Honda is to open order books for its first battery-electric vehicle in Europe in early 2019.

A production version of the Honda Urban EV will launch in 2019.

The confirmation of the launch date was made at the Geneva Motor Show as the carmaker said it had seen positive feedback to the unveiling of the Urban EV Concept at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show.

Slightly shorter end-to-end than a Jazz supermini, with a retro design (and name), the Urban EV Concept features hints of the boxy City hatchback sold in the 1980s along with rear-hinged doors and a charging port located on the bonnet.

The Urban EV concept was first alluded to in a speech last June by Honda president & CEO Takahiro Hachigo as he said the brand would strengthen the development of battery electric vehicles in addition to fuel cell vehicles (FCV) after having established an Electric Vehicle Development Division within Honda R&D in October 2016.

Honda’s stand at Geneva also saw the carmaker take the wraps off the European production version of the all-new CR-V, which brings increased space and enhanced interior quality along with the option of seven seats on petrol models for the first time. It also ditches diesel powerplants, marking the first use of Honda’s hybrid technology in an SUV for Europe.