Honda postpones mini-EV launch until fall due to delays in parts deliveries

Honda Motor Co. announced Friday that it will delay the launch of its mini electric commercial vehicle (EV), which was set to hit the market this spring, until the fall due to a longer-than-expected delay in parts procurement.

Pre-orders will begin in May and the price and release date will be announced the following month, Honda said.

The model is a modified version of the N-VAN and will be Honda’s first mini-EV. It has a range of about 200 kilometers and is intended for short-distance deliveries.

Honda launched its first mass-produced EV, the Honda e, in 2020, but sales were slow and production was halted in January. Nissan Motor Corp.’s mini EV Sakura sold well, and Honda intended to regain lost ground.

Toyota Motor Corp., Suzuki Motor Corp. and Daihatsu Motor Co. have jointly developed a commercial mini-EV with the aim of bringing it to market by the end of the last fiscal year. However, irregularities in certification testing involving Daihatsu, which came to light in April last year, have complicated production, leaving the launch date undetermined.