The new Honda e

By Bill McCarthy

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Honda’s first fully electric vehicle is really in your face. It is a car that never failed to attract attention, particularly in its lemon and black combo livery, and looking almost the same at the back as it does at the front with its circular lights and lack of a grille. 

The charging-point port is integrated into the bonnet via a glass lid and it has no door mirrors. Instead these have been replaced with small cameras which display on two six-inch screens on each side of the dash, and virtually eliminate those dangerous ‘blind spots.’

A gimmick? No, it is a much more serious car than that, although the sheer minimalist funkiness is bound to attract many buyers looking for something a bit different.

 It is available in two grades, the Honda e and Honda e Advance – both models provide a comprehensive standard specification, including a classy panoramic roof, while the Advance driven here offers a choice of 16 or 17-inch alloy wheels, and increased motor output.

Built new from the ground up, it does offer plenty for a city car and with its compact size,  and official range of between 125 and 147 miles, although that was a figure that I got nowhere near with a full charge, with the meter showing around 108 miles.

Early electric cars would have loved that range, but these days in excess of 200 miles is commonly achievable. Having said that it is not too shabby, given the average daily commute is around 25 miles.

The unusual rear-wheel-drive set up and powerful electric motor delivers a pleasing drive and excellent performance, while the independent suspension for each wheel and 50:50 weight distribution gives good manoeuvrability, with a London cab-like turning circle.

Like many electric cars, rapid-charging is available, with up to an 80 per cent charge delivered in 30 minutes, while home charging can be achieved in around four hours.

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The interior is quirky and minimalist, but in some way like a multiplex, with five screens across the width of the car. The two outer ones are effectively the door mirrors which sit alongside a central TFT monitor and pair of screens to monitor, connectivity via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, navigation and infotainment functions. The system allows key information to be relayed to the driver, while additional information can be controlled by the front seat passenger.

In addition to Bluetooth connectivity, multiple connection inputs are provided beneath the centre console for easy charging and connection of electrical devices. This includes HDMI, 12V power and even a three-pin socket.

Stowage space is good in the airy cabin, with multiple storage pockets and cup holders, together with a reasonable space in the boot, which can be increased by folding the rear seats. Maximum capacity of 171 litres with the rear seats up. Those seats conveniently fold flat to the same level as the boot floor to allow a maximum load capacity of 861 litres.

On the road the car is very lively with typical electric car instant acceleration, great for getting out of tight spots and sharp handling.

There are two drive modes accessed via a rocker switch on the central console, normal and sport, for that extra pace. A steering wheel paddle-activated deceleration mode selector can configure the single-pedal braking characteristics to adjust the strength of deceleration.

Whichever mode, it is an enjoyable drive, plenty of grunt and controllable deceleration, while remaining stable on corners.

Safety kit is impressive with a comprehensive range of measures including a full set of airbags, stability programme and assisted braking. In addition Honda’s SENSING technologies include collision mitigation and throttle control, which prevents sudden acceleration in either reverse or drive upon starting the car when there is an obstacle in the way.

Honda’s first full EV, may look a bit odd, but there is no doubt it has bags of appeal and even impresses five-year-olds.

Factfile

Honda e Advance

Price: £30,715

Mechanical: 113kW (154ps) electric motor driving rear wheels via auto transmission

Max Speed: 100mph

0-62mph: 8 seconds

Combined MPG (range): 137 miles

C02 emissions: 0g/km

Warranty: 3yrs/90,000 miles

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Festival of Speed tribute to Sir Stirling Moss

The legendary Sir Stirling Moss, who passed away at Easter 2020, will be commemorated at Goodwood’s headline motorsport events in 2021. It was at the Goodwood Motor Circuit that Moss took part in, and won, his very first motor race, on 18 September, 1948, a day after his 19th birthday.

In the years that followed, Moss contested 56 races at Goodwood, winning 21 of them and finishing on the podium a further 13 times.

Goodwood was the scene of four of Moss’ seven Tourist Trophy victories; two for Ferrari and two for Aston Martin, including clinching the British marque’s world championship title in 1959. Tragically, it was also the scene of his career-ending accident on 23 April, 1962. 

One of the founding patrons of the Festival of Speed, and a regular competitor at the Revival, it’s little wonder that Moss became a favourite of the fans, who christened him ‘Mr Goodwood’. Given his racing record – winning in almost everything he drove – it is fitting that Moss should be remembered at the 2021 Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard, the theme for which is ‘The Maestros – Motorsport’s Great All-Rounders’. 

This weekend marks the anniversary of the 1955 Mille Miglia, which Moss won with the invaluable help of co-driver Denis ‘Jenks’ Jenkinson. The daring duo completed the epic 1000-mile race in 10 hours, 7 minutes and 48 seconds, at an average speed of 99mph – a record which will stand in perpetuity.

Honouring this achievement at the Festival of Speed, Mercedes-Benz will be displaying the fearsome 300SLR ‘722’ in which the pair competed, and which is rarely seen outside the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart. Mercedes-Benz will also be bringing a W196 Formula 1 car of the type Moss used to win his first Grand Prix, at Aintree in 1955.

The Goodwood Revival in September will host perhaps the largest ever gathering of Moss’ competition cars, celebrating his life and career in a way that sadly wasn’t possible in 2020. Returning for the parade will be ‘722’ in what will be one of its last public outings for many years. Assembling on the track with it will be the Lotus 18 in which Moss defeated the mighty ‘Sharknose’ Ferraris at both Monaco and the Nürburgring in 1961.

Returning to Goodwood will also be the Rob Walker Racing Ferrari 250 GT SWB which Moss drove to his last Goodwood win, at the Tourist Trophy in 1961.

Many of the Moss parade cars will also be racing in earnest again during the Revival, including the Aston Martin DB3S in which he finished second at Le Mans (in the Freddie March Memorial Trophy), and the Nürburgring 1000km-winning DBR1 (Sussex Trophy).

Also invited to compete in those two races respectively will be his Reims-winning Jaguar C-type and Cooper T49, while a real rarity, the Ferguson P99 four-wheel-drive Grand Prix car which Moss piloted to victory in the International Gold Cup in 1961, will join the grid for the Richmond Trophy.

The Revival will also be the setting for the second running of the Stirling Moss Memorial Trophy. Formerly the Kinrara Trophy, this race was renamed for Goodwood SpeedWeek presented by Mastercard in 2020 and will now become a permanent fixture on the Goodwood calendar. Contested by Jaguar E-types, Ferrari 250s, Aston Martin DB4 GTs and AC Cobras, this has been described as ‘the most beautiful race in the world’, taking place as the sun falls on the Friday night of the Revival weekend. 

Finally, the 78th Members’ Meeting in October will see the third running of the Moss Trophy for GT cars of a type which raced up to 1962 – a fitting way to keep the Moss name alive at Goodwood’s most exclusive race meeting. 

The Duke of Richmond said: “Stirling and his wife Susie were such an important part of the Goodwood family for so many years. All of us here felt his loss especially keenly as we weren’t able to commemorate his incredible life as we would have wanted last year.

“We hope that fans at our events around the world will join us in celebrating his racing career and bidding farewell to ‘Mr Goodwood’ in 2021. Stirling’s supreme skill and love for his sport will continue to be remembered at Goodwood for many years to come.”