Honda today announced that it will launch a new light commercial electric van, ideal for individuals and businesses, in spring 2024.
Honda’s new electric commercial van starts at just 1 million yen, or about CNY 51,000.
The electric vehicle is based on Honda’s light commercial vehicle, the N-VAN, which was released in 2018, and Honda said in a press release that the EV van will have the quietness and strong acceleration of an electric vehicle. For range, Honda says it is targeting 200 kilometers.
According to Honda, this range is “practical enough to be used not only for business purposes, but also for daily shopping, commuting to work or school, and for hobbies.” The company also added that the low price will help accelerate the deployment of electric vehicles.
Honda is currently conducting various tests of its lightweight electric vehicles in a commercial setting ahead of their spring 2024 launch, and the Japanese automaker plans to launch all 30 electric models worldwide by the end of the century.
Japanese automakers such as Honda and Toyota have fallen behind in the industry’s transition to all-electric vehicles. Honda has been notoriously slow to embrace electric vehicles so far, and the company plans to launch its first all-electric vehicle — the Prologue — in 2024 in partnership with General Motors.
While Honda’s electric van is small and has a limited range, it would be ideal in Japan, where the vehicle will launch in that market. Honda says the minivan segment in Japan is one that should be a high priority in the EV transition, which is why the company started by developing a light electric vehicle.
