Electric mini-camper creates fuss: Honda N-Van EV

Motorhomes 30-12-2022 | 11:29 HOUR

Camping in a car less than 3.5 meters long? It’s possible with Honda’s N-Van. From 2024, this Japanese ‘kei car’ will also be available in an electric version as the Honda N-Van EV. And the EV also offers camping options.

Kei cars are small cars that, according to Japanese legislation, may not be longer than 3.40 meters, not wider than 1.48 meters, and not higher than 2 meters. Their compact size makes them perfect for busy traffic. And, importantly, they are also affordable. Honda is now introducing an electric version of the existing N-Van with an internal combustion engine. The electric N-Van is one of the over 30 electric vehicle types that Honda will launch by 2030, in an effort to encourage people to drive emission-free. This is especially necessary in Japan, as the number of electric cars in the country lags behind the rest of the world.

Range of 200 kilometers

In terms of appearance, the prototype of the Honda N-Van EV differs little from the N-Van with an internal combustion engine, which was introduced in 2018 and has a large number of fans. That means that the small car has a straightforward appearance within the dimensions of a kei car. In the fully electric version, the N-Van has a range of 200 kilometers. According to Honda, the N-Van EV is remarkably quiet and fully equipped for city traffic.

Honda N-Van EV as a mini-camper?

Despite its small length and width, the N-Van is excellent for use as a mini-camper thanks to its smart layout. The large luggage compartment helps with this, as does the fact that the back seat can be completely folded down. It’s no coincidence that Honda showed a camper version of the N-Van last year. In this version, the passenger seat – which is on the left, since they drive on the left in Japan – is completely folded down. This creates space for a single mattress. The mini-camper concept even comes with an awning.

Creative campers

It remains to be seen whether Honda will come out with its own camper interior for the N-VAN EV. For creative campers, this should not be a problem, as this kei car can already go a long way on its own. The special N-Van website shows what you can do with the little car. And it turns out that the possibilities are endless. There is even an example of the car as a pop-up cafe. You can see how, for example, an MDF board with holes – which you can attach to the side walls – already provides all kinds of storage space. And the small car offers many more options. This is also known to the Japanese company White House Campers, which converted a Honda N-Van into a camper for the Japanese market.

The cost of the N-VAN EV

The Honda N-VAN EV is set to be available in Japanese showrooms in the spring of 2024 and is expected to cost around 1,000,000 yen, or approximately 7,250 pounds.