What makes an ATV and ATV? What makes a quad a quad? These are the questions I asked myself when Honda sent over the introduction to its latest prototype, the Fastport eQuad.
Going by definition alone, an ATV or quad is basically any sort of transportation that utilizes four wheels, but isn't a car that encloses the driver. There is a tangential relationship to off-roading, but it's not required to meet said definition.
So with that concept, the Fastport eQuad is an ATV or quad and RideApart, as the purveyors of all things within the realm of powersports, can and will cover it. But even with meeting that basic definition, I'm not sure it really is one of those things, nor do I think it's anything else.
See, the Fastport eQuad shares a lot of characteristics with a lot of different machinery, and that might just make it its own thing. But just look at this thing and ask yourself, "What the hell is it?" Well, according to Honda, it's the mobility device of the future! And it's also gonna be built at the plant where Honda built the hybrid NSX supercar.
The Fastport eQuad prototype is a proof-of-concept design that incorporates a fully electric drivetrain with the layout of a Tuk Tuk, but adds a fourth wheel for further stability. There's also a cargo box attached to its frame, allowing customers to fully utilize the Fastport eQuad's overall footprint for last-mile deliveries, i.e., in cities where cars and trucks are fast becoming obsolete or outright banned from city centers.
Fastport itself will become the operating head for Honda's business-to-business business—try saying that ten times fast—that's "dedicated to transforming the last-mile delivery industry with innovative micromobility solutions."
As for the machine itself, it's centered around Honda's Mobile Power Pack design which features swappable batteries, making it easier for businesses to get around town and not have to worry about public infrastructure being what it is. There's also regenerative braking, an automatic parking brake, and the canopy features a "UV coating and a ceramic tint option, along with a ventilation fan and full-frontal enclosure," so that the delivery driver has a nicer place to be and not burning their skin off.
According to the brands, while the battery pack itself wasn't disclosed, Fastport and Honda are aiming at giving the eQuad a range of about 33 miles, with a top speed of 12 mph. So it ain't competing with Polaris' new ATV, nor Can-Am's Outlander. It will, however, feature a max payload of 650 pounds, which is more than enough to cart around groceries or get deliveries to and from locations in large metro areas.
Moreover, Honda is planning to build the Fastport eQuad right here in the United States, and in the same plant that the company built the now-sunsetted hybrid NSX supercar. I mean, how else do you follow up that lineage?
"The Fastport team has worked tirelessly to create the Fastport eQuad, a zero-emission alternative to delivery vans that solves the challenge of last mile urban logistics by meeting the needs of urban residents expecting on-demand deliveries of packages, groceries and other items," says Jose Wyszogrod, general manager and founding member of Fastport, adding, "Drawing from the deep knowledge of Honda design and engineering talent in the U.S., the Fastport eQuad is a testament to the commitment of Honda to advancing a more sustainable future through innovative mobility solutions."
Honda hasn't released pricing on the eQuad just yet, but that will likely come about closer to launch next year. That said, is it an ATV or quad? Or is it just a four-wheeled tuk-tuk built for the modern era? I'll let you all fight in the comments below.
