASEAN climate which is very different from Japan.

Previously, this car was also displayed at the 2023 Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) last August. This car is displayed to visitors as a form of manufacturer's commitment to introducing electrification technology.

In addition, N-Van EV Prototype is also a cooperation car for PT Honda Prospect Motor (HPM), as a brand holder (APM) agent from Honda in Indonesia with Pertamina Patra Niaga and Pertamina New Renewable Energy (NRE) in an effort to develop the use of electric cars in urban areas.

In this collaboration, the Honda N-Van EV Prototype, the latest electric vehicle from Honda, will support the mobility of goods delivery from warehouses to Bright Store units (business units of PT Pertamina Retail and its Pertamina Patra Niaga subsidiary) in Jakarta and its surroundings.

N-Van e: itself, as a kei car that adopts electrical technology, offers a number of advantages. Based on the combustion engine version, this EV version is equipped with a low-mounted electric motor on the floor. With claims of a distance of up to 210 km in single charge, N-Van e: promotes practicality with a charging time of 0-100 percent in about five hours. The use of fast chargers can charge up to 80 percent in just 30 minutes.

Although there is no certainty regarding the official launch in ASEAN, Honda's potential for adoption of electric-powered cars attracts consumers who want small and environmentally friendly vehicles for their daily needs.