More and more electric vehicles are making their way to the Philippines, it’s true, but there are still a lot of EVs that we feel like we’re missing out on. Honda, for one, has a few.
It’s not just the Super-One we’re talking about—though we’d love to see it here, too—but rather, the all-new Insight. The classic Honda nameplate has made a comeback in Japan as a fully electric vehicle.
Only 3,000 units will be built for Japan, each one capable of doing 532km on a single charge. It’ll support fast charging, which can get the battery to full in just 40 minutes. The Insight will also be fitted with a classy, modern interior that borrows design cues from other Honda models. There’s a sizeable touchscreen up front, and it’s mated to a Bose sound system. There’s ambient lighting in the cabin and a sunroof up top. The Insight also packs the full Honda Sensing suite of safety features.
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Design-wise, it’s very similar to the e:N1. It has familiar styling cues that look to be derived from the likes of the HR-V and the Civic. In Japan, te Insight can be had in a wide variety of colors, with the option to choose between a black or white interior.
The Insight was actually the first mass-production hybrid for Honda, having made its global debut in 1999. This one is now the fourth-generation model, and it’s evolved from a hybrid passenger car to a fully electric crossover. This isn’t the first time we’re seeing this, however, as we’ve even seen this up close as the e:N2 at the recent Bangkok International Motor Show.
What’s interesting here is that not only did it survive Honda’s massive cull of its EV plans, but it’s also made its way to the brand’s home market. Unlike the e:N1, which is built in Thailand, the e:N2 or the Insight is built in China through Honda’s joint venture with Dongfeng. Seeing as we’ve been getting plenty of electrified cars from the People’s Republic, Honda could launch this here if it wanted to.
Emphasis on that, however, as we’ve yet to see Honda push for fully electric cars on our side of the globe. If the e:N1—which is sourced from the same country as where we get most of our Hondas in the Philippines—didn’t land here, we wouldn’t be surprised if this other EV won’t, either. For now, let’s keep our fingers crossed and wait for official word from Honda.
