I didnt know this existed - Honda EV Plus

[billysan]

I just found this while browsing wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_EV_Plus

Its a shame they were all lease only, would have been nice to get hold of one and have a play.

[retepsnikrep]

Great pity they never sold it, but I bet the experience gained with Nimh helped with the Insight battery. That display look familiar

[Rick]

Shame yes. I've been told that the quality of those cars was spot on Honda quality as you'd expect and probably better than the EV1. They weren't the fastest car, but were a test bed for the NiMH batteries. I believe they were water cooled and they had issues with them. I actually have an original sales brochure and press release for this car.

I've also heard Honda in Torrence keeps a few of these to run around in and see how they perform. Last report I read was that the car still ran, but was less powerful and the batteries were showing their calendar life deterioration pretty bad. Still, considering they're over 10 years old now you couldn't complain about that if you had one.

This car kind of lives on today as the first 4 generations (or whatever it was) of the FCX was built on this platform... and I got to drive one a few years ago. The car itself seemed like it would be surprisingly useful the way it was laid out, yet was still a reasonably sized car.

Now the EV+ fact I didn't know was that they used the poorly translated engrish Danger high voltage sticker as on the Insight.

[Dougie]

Yup, and they were leased, taken off the market, and crushed just like the EV-1. Thus pulling the rug from under the GM + oil companies conspiracy theory about Who Killed The Electric Car.

[wheelwrightmike]

Originally Posted by Dougie

Yup, and they were leased, taken off the market, and crushed just like the EV-1. Thus pulling the rug from under the GM + oil companies conspiracy theory about Who Killed The Electric Car.

The film did focus on the EV-1, but also mentioned the Honda and the Ford EVs. I think the film found the auto industry "guilty", not just GM.
-Mike

[No. 166]

There was even a small fleet of EV-Plus (50 Vehicles) available for lease in the Swiss(!!) community of Mendrisio. The local Honda-workshop was acustomed with the repairs and maintenance.
A swiss EV-Plus brochure from THAT fleet is also in my collection. Those were the ONLY EV-Plus available in Europe. That was 1998...

[Insightful Trekker]

There is a very harsh reality in reguard to electric vehicles and a consumer economy (most of the 1st "world" economies). Far fewer parts, much less maintenance and a higher initial cost (batteries) will yield far fewer jobs in the transporation sector.

A reality we must encorporate into our economies if personal transportation is to continue for our grandchildren.

[Dougie]

You know, I hear that about electric cars all the time, but is it really true? Modern ICE powered cars don't need that much routine service, mostly just oil changes. The reason you end up taking your car to the shop is for brakes, tires, and broken stuff like windshields and door locks. And body work due to minor accidents. Until cars get pretty old and junky, there's not that much servicing to do that is directly related to the engine.

On the other hand, electric cars are going to need new tires and windshields and brakes just like ICE cars.

What is the fraction of car repair work that is different between the two designs?

[No. 166]

Originally Posted by Dougie

You know, I hear that about electric cars all the time, but is it really true? Modern ICE powered cars don't need that much routine service, mostly JUST OIL CHANGES....

THAT IS the reason for electricc vehicles being scrapped..... OIL.