While the production Honda e was a lovely bit of design - a cute and original small car exercise in a sea of aggression - it was hard not to feel a tad let down in 2020. Honda’s own doing, of course, because it had previewed the e with the fabulous Urban EV concept of 2017, complete with some arch attitude, big wheels and properly cool details. Obviously, it wasn’t going to be the real thing, but it always felt a little bit of a shame that more Urban EV didn't turn up in the final design.
Still, there was nothing to stop the aftermarket trying to inject some muscle back into the butter-wouldn’t-melt Honda e - and that’s exactly what Innovate Composites did to this car. Indeed it’s probably a more overt take on the design than that original concept, looking like something from a Best Motoring video or Daikoku car meet. This isn’t some off-the-shelf fibreglass kit, either, as this is the Honda e used by Innovate to create a carbon widebody kit for the city car, meaning thousands of hours work that they’ve now run with to create a range of Innovate es - including a touring car engined one…
This car retains the battery and motor, though to be honest it’d still be cool as heck if you had to pedal it. The dramatically engorged arches, the Time Attack style front end and rally car rear completely transform the little Honda, and in fine style. It would be a stretch to say it looks factory spec, because Honda would never do anything so bold, though clearly a lot of time and expertise has been lavished it. With coilovers, big Rotiform wheels and new Brembo brakes behind them also, the Innovate e most certainly looks the part. Should be an absolute hoot to drive as well, now so low and so grippy thanks to Michelin Cup 2 rubber. You’ll never, ever have to lift. Speedbumps aside.
The inside has been overhauled as well, now boasting a brace of bespoke Corbeau carbon seats up front that ought to help keep you secure when latched on around another roundabout. The upholstery choice probably won’t be to all tastes, with distressed-look dark brown leather throughout, but then this is a widebodied electric city car: universal approval is not really its thing. Hard not to imagine what Type R red might have been like, however…
Regardless, the Innovate e is a small car that promises to make an enormous impact wherever it goes. Certainly it'll make you the talk of any car meet. There’s not much else like it, and every time it’s looked at there’s another brilliantly crazy element to appreciate. As a standard 154hp Advance underneath with eight thousand miles, it could make for the ultimate urban runaround.
This 2020 one will cost about what a new e did before it went off sale, and quite a lot more than any other used one, at £35k. But being objective about it probably misses the point; if you love it, and can afford it, you’re going to have it. It’s hard to think of much else of this size and price that could match the Innovate e for impact. Don’t forget the enormous amount of carbon fibre and craftsmanship that’s gone in as well. In a world of increasingly homogenous design, Innovate has dared to do something different - and that gets a resounding thumbs up from us.
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