2013 Honda Fit EV Rated by the EPA at 118 MPGe

[herm]

Highest Fuel-Efficiency Rating Ever!

Herm Perez - CleanMPG - June 6, 2012

Not bad for a compliance BEV, 20% better than a LEAF, only 366 available per year so hurry up with your order.

The 2013 Honda Fit EV, with a combined adjusted Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mile-per-gallon-equivalency rating of 118 MPGe, received the highest fuel-efficiency rating ever given by the EPA. Further, with an unprecedented low consumption rating of just 29 kilowatt hours (kWh) per 100 miles and low EPA rated annual fuel cost of $500, the fun-to-drive 2013 Honda Fit EV can help consumers get more miles for each charging dollar.

With such an efficient drivetrain, the Fit EV's 20-kWh lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery provides the capacity to earn an EPA combined city/highway estimated driving range rating of 82-miles, allowing the Fit EV to surpass the EPA efficiency and range ratings of the Ford Focus Electric (105 MPGe, 76-mile range), Nissan Leaf (99 MPGe, 73-mile range), and Mitsubishi i-MiEV (112 MPGe, 62-mile range). The Fit EV's exceptionally efficient design – encompassing everything from savvy powertrain design, weight-conscious engineering and effective aerodynamics – makes the most of the Fit EV's smaller battery. Additionally, the Fit EV battery can be recharged in less than 3 hours from a low charge indicator illumination point when connected to a 240-volt circuit.

"Just as important as the industry-leading fuel-efficiency and fast recharging time, as a Honda, the 2013 Fit EV will be an absolute kick to drive," said Steve Center, vice president of the American Honda Environmental Business Development Office.

The Fit EV's 92 kilowatt (123 horsepower) coaxial electric motor generates 189 ft-lb of torque, and is teamed to a chassis with a fully-independent suspension and a driver-selectable 3-mode electric drive system adapted from the CR-Z Sport Hybrid.

Honda debuted the 2013 Fit EV at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show and announced plans to begin leasing the battery-electric commuter vehicle to customers in select California and Oregon markets during the summer of 2012, followed by an East Coast rollout in 2013.

We cannot wait for this one

[chilimac02]

is honda doing something good here?

[herm]

My guess is that it does 10k rpms at hwy cruising speed and lacks sound insulation.. and lets not forget about the hard plastics on the dash

[CRT1]

Drooling . . . . I put in a request for one at the Honda site a few months ago.

Given the excess kWhs my solar panels are throwing off, this is the perfect FIT (no pun intended but totally intended). Plus my employer is installing free charging stations in the parking garage at work, though I would not need it to make the round trip.

We can retire my wife's '04 CRV and she can drive the gas powered FIT to/from the train station (5 miles total per day) and of course for long road trips.

Tech Questions: Is the FIT EV an all-DC solution like the Honda hybrids?

Most other HEVs and EVs out there run AC motors and an inverter. I'm no electrical engineer, but that approach seems lossy to me. AC to DC for regen braking, DC to AC to drive. Each time you lose about 10%?

Am I right that an all-DC drivetrain would be theoretically more efficient?

[PaleMelanesian]

366 per year? Lease only? Shame on you, Honda. If this was available for purchase I'd consider it. The Fit is already an excellent car. Add to that the most efficient EV drivetrain yet and it's a winner. Except for those two things.

[EVuser]

Does a 20KWH pack come short of getting the full fed tax credit? Love the other numbers. Going to be a sweet little urban street racer.

[JusBringIt]

Finally. I see Honda is trying to retain relevance. It's good when a top manufacturer goes through such a period. It forces them to do better for the consumer.

[ksstathead]

Nissan dropped the larger Leaf lease rate to 289 (319 on higher trim) recently.

As much as I like the Fit, I'd not pay the higher price for a smaller car. Plus, I can now buy a Leaf here, whereas the FitEV will only be available in select markets, I think.

[herm]

Originally Posted by EVuser

Does a 20KWH pack come short of getting the full fed tax credit? Love the other numbers. Going to be a sweet little urban street racer.

The $7500 fed tax credit only covers up to 16kWh, so you get the full credit. Lets see how long before blogs start doing TCO comparisons with the regular Fit

[herm]

I think that $289 involves a downpayment, something that is not a good idea with a lease.