Published July 2, 2012
By Huw Evans
Recently American Honda Motor Co. announced that the all-electric Fit EV will offered to consumers on a three-year lease with initial availability in California and Oregon only.
The program began June 20, and Honda says that next year availability will expand to six other East Coast markets, though it hasn’t yet said which ones they will be.
The Fit EV carries a MSRP of $36,625, which translates to a $389 per month lease payment (which includes the $7,500 Federal tax credit). However, in order to qualify, potential lessees will have to undergo a pre-approval process, and mileage is limited to 12,000 miles per year with no option to buy out at the end of the term.
"No other automaker on the planet is more deeply committed to produce and deliver more energy-efficient and sustainable transportation solutions than Honda," said Steven Center, vice president of the American Honda Environmental Business Development Office. "The 2013 Honda Fit EV is the latest example of this commitment."
The Fit EV, which boasts a 20-kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery pack and a 92-kilowatt electric motor, delivers an EPA rated combined city/highway 118 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) fuel economy rating, the highest currently bestowed on a passenger vehicle.
Honda says the Fit EV has a driving range of 82 miles before recharging is required, with an onboard charging unit designed to plug into regular 120 household electrical outlets or 240-volt AC power units. Where the latter is concerned, Honda says the battery can be recharged in less than three hours.
The Fit EV is being manufactured at the New Model Center in Tochigi, Japan, the same that produces another alternative fuel vehicle: the Hydrogen fuel cell FCX Clarity, a car that is also available to California lease customers on a limited basis.
