WATCH:
Interview with Sara Pines, Regional Manager of Public
Relations for American Honda Motor Co.
(video
below)
LOS ANGELES --
American
Honda Motor Co. introduced the Fit EV on the first media day at
the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show. The 5-passenger vehicle is equipped
with the same 3-mode drive system that is currently on the CR-Z
sport hybrid. The Fit EV will have a driving range of about 100
miles per charge. It can be charged in 12 hours with a 120-volt
outlet and only six hours with a 240-volt outlet. Look for the Honda
Fit EV to hit showrooms in 2012.
"This is
a concept car today, but we are fully committed to bringing it to
the market," said Sara Pines, regional manager of public relations
for American Honda Motor Co. "It's a fully electric vehicle.
It's a lithium ion battery. This Fit is just like any other Fit
to be honest in terms of interior features. Everything that you're
used to seeing in terms of navigation, our full flat seats will
be on this Fit so no change there."
The all-new
Honda Fit EV can be charged with a 120-volt our a 240-volt outlet.
It is not clear whether or not it can be charged up to 80 percent
in 20 minutes with the new level 3 DC fast charging stations.
"We're
not able to say at this time, since the car is actually just in
concept form," Pines responded. "We don't have all that
data yet available for testing."
The Honda Fit
EV will be available for purchase in 2012, about a year and a few
months after the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan LEAF hit the market
in December 2010. However, the Fit EV will come with some exclusive
features that are not available on other EVs.
"First
of all, we're going to have a key fob interface, in addition to
a smartphone application," the regional manager of public relations
added. "It will allow you to check the state of your charge
or turn on your AC or check the vitals of your car using your key
fob, which is pretty different. It kind of connects you to your
car kind of differently than we do today. Also, the Fit is pretty
unique in terms of its packaging and its cargo capabilities."
A price has
not yet been announced for the Honda Fit EV. However, it could be
released sometime in 2011.
"Historically,
our concept cars are not horribly different from our production
cars," Pines explained. "Closer to 2012, we'll have a
better image of what the car will look like. We're really excited
to have an updated version of an EV since we've kind of been in
the EV game since 1997. We're excited to have something that's modern
and a car that consumers are already familiar with."
I think the
Honda Fit EV looks really cool and modern. It sort of reminds me
of the boxy-looking Scion model line. However, it will be rolled
out in 2012, which is sort of late to the party. The Volt and the
LEAF will have both been on the market for over a year when the
Fit EV finally comes out.
The
Los Angeles Auto Show has the rare distinction of being
recognized by the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs
d'Automobiles (OICA), one of only two in the U.S.
