While Honda is late to the EV game in China, it is making up for lost time with the introduction of the X-NV Concept – an electric-powered, near production-ready crossover based on the popular HR-V – at the ongoing Shanghai motor show.
The X-NV is a joint development between Honda Motor China Technology and its local partner, Dongfeng Honda (the other partner being Guangzhou Automotive Group, or GAC) and is planned to hit showrooms in the second half of 2019, which is pretty soon in automotive speak.
If the emblem on the concept crossover looks unfamiliar, that’s because the X-NV is expected to sport Dongfeng Honda’s NEV (New Energy Vehicle) brand logo with a theme centred on ‘Seeing the future”. Oh, the front grille of the X-NV also doubles up as the charging port cover, let’s hope future owners see and track the traffic up ahead diligently too.
Under the skin, the X-NV is likely to be identical to GAC’s Everus VE-1 launched at the Guangzhou motor show last November, so expect an output of 163 hp and 280 Nm from an electric motor driving the front wheels, backed up by a relatively large 53.6 kWh battery pack that’s good for 340 km on a full charge, on paper at least.
