Honda EV Plus

Honda EV Plus
Overview
Manufacturer	Honda
Production	1997-1999 about 300 produced
Assembly	Japan (Tochigi)
Body and chassis
Class	supermini (B-segment)
Body style	3-door hatchback
Powertrain
Electric motor	brushless DC
Battery	28.7 kW-hr, 288 V (12 V×24) NiMH
Range	80–105 mi (129–169 km)
Plug-in charging	Avcon (conductive)
Dimensions
Wheelbase	99.6 in (2,530 mm)
Length	159.3 in (4,050 mm)
Width	68.9 in (1,750 mm)
Height	64.2 in (1,630 mm)
Curb weight	3,590 lb (1,630 kg)
Chronology
Predecessor	Honda CR-X
Successor	Honda Fit EV Honda Insight

The Honda EV Plus was the first battery electric vehicle from a major automaker that did not use lead acid batteries. Roughly 340 EV Plus models were produced and released. Production of the EV Plus was discontinued in 1999 after Honda announced the release of its first hybrid electric vehicle, the Honda Insight.

The EV Plus served to test advanced battery chemistry in an electric car and also met California Air Resources Board requirements for zero-emission vehicles, like the General Motors EV1. It also tested the pancake-style motor, electronic control unit, power control unit and the Nickel–metal hydride battery (NiMH) later used in Honda hybrids and developed further in the first Honda FCX Fuel Cell Vehicles, which were rebuilt from returned (decommissioned) EV Plus chassis.

Features

The EV Plus featured on-board conductive charging with the Avcon connector, passive battery balancing, regenerative braking and deceleration, AC/heat-pump climate control, HID headlights, 4 seats, and electrically heated windshield. The car was equipped with an oil-fired heater for faster cabin heating and passenger comfort, but the heater was not operable until the ambient temperature was below 40 °F (4 °C) to comply with California Zero Emission Vehicle standards. The heater had an output of 7 kW (24,000 BTU/h).

The EV Plus came with a 12 V battery to power standard automotive accessories and lighting.

Vehicles also featured:

• CD player
• Power windows
• Power door locks
• Remote key fob controlled Air conditioning
• Electrically heated windshield

Performance

• Track Front/Rear: 59.1 in/58.7 in (1.50 m/1.49 m)
• Drive Train: Front-wheel drive
• Occupants: Four
• Power: 49 kW (66 hp)
• Transmission: Single Speed with Reverse
• Charger: On-board Conductive
• Recharge: 8 hours with 220 V charger, 35 hours with 110 V emergency charger.
• Acceleration: 4.9 s (0-30 mph)
• Maximum Speed: 80+ mph (130 km/h)
• Colors: dark green, bronze, silver

The traction motor output rating was 49 kW (66 hp) at 8,750 RPM.

Battery capacity was 28.7 kW-hr; the battery weighed 486.1 kg (1,072 lb) and occupied a volume of 292 L (10.3 cu ft). As with virtually all vehicles, range was affected by driving style: rapid acceleration, high speeds, and fast stops lowered the all-electric range significantly. United States Environmental Protection Agency rated the range at 81 miles (130 km), and careful driving would give it a range of just over 100 miles (160 km). Consumption is rated at 0.71 kilowatt-hours per mile (1.6 MJ/km); using an electricity equivalent of 33.7 kW-hr per gallon of gasoline, that gives an equivalent efficiency of 48 mpg_‑US (4.9 L/100 km) combined, 49 / 46 mpg_‑US (4.8 / 5.1 L/100 km) city/highway.

Southern California Edison tested a Honda EV Plus at Pomona, California and determined the range was between 78.8 mi (126.8 km) (freeway loop, with auxiliary loads) to 105.3 mi (169.5 km) (urban loop, without auxiliary loads). The EV Plus required approximately 7 hours to fully charge its battery at a rate of just over 5 kW.

A race-prepared EV Plus set a new record for electric vehicles at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in 1999 by finishing in 15:19.91.

Sales and production

The EV Plus was listed with an MSRP of $53,900, but Honda never allowed them to be sold, instead offering the cars on a 3-year, lease-only program for $455.00 per month. The lease cost included comprehensive collision coverage, all maintenance, and roadside assistance. Honda allowed some customers to extend their EV Plus lease for a few years. At the end of the leases, all EV Plus cars were taken back by Honda as decommissioned and eventually destroyed. A few Honda EV Plus chassis were used as the base for some of Honda's first hydrogen (H2) fuel cell vehicle prototypes. Then those prototypes were also destroyed.

From May 1997 to July 1998, Honda leased 177 EV Plus vehicles in southern California. 15 EV Plus vehicles were leased to the University of California, Riverside as the basis of a car-sharing program; on average, 100 trips per day were taken by faculty, staff, and students, with most trips lasting less than 4 miles (6.4 km). The final EV Plus was assembled in April 1999; in total, approximately 325 were leased to customers: 300 in the United States, 20 in Japan, and 5 in Europe. At the time Honda announced it would discontinue production, it promised to continue to re-lease and service the EV Plus indefinitely.

The platform and drivetrain of the EV Plus were reused for the Honda FCX, a fuel cell vehicle. Instead of the high-voltage traction battery of the EV Plus, the FCX used hydrogen stored on-board in a fuel cell reactor to generate electricity.

Gallery

• Honda EV Plus
• 
  3/4 Front View
• 
  Side View
• 
  3/4 Rear View
• 
  Name Decal
• 
  Avcon Charging Port & UL Label
• 
  Avcon Charging Port Close-Up
• 
  UL Label
• 
  Electric Motor Compartment
• 
  Warning Label On Motor Controller
• 
  FCC Label on Motor Controller
• 
  Instrument Panel
• 
  Instrument Panel Close-Up

External links

• Honda EV Plus Test Vehicle Report
• Paryani, A. (November 2000). "Field evaluation of Honda's EV PLUS battery packs". IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine. 15 (11). IEEE: 21–25. doi:10.1109/62.888322. ISSN 1557-959X.