Honda Fit EV Rated by the EPA at 118 MPGe, the Highest Ever

American Honda will begin leasing the Fit EV to customers in some California and Oregon markets next summer, and will expand to six East Coast markets in early 2013. The Fit EV's Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price is a breathtaking $36,625 before $790 in delivery charges, with an estimated lease priced at $399 a month.

The 2013 Honda Fit EV has just been rated by the Environmental Protection Agency at a mile-per-gallon-equivalency of 118 MPGe, the highest fuel-efficiency rating ever given by the EPA. The tiny B-class Fit also has a 29 kilowatt hours (kWh) per 100 miles rating and a low EPA rated annual fuel cost of $500.

The Fit EV’s 20-kWh lithium-ion battery provides the capacity to earn an EPA combined city/highway estimated driving range of 82-miles, meaning the Fit EV on paper and in press releases surpasses the EPA efficiency and range ratings of the Ford Focus Electric (105 MPGe, 76-mile range), Nissan Leaf (99 MPGe, 73-mile range), and Mitsubishi i-MiEV (112 MPGe, 62-mile range). Honda recently settled a class action lawsuit that said in effect that it had overrated the mileage on the Civic hybrid. As in all fuel economy ratings, your mileage may vary.

The Fit EV’s 92 kilowatt (123 horsepower) coaxial electric motor makes189 ft-lb of torque, and has a driver-selectable 3-mode electric drive system adapted from the CR-Z Sport Hybrid.

Kilowatt-hours is an energy unit for electricity. The EPA sticker tells you how many kilowatt-hours the vehicle would use to travel 100 miles. Like gallons per 100 miles, this kilowatt-hours per 100 miles relates directly to the amount of electricity used, and thus to cost.  This is an estimated rate  of consumption though; any  vehicle may or may not be actually capable of traveling 100 miles on a fully charged battery.

American Honda will begin leasing the Fit EV to customers in some California and Oregon markets this summer, and will expand to six East Coast markets in early 2013. The Fit EV’s Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) is a breathtaking $37,415 with destination, a number left out of the press release. There is also a three year lease priced at $389 a month, which excludes tax, title, license, registration, options and insurance with total monthly payments $14,004.00. The lessee is responsible for non-routine maintenance, excessive wear/tear and up to $0.20/mi. over 12,000 mi./yr.

The gasoline powered Fit sells for $16,000 to $ 20,000, and with a 5-speed automatic transaxle is EPA rated at 28 mpg city, 35 highway and 31 combined. Honda said it will monitor market acceptance, but expects volume at this early stage of production to be approximately 1,100 Fit EV’s over the next three years.