Honda outs new Model Y competitor S7 with repairable battery, phone parking, and S2000 rear split

Honda's EV efforts are proving surprisingly popular as evidenced by the sales of its first electric SUV in the US, the Prologue, which trumped the sales of all EVs built on GM's Ultium platform last year, and even outsold the gas-powered Passport.

Whether it is brand recognition or simply making a compelling value-for-money electric car, Honda is running with it and just released a direct Tesla Model Y Juniper facelift competitor called the S7.

The SUV is priced close to the new Model Y in China, and introduces some uniquely Honda drivetrain features. It is Honda's first vehicle with 50:50 RWD split since the Honda S2000 that has now achieved cult status.

"This arrangement increases the vehicle's cornering limit," tips Honda, "making it less likely to push the head or drift the tail during intense driving, and the double wishbone suspension can also effectively control the vehicle's pitch angle during acceleration and deceleration."

Speaking of suspension, the new Honda S7 is equipped with adjustable damping system that reacts in a fraction of a second, and Honda went through pains to ensure its characteristic smooth acceleration and stopping experience is transferred to the electric drivetrain, too.

The S7's body and battery pack have been designed for the ultimate in safety during crashes, too, with "1500MPa hot-formed steel that can withstand a pressure of 15 tons per square centimeter accounts for 25%, which is equivalent to the strength of a submarine's pressure compartment; 68% of the core area is made of high-strength steel, with an anti-twisting performance of over 40,000 Nm/degree, which can withstand large deformations under strong collisions; and a five-layer structure A-pillar that is rare in the same class is adopted, which combines 1500MPa hot-formed steel and 980MPa high-strength steel into one, and cooperates with Honda's patented resistance welding technology to ensure that the body structure can still maintain its intact shape under extreme collisions."

The 90 kWh battery that is good for 650km range on the CLTC cycle has been tailor-made by CATL in a gigacast enclosure with 15-layer protection and dual high-voltage switch that stops thermal runaway.

One of the most remarkable Honda S7 features is that its battery is made of 13 easy to replace modules that cut on maintenance and repairability cost by 80%. Honda also threw in its Level 2 self-driving system as standard, augmenting it with neat tricks like remote parking by phone to help navigate tight spaces.

Thanks to a large 61.7% axle length ratio, the cabin is very spacious with near lying experience for the rear passengers, while a BOSE sound system with speakers in the headrests blasts, and a diffuser spreads any of the 7 different fragrances of their choosing inside.

Honda says that the S7 is designed for its seven pillars of comfort, namely "high-end, space, zero pressure, thoughtfulness, immersion, interaction and convenience," offers a number of packaged incentives for early adopters of the $35,840 vehicle.