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Your Packages Could Soon Be Delivered By Honda's Electric Quadricycle

Honda has announced a new business, Fastport, that will start building the eQuad delivery vehicle later this year. The electric quadricycle is designed for last-mile delivery and features swappable batteries that take less than 30 seconds to change. The eQuad has a range of up to 23 miles and features a modular chassis that can be adapted to the needs of each business. Honda has always been more than just a car company. The Japanese manufacturer got its start assembling motorcycles and has dabbled in everything from lawnmowers and motorized tillers to jet-powered airplanes and outboard boat engines. Now, Honda is venturing into another vehicular realm with Fastport, a new business that will produce an all-electric quadricycle that can fit in a bike lane and is aimed at last-mile delivery. Honda Fastport's first product is the eQuad, a narrow four-wheeled contraption that is operated like a bicycle and features a large storage box behind the rider. Honda says the eQuad is designed to "help address urban congestion and rising consumer demand for faster, more frequent deliveries." The eQuad is designed to travel in bike lanes, appearing to just squeeze into the painted lines in the photos we have of the quadricycle traveling in New York City. Honda does note, however, that the eQuad's ability to drive in bike lanes will be dependent on local regulations. The eQuad will be offered in two sizes and with two cargo box sizes, in order to meet the needs of different businesses across both Europe and North America. The smaller eQuad is 133.9 inches long, 82.7 inches tall, and 39.4 inches wide, while the larger eQuad measures 144 inches long, 84 inches tall, and 48 inches wide. Honda says the eQuad's modular design allows it to be easily customized for the specific use case of the business. The small cargo container's length/width/height is 75 by 57.5 by 38.4 inches, while the bigger box's dimensions are 89 by 47.9 by 60 inches. In its larger configuration, the eQuad has a payload of 650 pounds; the smaller eQuad can carry up to 320 pounds. Honda Motivation comes from the Honda Mobile Power Pack (MPP), an easily swappable battery that we first experienced on Honda's eGX go-kart in 2023. Honda didn't provide detailed specifications for the MPP, but when we drove the eGX, Honda said that each battery had a 1.3-kWh capacity. Honda didn't specify how many batteries the eQuad uses, but the eGX kart features two MPPs, and the images of the prototype appear to show room for two batteries. In our experience with the eGX, swapping in a new fully charged battery took less than 30 seconds. The powertrain is described as "pedal-by-wire pedal-assist," and the eQuad also features regenerative braking. The eQuad can travel up to 12 mph, regardless of the configuration, and Honda quotes a range of up to 23 miles for the larger version. A range estimate for the small model is not yet available. Honda While the eQuad is essentially a bike with four wheels, Honda also added a couple of amenities for rider comfort. The eQuad's canopy has a UV coating and a ceramic tint option to shield the rider from the sun, while a ventilation fan helps the rider stay cool. The prototype also appears to feature a headlight and a camera-based rearview mirror. Fastport will also provide a "Fleet-as-a-Service" (FaaS) platform that not only includes the swappable batteries and cargo containers but also service and maintenance plans and real-time data for driver and fleet management. The eQuad will be capable of over-the-air software updates. The Fastport eQuad prototype will make its in-person debut at Eurobike in Frankfurt, Germany, next week. Honda aims to deliver the first units in late 2025 before mass production gets underway in the summer of 2026. The eQuad will be built at Honda's Performance Manufacturing Center in Ohio, where it previously built the Acura NSX and currently assembles the CR-V e:FCEV hydrogen SUV. Honda says that Fastport is already in discussions with major logistics and delivery companies in North America and Europe for use in pilot test programs. Caleb Miller Associate News Editor Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.