Honda’s Tiny Super EV Is a Huge Bargain
The Honda Super-One is a pint-sized EV with big city dreams, slotting perfectly into Japan’s unique kei car scene – only this one comes with a dash of sporty flair. Of course, for those of us in the US, it’s yet another forbidden fruit we’ll be pining for until 2051.
Like most EVs, the Super-One isn’t exactly a bargain – until recently. Japan just cranked up its EV incentives, slashing prices on several models well below what you’d expect from the sticker. The Super-One is cashing in big time, with Tokyo buyers now seeing prices that would have sounded like a joke just a few months back.
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Subsidies Cut the Super-One to Around $4,900
Japan is doubling down on its EV push, hoping to lure drivers out of their gas-guzzlers with some serious cash on the hood. The result? EV sales are on the upswing, with more buyers jumping at the chance to score a deal.
According to Nikkei Asia, Japan’s national government increased the maximum subsidy available for eligible electric vehicles to 1.3 million yen (around $8,000) earlier this year. Local governments have also expanded their own programs, with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government now offering incentives of up to an additional 1.3 million yen for those qualified.
There’s a catch, of course. To get the extra discount, buyers have to jump through a few hoops, such as home chargers and sometimes even solar panels. Then again, the savings are tough to ignore, so there’s that.
When Honda rolled out the Super-One in May, it started at about 3.39 million yen – roughly $21,000. But stack up all the national and Tokyo subsidies, and suddenly you’re looking at a price tag of just 790,000 yen, or about $4,900. That’s not just a discount; that’s a steal.
The result? Demand has gone through the roof. Honda moved 4,497 EVs in the last quarter alone – up from a measly three the year before. About 60% of those were Super-Ones, and things got so wild that some dealers had to pause on orders for certain versions.
Toyota and Tesla also reportedly saw their EV sales spike, thanks to these wallet-friendly incentives that suddenly made electric cars feel within reach for many more people.
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US EV Subsidy, Where Art Thou?
Japan’s all-in approach to subsidies is a far cry from the US. After federal tax incentives for EVs died last year, demand nose-dived. EV deals now are more about haggling with the dealer and hoping the government doesn’t change its mind overnight.
At this point, new EVs in America are starting to get cheaper, but used ones are dropping like a rock in value. Pre-owned EVs are now a bargain hunter’s dream, even if current owners are feeling the sting.
Japan’s got its own twist: with incentives only for new cars, you can actually buy a brand-new EV for less than a used one. That could tank resale values even more and might send a lot of used EVs packing for overseas.
For now, though, the plan is working. With prices on cars like the Super-One dropping to jaw-dropping lows, Japan is opening the EV floodgates to a whole new crowd. The real test will come when the subsidy party winds down – will buyers stick around, or will the buzz fade?
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