Honda is bringing its ‘funky, cute’ EV hot hatch overseas for under $27,000

Honda’s retro electric hot hatch, the Super-N, will go on sale in the UK soon, starting at under £20,000 ($27,000).

Meet Honda’s affordable EV hot hatch

The Super-N is a souped-up variant of the N-One E sold in Japan. Although it goes by the name Super-One in Japan, Honda had to find a different name in the UK since the rights were taken by the SuperOne Kart Racing Championship Series.

Built on Honda’s lightweight N-Series platform, the EV hot hatch delivers up to 63 hp (47 kW). A new Boost Mode feature unleashes the performance, increasing output to 93 hp (70 kW).

Similar to Hyundai’s “N” performance EVs, like the IONIQ 5 N, Honda’s electric hot hatch features a simulated 7-speed transmission and an Active Sound Control system that mimics the jerkiness and sounds of a traditional combustion-engine sports car.

At just 3,395 mm (133.7″) in length, the Honda Super-N (Super-One) is even smaller than the Renault Twingo E-Tech (3,790 mm). It’s also one of the lightest in its segment, weighing just over 2,800 lbs (1,300 kg).

Although battery specs and other details have yet to be revealed, Honda said the Super-N will offer a combined WLTP electric range of 128 miles. In the city, it will offer up to 199 miles.

Rebecca Adamson, head of Honda’s UK operations, told Autocar, which had an early chance to test it, that the Super-N is “not based on the E in any way.”

The Honda e was discontinued in Europe and the UK earlier this year due to slow sales, a year after it was pulled from Japan. The Super-N is not intended to replace the Honda E, according to Adamson, but it’s still a “very funky, cute Honda,” she said.

While the Honda E was a bit expensive, priced around £37,000 ($50,000), the Super-N will be more competitive, starting under £20,000 ($27,000).

Can Honda’s EV hot hatch stand out in an increasingly crowded segment with the Kia EV2, Renault Twingo, and upcoming Volkswagen ID.1?

According to Autocar, the Super-N’s compact size will be an advantage on UK roads, but its boxy kei car-like design may stand out like a sore thumb. Given its size, the interior offers generous space, enough for a family.

“In terms of what it will do for us, the price point will be very important,” Adamson explained, urging that “the affordability of this car” will be key for Honda.

Honda will open pre-orders for the Super-One in Japan on April 16, with the Super-N set to arrive in the UK in July.