Meet the new Honda e:Ny1, a 200bhp fully electric SUV

Welcome to the first fully electric Honda SUV, and only its second fully electric car after the too-adorable-for-words Honda e. It is a car "designed to meet the growing customer demand for all-electric B-segment SUVs", which means: you ask, you get.

And yes, it’s really called the Honda e:Ny1 – ‘anyone’, anyone? – which makes perfect sense because it sits on a “newly-developed e:N Architecture F”. This new chassis promises lots of rigidity, a low centre of gravity and “carefully managed” underbody aero for a “confidence-inspiring drive”.

Allied to this new chassis is a high-performance powertrain, which houses the drive unit, electric motor and gearbox all in one for a total of 150kW (200bhp-odd in old money). Powering it is a 68.8kWh battery – able to fast charge from 10 to 80 per cent in just 45 minutes – that delivers up to 256 miles (412km) on the WLTP cycle.

So, small-ish SUV, decent range, new visual identity for Honda’s electric cars. Well, at least in terms of the white ‘H’ badge dotted around that five-door shape, and the new ‘Honda’ typeface on the tailgate said to deploy a “premium look” that’ll feature on later EVs too. Of the body itself? Honda champions its short overhangs and wide track, though it's perhaps a little more GenericSUV.

That front-drive layout, by the way, affords “remarkable interior space and comfort” as you’d expect Honda to claim. And as for the interior, there is a socking great 15.1in touchscreen that dominates the centre console. Three physical buttons exist – hazards, front and rear windscreen demist – but otherwise everything else is on the screen. Yay. The driver gets their own digital dash, of course.

“The e:Ny1 is the logical next step on our electrification journey in Europe,” said Honda Europe’s senior VP Tom Gardner. “Our development philosophy blends intelligent, customer-centric technology with beautiful design and fun-to-drive dynamics.

“This latest SUV exemplifies Honda’s commitment to electrification and is the latest step on Honda’s electrification journey,” he added.