Ever since Honda announced 10 years ago that it would build an SUV based on the Fit, it also talked about building a hybrid version of the new car.
Indeed, a hybrid version of the HR-V is already on sale in much of the world, where the car is known as the Honda Vezel.
At the Beijing auto show this week, Honda took the concept one step further with the all-electric Everus Concept SUV.
CHECK OUT: 2015 Honda Fit Hybrid: Forbidden Fruit Drive Report (2015)
The company announced that the Everus will go into production by the end of the year and will lead off a new line of electric cars in China.
One of its first customers will be a prominent ride-sharing service in the country, called Reachstar. The HR-V is a perfect platform for car sharing with its easy access, flexible seating positions, and large cargo space.
The Everus seems to have few changes compared with the U.S. version of the HR-V beyond an updated front fascia. Honda didn't release any range, power, or charging specs for the Everus.
READ THIS: 2018 Honda Clarity electric versions: first details, including 40-plus-mile range for plug-in hybrid
When the Japanese company released the new battery-powered Clarity Electric has only an 80-mile range, which looks outdated compared with other electric cars rolling out in the U.S. this year. If they did bring an HR-V electric to the U.S. it would likely need more range than the Clarity Electric.
In the end, the Everus is an encouraging sign of how many global platforms are now designed to accommodate gasoline, electric, and plug-in hybrid power trains: the HR-V, the Hyundai Ioniq and Kia Niro, along with Honda's own Clarity. When demand changes, the automakers can respond more quickly to bring consumers whatever powerful or efficient powertrains they want around the world
