Honda trials EVs in Japan and California

Honda has begun rolling out the next phase of its Electric Vehicle Testing Program in Japan and California. The Japanese program takes in the cities of Saitama, Kumagaya and Chichibu, while for the Californian chapter the company has recruited Google Inc, Stanford University and the city of Torrance.

In keeping with the horses-for-courses paradigm seen by the industry as the way of the future, the Japanese trial takes in not just EVs and PHEVs but other Honda products like the EV-neo scooter and the ML200 Monpal electric cart. It also sees the debut of solar-powered public charging stations as an adjunct to its solar-powered domestic hydrogen extraction units for fuel-cell vehicles like its FCX Clarity.

The Saitama trial will focus on urban transportation testing featuring Honda's EVs, plug-in hybrid vehicles and EV-neo electric, taking into account ways of integrating fleets of such vehicles with public transport infrastructure like train and bus stations. It will also monitor the noise reduction impact of such vehicles in residential areas.

In Kumagaya it will study the viability of an EV- and PHEV-based park-and-ride system located around the city's main station, while in Chichibu it will look at how to boost the use of electro-mobility systems using the Monpal cart for rental by locals and tourists.

Using state-of-the-art telematics and communications systems, the Japan trials represent the first steps in realising Honda's Total Energy Management concept envisioning the integration of all-electric and plug-in vehicles into a broad-scale system taking in domestic and even commercial energy supply aimed at minimising consumption and CO2 emissions.

At the same time, the company has announced a similar program in California taking in Stanford University, Google Inc and the city of Torrance. Each participant will be given a Fit (that's Jazz to us) EV prototype, while Torrance local authorities will also take delivery of an Accord-based PHEV.

The vehicles

The Fit (Jazz) EV uses takes most of its drivetrain technologies from the FCX Clarity EV, but hitches it up to a lithium-ion battery rather than the Clarity's hydrogen fuel cell. Honda claims it's good for 160km on a six-hour charge.

The PHEV is built on the mid-size Inspire (Accord) platform. It combines Honda's trusty 2.0-litre i-VTEC engine four with two purpose-built electric motors. Drivers can switch between three drive modes: EV, petrol-electric and petrol modes. Power for the electric motors comes from a 6kWh lithium-ion battery giving it a range of 15-25 km in electric drive mode.

Honda is making the EV-neo electric scooter available on lease for short-range delivery work by courier companies and the like, while the Monpal ML200 cart will assume larger delivery and tourist hire duties.

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