21/03/2025

Contributing Editor Keshy Dhillon / keshy@piston.my Editorial

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FRIDAY | MAR 21, 2025

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The Honda e:N1 is based on the popular HRV.

Back in the game! Honda Malaysia may have taken its time, but the upcoming e:N1 will mark its entry into the EV segment Ű BY KESHY DHILLON

The charging ports are located at the front of the car.

Generous boot space.

I F THERE is any country that has been utterly dominating the electric vehicle market, it would be China. And there is no denying that. Whether you gauge it from sales figures, or production figures, or the number of new brands coming out of China, there is simply no denying that China is at the forefront of the EV segment. But having said that, the Europeans have a glimmer of a presence in the segment as well, with Mercedes and its EQ series, and BMW’s i models which have had better success than its Stuttgart based competitor by simply creating better electric cars. Porsche has enjoyed a good run with its Taycan though that is losing steam. Audi and the Volkswagen have had a decent run as well but like Porsche, seem to be losing their edge as well. The Japanese on the other hand have stayed largely silent. Call it elegant silence but Japanese companies like Honda and Toyota have preferred to use a wait and see method and opting for a safer “multi-pathway” approach by offering everything from internal combustion engines to hybrids as well as EV’s rather than throwing everything

Unfortunately there is no frunk up front.

recently and found that it is quite impressive in every way. What does it have to offer you? Simply put, everything you need. The HRV is already a great platform to begin with – neither very big nor small, which means that it is brilliant for your everyday needs, especially in urban areas. Interior spaciousness is great as well, and because it is an EV, Honda

behind a single technology. That seems to have worked well for them. On the local front though, the Japanese have stayed largely silent, with most Japanese EV’s being offered by local grey importers rather than through official channels – until now. Honda Malaysia has confirmed that it will be launching its first salvo at the EV segment with its e:N1 model. Based on the HRV, the e:N1 has not exactly been well received where ever it has been offered, which has been mystifying because we just drove it

The design of the e:N1 is almost 100% identical to the HRV.