Honda Clarity plugin hybrid

My guess would be to limit the fuel burned, and keep overall MPG up on the 50% limit decision.

Yes, the Clarity PHEV trunk space is on par with other midsize, non-hybrid sedans.

 

It is a great feature. There's no popping into HV in the Clarity just because you stood a little too hard on the accelerator like in the Pip. After 8 years of Prius Hybrid and PiP, this was a game changer for me. Prime allows you to remain in EV even if you get a little carried away with the accelerator, but the torque just isn't there.

So yeah, I agree that having the ICE pop on under load was one of the more irritating "features" of my Pip. Still can't complain, though. My 60 mile per day commutes are over now, and during that time I only used one gallon of gas per commute in my PiP - despite its shortcomings (which were thankfully few).

LOL - I still have my Fuelly badge from the Pip. I've had the Clarity since mid-December, and I only have had one fuel up so far - Fuelly can't calculate my MPG until I get another fill up - which might not be for awhile. I finally broke down and filled up at the end of January so I could use some gas rewards before they expired. I only ended up putting 4.5 gallons in the tank. Less than a gallon a week. While I am driving less now than last year, almost 90% of the time I'm in EV, mostly because of the extended EV range of the Clarity. I used to wonder how some PiP owners could get such crazy EV miles on an EV range that rarely exceeded 15 miles. I guess I can see how that happened now. I don't even charge some nights, and I'm still driving 20-25 miles a day.

 

yep, it all depends on your driving. that's what makes plug in's so so to take off, not enough ranges available yet.

 

I do think PHEVs are a more realistic model for the future. With this Honda and the Volt both rated realistically in the high 40 mile EV range, we'll start seeing more interest - as well as more interest from carmakers in beefing up the EV side of their PHEV entries.

I wish Toyota had given the Prime a higher capacity battery this time, but I think they're stuck with making any battery they want to use fit the Prius chassis. Honda built their new entry to accommodate a larger battery than their EV model as well as a fuel cell stack and hydrogen tanks for that variant. Unfortunately, the Clarity EV gets only about 90 miles of range, and the hydrogen version can only be sold in Los Angeles and the Bay Area because of fueling constraints.

It'd be great to have a Clarity PHEV with a 90 mile EV range, but at that point, I'd rather see Honda add a bigger ICE (like the 2.0l they made for the new Accord). Then you'd have a powerful combination that would be very, very hard to beat.

 

phev's are great, but in the long run, the engine needs to go. more bev models with varying ranges and growing charging infrastructure will eventually succeed.

 

I agree the ICE has to go in all forms (not so sure about aircraft or boats). I've thought Hybrids and Plug-In hybrids are stop-gap solutions all along.

I think the turning point will come in about two years when new battery technology hits the car market. When cars can be charged in under 15 minutes there will no longer be a range problem. We'll know we've passed the turning point when gas stations begin to include charging stations. Then when gas stations replace gas pumps with charging stations we'll begin to see the demise of the ICE. It may still take 50-100 years to purge gas and diesel engines.

 

Yep..I'm eagerly awaiting 'Solid State' batteries. However, I don't think ICE engines are going anywhere...at least in our lifetime. It will take a *long* time to purge our current infrastructure, etc...Corporate power and politicians (via your friendly lobbyists) will play into preserving the status quo for as long as possible.

 

or major catastrophe.

 

I'd have to pass on Clarity. Battery under floor raises seat height which limits upward field of view out the windshield / side windows, for me. Pass.

 

Did you test drive a Clarity?

 

No reason to test drive it. I sit in it, and I don't like it: I can clearly see I have to sit up much higher in a Clarity than an Accord. I wouldn't entertain buying Clarity in any way.