Honda teases the practicality of the e:NP2 and e:NS2 by sticking six gymnasts in the trunk

The e:NP2 and e:NS2 electric crossover coupes are expected to hit the Chinese market early next year, but Honda has already started touting their ample interior volume

13 November 2023 at 15:29

Honda is almost ready to showcase the e:NP2 and e:NS2, a pair of closely related electric cars that it plans to sell in China. To prove how practical convertible crossovers are, I tasked six gymnasts with folding themselves into the short box.

Production versions of the electric cars were first introduced as prototypes at the Shanghai Motor Show earlier this year, and are expected to go on sale in early 2024. This means a full reveal is expected soon, while the start of Honda’s teaser campaign is further… From feeling. That clock is counting down.

The distinction between e:NP2 and e:NS2 is expected to be subtle, as this is like a badge engineering exercise. The former will be sold through Honda’s joint venture with Chinese company GAC, while the latter will be sold with the help of Dongfeng.

Read: Honda storms Shanghai with a trio of e:N series electric car models

However, to prove that they will be different, Honda released a video on Weibo showing two dancers interpreting the car’s lines in two different styles. In a post accompanying the video, the company wrote that the vehicles are represented by “two dances with very different patterns (outlining the vehicle with harmonious lines).”

It’s a similar strategy to the one Honda followed with the closely-related e:NP1 and e:NS1. Like those vehicles, the 2 Series will have some small visual differences. Based on prototypes shown at the Shanghai Motor Show, the e:NP2 will have a C-shaped head and taillights, while the e:NS2 will have H-shaped lighting elements.

In terms of general appearance, the relationship between the two vehicles will be clear. Both are copyfied crossovers. To prove that the sloping roofline wouldn’t affect the car’s practicality, Honda’s advertising team had six gymnasts squeeze themselves into the trunk, and they managed to fold themselves (with the rear seats folded down). Now, if only my luggage could twist itself like this.

Although it’s not clear which of the two cars was used for this ad, it probably didn’t matter to the gymnasts, as the interiors are quite similar. At the Shanghai Motor Show, both models had simple dashboards with a large infotainment screen in the middle and a thin display for the driver behind the steering wheel which was complemented by a head-up display.

Honda has yet to reveal what kind of performance the e:NP2 and e:NS2 will be able to deliver, but they are expected to be based on the e:N Architecture F platform. The models are also expected to match or better the e:NP1 and e:NS1.

A single car can reach a speed of up to 510 km per charge on the CLTC cycle, thanks to a 68.8 kWh battery pack. The models also produce up to 201 PS (150 kW/204 hp), and prices start at 175,000 yuan (US$24,007 at current exchange rates).

Following the unveiling of the e:NP2 and e:NS2, a more traditional SUV is expected to follow, also in 2024. In 2025, the automaker is expected to produce an electric sports car based on the e:N GT concept.