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| The brochure for the E300 introduced in January 1965. As the picture shows, the generator could be carried with one hand. |
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Spurred by the success of recent marketing efforts of its tillers and outboard marine engines, Honda's Power Products Division began in 1963 searching for ways to expand its lineup of generator products. Electrical appliances were coming into general household use, and leisure activities were enjoying increased popularity. Thus, there was an emerging need for portable generators, and it was widely anticipated that Japan's manufacturers would develop products in response to consumer demand.
Honda had earlier developed a compact portable generator, the E40, by anticipating the future demand for products of that type. This lightweight, portable unit had the benefit of a soundproof housing and numerous other technical innovations. Even so, the E40 never made it to the market. The timing simply was not right, so mass production would not have been an economically sound move.
The new E300, however, was based on the expertise that Honda had acquired through its work on the previous unit. It was the ideal concept for a generator, combining 300-watt output with quiet and easy-to-use operation in a compact enclosure.
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