22:42 17-04-2026

Honda launches the electric Insight in Japan

Honda is bringing the electric Insight to its home market, but doing so with notable caution. The model, with 201 hp, a 68.8 kWh battery and up to 500 km of range, will be sold in Japan in limited numbers — around 3,000 cars a year.

What happened

The new Insight is effectively a reworked version of the Chinese-market e:NS2, developed jointly with Dongfeng. The EV now enters the Japanese market under a familiar name. Pricing is set at about 5.5 million yen, but a government subsidy of 1.3 million yen brings that down to roughly 4.2 million yen.

Technical specifications

The model is based on the e:N Architecture F platform. It uses a 201 hp electric motor and a 68.8 kWh CATL battery. Claimed range reaches 500 km on the WLTP cycle, putting the car in a competitive position in the midsize EV segment.

Equipment and features

The Insight arrives with generous equipment, including a head-up display, a Bose audio system, a large multimedia screen and heating for nearly all key cabin elements.

Different trim finishes and bright exterior colours are available, underlining the car’s move toward a more premium part of the market.

The limited launch suggests Honda is still cautious about EV demand in Japan. Even with solid specifications, the Insight looks more like a test case than a true mass-market product.