Topic: Emerging Tech

Honda delivers first all-electric vehicle in California

Summary: The 2013 Honda Fit EV is available for lease only in California and Oregon; markets on the East Coast will get the car early next year.

By Heather Clancy for GreenTech Pastures | July 23, 2012 -- 13:38 GMT (06:38 PDT)

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HondaEV — Matt Walton of Ventura County, Calif., takes delivery of the first 2013 Honda Fit EV, now available on-lease in select California and Oregon markets. (PRNewsFoto/American Honda Motor Co., Inc.)

Honda has delivered its first all-electric vehicle, but unless you live in California or Oregon it will be another six months before you will have an opportunity to claim one of your own.

And, even then, you'll have to be willing to lease it. Matt and Becky Walton from Ventura Country, Calif., are the first to drive away with the 2013 Honda Fit EV after being the first ones to get their name on the Web site waiting list.

The cars, which are available on a limited basis in California and Oregon, can be leasted starting at $389 per month for a three-year term. That translates into a sticker price of about $36,625.

"The Honda Fit EV is not only a sustainable and energy-efficient transporation option with the highest fuel-efficiency rating of any EV, but it has the added bonus of being fun-to-drive and can fully recharge from empty in less than three hours," said Matt Walton, in a statement from Honda.

Honda plans to extend the program to cities on the East Coast of the United States in early 2013.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has blessed the Fit with an official rating of 118 miles per gallon equivalent and a range of 82 miles.

Honda has been slower to market with electric vehicles than other companies, notably Toyota, because it has been researching the possibilities of hydrogen.

Two years ago, however, it relaxed that stance and the all-electric Fit is its first major debut at the low end of the electric vehicle category.

Talkback

10 comments

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36k+ for a FIT?

Guess, electric has given auto companies a reason to convince us to pay more to have the privilege of owing a car. Are they having 20k worth of batteries?

mm71
23 July, 2012 14:26

Reply 1 Vote
- Actually, yes, it's 20,000 worth of batteries.
  
  High-performance Li-ion batteries are very expensive. What you are seeing here is green dreams of utopia being beaten to death by the hard reality of physics. The pathetic part is the continued bleating denial of the greens even as they are in the act of being beaten to a pulp.
  
  baggins_z
  23 July, 2012 15:30
  
  Reply 1 Vote
  - You = Leech, Electric vehicle owners = Patriots
    
    Thanks to us future Americans won't lose their children in combat fighting for oil. And that has nothing to do with being green or not.
    
    jackbond
    23 July, 2012 17:01
    
    Reply Vote
    - Tree-hugger golf cart
      
      And if you really think we're gonna give up oil because of this, I have a bridge to sell you, libtard.
      
      CaviarBlack
      23 July, 2012 18:43
      
      Reply 1 Vote
      - libtard???
        
        Any moron who uses a term like libtard is an ignorant douche...
        
        i8thecat4
        23 July, 2012 21:42
        
        Reply 1 Vote
      - Was I talking about you?
        
        'o ignorant douche?
        
        ;)
        
        CaviarBlack
        24 July, 2012 20:45
        
        Reply 1 Vote
So why can't they skin these cars in PVs?

Electric or hybrid... Why are they even bothering with paint choices? These cars should be skinned in PVs, including the bumpers... Everyone knows that decent PVs can charge in indirect light, so a solar PV skin on all these cars would make perfect sense. So where are the damn PVs?!?!?! The body panels should be molded PVs and the car could recharge itself while being parked in the sun... Then those EV people could fight for the sunny parking spots and there would be less people fighting for the shaded parking spots.

i8thecat4
23 July, 2012 21:52

Reply Vote
- No wonder you keep recycling your own shit
  
  It keeps getting regurgitated around here.
  
  lol..
  
  CaviarBlack
  24 July, 2012 20:47
  
  Reply 1 Vote
We're now up to three...

This is the third current EV available in the US from a mainstream car company, following the Nissan Leaf (now widely available) and the Ford Focus Electric (just coming out now). Add the offerings from smaller companies (Tesla, etc.), the plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt, and the plug-in Prius, and we're looking at a good time for electric vehicles.

It's true that the high cost of these cars (largely due to the cost of the batteries) and the limited range of the pure EVs mean that these are not yet cars for everybody. But it's progress, and we should see battery costs come down over time. The low "fuel" costs and minimal maintenance expenses of the pure EVs (replacing the battery is expensive but there is little else to break) will also appeal to some drivers.

mark@...
23 July, 2012 23:51

Reply 1 Vote
Why bother?

EVs, or at least Battery powered cars are a huge waste of time and effort for the industry. They have been around for decades in one form or another, they cost a ton, are absolutly horrible for the enviroment, and 80 miles of range... Well you better not be planning any road trips...

Fuel cell is where the attention should be. Honda had their FCX Clerity as a lease program in CA almot 4 years ago. ~60 mpg equivenlant, under $25 for 240 miles of range. Add in that the only byproduct is water, less enviromental damage from making tons of batteries, filling time on-par with gas (not 3 hours). Come on people, battery powered cars is the wrong direction to go... Fuel Cell is the best option, at least until they can make wireless energy transmission efficient and effective (hello 22nd century).

sakosky1@...
17 August, 2012 17:52

Reply Vote