Honda Fit EV Review
- Thread starter Don
- Start date
Help Support Mitsubishi i-MiEV Forum:
The fact that you can't buy one SUCKS!
But it's also why the specs are so good. No need for Honda to consider long term support, so why not go big?
"My candle burns at both ends
It will not last the night.
But ah, my foes,
and oh, my friends
It gives a lovely light!
--Edna St Vincent Millay"
But it's also why the specs are so good. No need for Honda to consider long term support, so why not go big?
"My candle burns at both ends
It will not last the night.
But ah, my foes,
and oh, my friends
It gives a lovely light!
--Edna St Vincent Millay"
MLucas
Well-known member
caitlinspark said:
It's a perception thing. The upfront cost may be higher but the savings over a five year period makes the EV a bargain. ICEs are chocked full of recurring and hidden costs (gas, maintenance, smog checks, etc.)
MLucas
Well-known member
fjpod said:
Kei Jidosha
Member
I put a deposit on the iMiEV as a replacement for expiring MINI E lease after driving a Euro spec iMiEV in 2010. Efficient, light, and roomy, with great ergonomics, and a back seat (that folds flat as a billiard table) offset the more modest performance compared to the MINI E. I do the occasional road trip, so need for a +6.6kW charger and 100 mile capable range were the reasons I did not go with the iMiEV or the LEAF.
Honda Fit EVs has good performance, ergonomics, efficiency, fast charging, and range. I have driven over 100 miles unrecharged on several occasions, and from Los Angeles to San Francisco to visit family. But lease only, and limited availability are a problem.
It is hard to argue for the FEV right now against the current lease pricing offered on LEAF, iMiEV, and Ford Focus Electric. Individual needs will yield different answers.
Honda Fit EVs has good performance, ergonomics, efficiency, fast charging, and range. I have driven over 100 miles unrecharged on several occasions, and from Los Angeles to San Francisco to visit family. But lease only, and limited availability are a problem.
It is hard to argue for the FEV right now against the current lease pricing offered on LEAF, iMiEV, and Ford Focus Electric. Individual needs will yield different answers.
NeilBlanchard
Well-known member
Let's not be divided and conquered on EV's! The Honda Fit EV is the one EV that is (slightly) more efficient than the i MiEV, and it has a battery pack about 25% larger and it's range is about 25 miles farther, and it seats five, it has a motor more than twice as powerful, is one of the quietest EV's this side of the Tesla - what's not to like?
Well, Honda should *sell* it, that is for sure.
http://www.edmunds.com/fuel-economy/testing-electric-vehicles-in-the-real-world.html
http://www.edmunds.com/fuel-economy/electric-car-comparison-test.html
Well, Honda should *sell* it, that is for sure.
http://www.edmunds.com/fuel-economy/testing-electric-vehicles-in-the-real-world.html
http://www.edmunds.com/fuel-economy/electric-car-comparison-test.html
danpatgal
Well-known member
Neil, I know you're a bit of an aerodynamics nut ... I was thinking the CdA of the Fit would be better than the i to account for the better efficiency, but it isn't (they're both about 8.1 -> http://ecomodder.com/wiki/index.php/Vehicle_Coefficient_of_Drag_List). Which means that they only way they made it more efficient, despite the 600 more pounds of weight, was using more efficient components (charger, batteries, DC-DC, and of course motor). I guess they could use more expensive components knowing full well they wouldn't build or sell very many. It's just a shame there isn't a modern EV (or gas vehicle for that matter) now that at least approaches the CdA of the EV1 (for less than $60K).NeilBlanchard said:
I'm sad we couldn't get one, and would even consider leasing the Fit, if the price was right and a dealer nearby would do it - but so far, that's not happening. Kudos to Mitsubishi for sticking their neck out.
Kei Jidosha
Member
Now you can "Honda Fit EV Now Available On East Coast Too"fjpod said:
Kei Jidosha
Member
In addition to those mentioned, Honda developed a Servo Braking system that allows a higher percentage of regen over friction braking 'Honda Reinvents Regenerative Braking for Fit EV'danpatgal said:
If the regen is 'perhaps most similar to the one found on the Nissan Leaf' (which is to say not as aggressive as that found on the BMW) then it's likely not as aggressive as the system employed by our iMiEV
It will be interesting when we get a comparative report from someone who has driven both cars
Don
It will be interesting when we get a comparative report from someone who has driven both cars
Don
Kei Jidosha
Member
In order, lift throttle regen was highest on the MINI E, then ActiveE, Fit EV, iMiEV, LEAF(11/12), Focus Electric. As mentioned in the article, the regen on the Fit EV increases on inclines. Lift throttle regen is ~50% in B mode on flat ground, and increases gradually to 100% on a 20% grade. Fit EV, iMiEV, LEAF, Focus Electric are less able to be driven one pedal than the MINI E/ActiveE which do not have"creep".
Below 100% SOC, the flat ground lift throttle regen on the Fit EV is only slightly higher than on the iMiEV.
Below 100% SOC, the flat ground lift throttle regen on the Fit EV is only slightly higher than on the iMiEV.
