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| Honda Super-ONE |
Imagine an electric car that doesn't feel like a silent, efficient appliance, but instead, thrills your senses with the soul of a petrol engine. This isn't a fantasy; it's the Honda Super-ONE, a compact electric prototype that promises to bring the fun back to driving, and it's the exact spark the Indian automotive market needs to truly electrify the hearts of young enthusiasts. Unveiled at the Japan Mobility Show 2025, this charmingly boxy, wide-stance hatchback is far more than just a vehicle; it's a statement, a bold experiment in making electric mobility an emotional experience rather than just a practical one, and its potential arrival in India could be the catalyst that transforms Honda's brand image from conservative to cutting-edge.
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At first glance, the Super-ONE captivates with its hot-hatch design, drawing inevitable comparisons to the iconic MINI Cooper but with a crucial difference—it's an incredibly compact package at just 3.4 metres long, making it a perfect candidate for navigating India's congested urban jungles. The magic, however, lies beneath the surface, where a heavy battery pack gives it a phenomenally low centre of gravity, promising the kind of pin-sharp, roll-free handling that driving enthusiasts dream of, effectively making every commute feel like a go-kart track adventure. While Honda is yet to release official specs, industry whispers suggest it could harness a version of the 29.6-kWh battery found in Japan's Honda N-One e, potentially offering a practical range of around 300 km, which is more than adequate for the daily urban driver.
But the true genius of the Super-ONE is how it plays with your emotions behind the wheel, a feature that could make it a legend among petrolheads reluctantly transitioning to EVs. The cabin is filled with a sensory symphony of a simulated supercharged engine sound, meticulously tuned to rise and fall with your accelerator inputs, creating an auditory illusion so convincing that you'll forget you're in an electric car, yet it remains mercifully silent to the outside world, respecting public noise pollution norms. The pièce de résistance, however, is the revolutionary 'simulated gearbox'—a feature that defies the uniform, lag-free acceleration of typical EVs to deliver the satisfying jolt and rhythm of a 7-speed gear shift, a nostalgic nod to the manual transmissions we've loved and a masterstroke for making EV driving engaging and emotionally resonant, much like the system in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N but in a far more accessible package.
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For Honda Cars India, which has seen its market share dwindle and its model lineup shrink, the Super-ONE isn't just a product; it's a potential halo hero, a beacon of innovation that could single-handedly re-energise its brand and make the 20-40 age group flock to its showrooms in anticipation. Just as the Skoda Octavia RS proved that Indians are willing to pay a premium for thrilling, image-boosting cars, the Super-ONE could be imported as a prestigious halo product, creating immense buzz and elevating the perception of the entire Honda portfolio. Furthermore, if localised, this compact EV could serve as an affordable and crucially, fun, entry point into the mass-market EV space, challenging the current narrative that entry-level cars, whether electric or petrol, must prioritise bland efficiency over sheer driving engagement, making it a landmark vehicle not just for Honda, but for the entire Indian automotive landscape.