THE Honda e-Drag and the Honda K-Climb — both unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon, this year's virtual edition — want to show the world how a substantial diet can impact performance without having to boost horsepower.
And a good diet is what the Honda “e” needs. Despite its compact dimensions, very similar to a typical B-segment, the Honda “e” charges over 1500 kg on the receiver, a manifestly exaggerated figure. It's not a problem unique to Honda's small electric; it's a problem of all electrical ones.
Why are they so heavy? Of course, the battery. It adds hundreds of pounds more than a corresponding vehicle with an internal combustion engine and that affects everything from performance to efficiency.
This is where the Honda e-Drag comes into the picture. Let's imagine the possibility of taking a Honda “e” to a starter race. With just 154 hp (but an instant 315 Nm of torque) and over a ton and a half, it's hardly a good candidate to cover 402 m as fast as possible.
The obvious solution to improve your modest performance? Reduce your weight as much as possible.
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That's precisely what Honda did to turn the “e” into the e-Drag. The interior was completely stripped and won two Kirkey competition baquets and a roll cage. On the outside, the roof is now carbon fiber, and while the rest of the prototype doesn't show it yet, we'll also see carbon fiber make its way into more body panels, including a single forward piece that will integrate the hood, bumpers. and mudguards.
To round off the lighter set, Honda equipped the e-Drag with radial tires specific for drag racing, while the 17″ wheels come from the first generation Honda NSX, in this case the very special NSX-R (NA2).
Unfortunately, as the project is not yet completed, Honda has not yet come up with figures on the gains it has already achieved with this intriguing project of its own, but we are also curious to know the results. Some say it could match the 5.8s in the 0 to 100 km/h of the much more powerful Honda Civic Type R — a 2.5s improvement over the Honda “e” Advance's 8.3s.
Honda K-Climb, the “mini-terror” of ramp races
Much more modest in numbers than the e-Drag, we have the Honda K-Climb, based on the brand's N-One kei car, where its legally limited 64 hp even more thanks for all the kilos that can be removed from above. As with e-Drag, K-Climb overuses carbon fiber in your diet. The front grille, hood, bumpers are made of this material.
Designed with ramp tests in mind with (very) convoluted roads, we understand the development focus on the chassis to maximize its ability to turn. It comes with a KS Hipermax Max IV SP adjustable suspension and stickier Yokohama Advan tires that wrap around 15-inch wheels — it should turn like no kei car has ever curved before.
Highlight also for the central exhaust exit of the HKS and the roll cage to show the serious intentions of the K-Climb as “mini-terror” of the ramp races. Honda also mentions that aerodynamics was not forgotten and we should see evolutions in the final prototype, especially in the dimension/design of the rear spoiler.
Both Honda e-Drag and K-Climb are projects under development and the Japanese brand gives the possibility to vote on the final decoration of each of the models after they are completed. Go to the page dedicated to both (it's in Japanese) and vote for your favorite decoration.