Vike
Well-known member
At the end of the day, the fact that Honda couldn't build a Fit EV for a price they were willing to sell it for speaks volumes - the car is something of a parlor trick, an impressive but likely very expensive car (I wouldn't be surprised if it's as costly as the Focus) that they're putting out for lease to comply with CA regs and gather real-world data and experience. As such, it's hard to compare with the Leaf or i-MiEV, cars you can actually buy and keep.
At the risk of wandering a bit off-topic for this thread (though not this forum), I'd like to say that by contrast the i-MiEV is a serious product intended for the mass market, but I can't. Truth is I've never been able to figure out what the heck Mitsubishi's doing with the i-MiEV. They invested a lot to create it, then invested more to produce an American version, they've included some very impressive technology, they priced the base model ES fairly aggressively, they wildly overpriced and under-appointed the "upscale" SE Premium, they did approximately nothing to promote the car, they made it available for delivery nearly everywhere, they expressed disappointment in poor sales, they still haven't announced a 2013 model for the U.S. market (likely because so many 2012s are still sitting unsold on dealer lots), they've announced there won't be a follow-on model, they raised the price in Canada after Nissan announced the Leaf S would sell below the current price of the i-MiEV ES.
Just rattling it all off like that, it seems completely random. I don't really know if the i-MiEV's a compliance car in disguise, a terrible marketing blunder, or just a case of corporate cold feet over-reacting to mixed feedback and too afraid to throw good money after bad for a marketing campaign - I'll guess all of the above, in parts. The Canadian price hike in particular is a strong signal we won't be seeing the kind of price drop it would take to answer Nissan's Leaf S and keep the car in the market. I tell friends to keep an eye out for a possible fire sale, but I'm worrying more and more about how long cars have been sitting in lots and maintained at what SOC. Very frustrating.
At the risk of wandering a bit off-topic for this thread (though not this forum), I'd like to say that by contrast the i-MiEV is a serious product intended for the mass market, but I can't. Truth is I've never been able to figure out what the heck Mitsubishi's doing with the i-MiEV. They invested a lot to create it, then invested more to produce an American version, they've included some very impressive technology, they priced the base model ES fairly aggressively, they wildly overpriced and under-appointed the "upscale" SE Premium, they did approximately nothing to promote the car, they made it available for delivery nearly everywhere, they expressed disappointment in poor sales, they still haven't announced a 2013 model for the U.S. market (likely because so many 2012s are still sitting unsold on dealer lots), they've announced there won't be a follow-on model, they raised the price in Canada after Nissan announced the Leaf S would sell below the current price of the i-MiEV ES.
Just rattling it all off like that, it seems completely random. I don't really know if the i-MiEV's a compliance car in disguise, a terrible marketing blunder, or just a case of corporate cold feet over-reacting to mixed feedback and too afraid to throw good money after bad for a marketing campaign - I'll guess all of the above, in parts. The Canadian price hike in particular is a strong signal we won't be seeing the kind of price drop it would take to answer Nissan's Leaf S and keep the car in the market. I tell friends to keep an eye out for a possible fire sale, but I'm worrying more and more about how long cars have been sitting in lots and maintained at what SOC. Very frustrating.
NeilBlanchard
Well-known member
We don't know what the Cd of the new Fit (the number in the EcoModder list is for the older Fit, as far as I know) and Honda did quite a few modifications to the Fit EV. GM did similar things to the Spark EV, and they dropped the Cd from 0.36 down to 0.31.
Also, the Fit EV has *no* regen on the accelerator in Eco mode. And the upcoming e-Golf has a so-called 'Sail' mode that also has free-wheel coasting when you lift your right foot.
Also, the Fit EV has *no* regen on the accelerator in Eco mode. And the upcoming e-Golf has a so-called 'Sail' mode that also has free-wheel coasting when you lift your right foot.
Kei Jidosha
Member
At the June 27th introduction, Honda quoted a 14% reduction in Cd from the US spec ICE Fit. I understand that to be from ~0.35 to ~0.30.NeilBlanchard said:
Kei Jidosha
Member
All current BEVs (except the S) are a parlor trick. They are the knee jerk reaction to the 2007 gas spike that woke up auto manufacturers from their happy stupor. The demand for a gas alternative resulted in a scramble by manufacturers to electrify the lightest thing in their inventory. For Mitsubishi it was their best selling kei car, the i. The kei version of the iMiEV was on the road in 2009, with performance equal to the 2011 LEAF. But when shown to the US audience, many drivers wanted more room and amenities, and the NHTSA and IIHS wanted it 4 inches wider, and a foot longer, with 300 pounds of additional safety equipment. The result was Mitsubishi missed the window of opportunity, and lost some of the iMiEV's essence in the translation.Vike said:
The reason all these cars are important is they show what is possible. And will set the bar for the next generation of EVs being built from the ground up.
Well said, and let's hope the next generation materializes after the current spate of PHEVs, which only delay the introduction of pure BEVs.Kei Jidosha said:
Back on topic, having driven the Honda Fit EV, I liked having the various mode and shifting options and in Sport mode its performance was certainly grin-producing. Yes, the Fit EV has some aerodynamic improvements over the ICE Fit, and its better range and higher-power charger than the iMiEV make it attractive, but at a pretty-high lease-only cost. The more-compact external iMiEV package and its very tight turning radius to me are still a notable iMiEV advantage over the Fit EV. Let's see what the next generation of BEVs that one can buy will bring...
