Official Honda Clarity FCEV/BEV/PHEV thread

[GRA]

I'm now seeing Clarity's on the road in So. Cal. on a more regular basis.

I don't think I've seen the FCEV version yet, but kind of hard to tell them apart unless close enough to read the labeling or see the driver's side to see which fuel ports are there. (FCEV has a single rear door, EV has a single front door, and PHEV has one of each.)

I've been seeing them a fair bit, but like you unless I'm on the left side I've got to be close enough to read the badging on the front fenders to tell one from another, as I haven't figured out any other distinguishing marks. I've seen all three varieties, and I'm pretty sure there are local examples of the FCEV and BEV, with the FCEV more common. Not sure whether the PHEV I saw was just passing through or not, but I expect to see a lot more of them. There are a ton of Chevy Volt 2s around here (Gen 1s also), and the Clarity PHEV is the Volt's direct competition.

[GRA]

Via IEVS:

What Honda Clarity Owners Want You To Know About Their Car

https://insideevs.com/honda-clarity-owner-reviews/

Actually the Clarity PHEV only.

[DarthPuppy]

Good point about the article being solely about the PHEV despite the Clarity having 3 choices. But in fairness, IIRC, the PHEV is trouncing the EV and FCV versions in number sold, so the others I think are more fringe versions.

I've now seen at least 2 FCV versions on the road (well, one on the road and one at the only fueling station in my town.) I've seen a handful of EVs and a bunch of PHEVs. When I first got mine, a guy at the company next door that shares same parking lot asked me about it. Now there is another one in the parking lot.

[GRA]

Good point about the article being solely about the PHEV despite the Clarity having 3 choices. But in fairness, IIRC, the PHEV is trouncing the EV and FCV versions in number sold, so the others I think are more fringe versions.

I've now seen at least 2 FCV versions on the road (well, one on the road and one at the only fueling station in my town.) I've seen a handful of EVs and a bunch of PHEVs. When I first got mine, a guy at the company next door that shares same parking lot asked me about it. Now there is another one in the parking lot.

It's weird, but I'm still seeing the FCEV more often than the others despite the PHEV's huge sales advantage. I've been seeing Mirais more frequently as of late, as well.

[jlv]

At work there are now 5 people with the Clarity PHEV. We have dozens of EVSEs and they all seem to work well for just about any car (*), except the Clarity PHEV. One of the Claritys just doesn't charge at all unless the owner lets the car sit (cool?) for 2-3 hours. Two others have the symptoms described in this thread, where the check engine light goes on when charging.
https://insideevsforum.com/community/in ... post-26114


(*) almost; it seems the 2018 LEAFs fail to charge at the oldest Eaton pedestal EVSEs we have. Eaton no longer supports the units.

[GRA]

Per IEVS estimate of the breakdown, out of 1,689 Claritys of all types sold/leased in August in the U.S. there were 1,495 Clarity PHEVs and 120 FCEVs (no numbers were ever released for July for the FCEV), leaving 74 BEVs.

[GRA]

Per IEVS, 2,028 Clarity PHEVs, 122 BEVs, and an estimated 50 FCEVs sold/leased in September. I still can't figure out why anyone would opt for the BEV, but I do see them around occasionally, although the PHEV now makes up the majority of sightings and I'm still seeing more FCEVs than BEVs.

[Valdemar]

I still can't figure out why anyone would opt for the BEV, but I do see them around occasionally

Cheap lease with a generous annual mileage allowance for a real sized car, why not if commute patterns allow?

[GRA]

I still can't figure out why anyone would opt for the BEV, but I do see them around occasionally

Cheap lease with a generous annual mileage allowance for a real sized car, why not if commute patterns allow?

I guess. Far more people lease now than used to, while buying is my mindset, so perhaps I should amend my comment to why anyone would opt to buy a Clarity BEV, given its high price, limited range and competition? The Clarity, like most cars people buy, is oversized for the typical American commute or indeed the typical american car trip (avg. 1.7 occupants/trip; avg. 1.1 occ./commute trips alone), so you'd have to need a car to haul four or five people plus gear in the trunk on a regular basis locally to justify it, and that's not the usage I see when I spot one.

All that pax + cargo space is needed primarily for road trips, which the BEV is ill-suited for, or regular trips with lots of kids and gear, and the typical American household size continues to shrink. A shorter hatch with convertible pax/cargo space, like the Bolt, makes far more sense for local use, and also has the range for weekend trips. If most people bought commute cars for how they're normally used, most of us would be driving something like a Smart, and once AV car-sharing with MaaS arrives, I expect 1 or 2 pax AVs to be the norm with larger vehicles used only when needed for those special trips, instead of buying cars sized by what John Krafcik (head of Waymo) calls the 'occasional use imperative'.

[Valdemar]

I suspect all BEV Clarity cars in California are leases. 20,000 miles/year for $200/mo on cheap fuel is almost a no brainer if the limited range works but it is less of an issue now due to improved charging infrastructure, especially in the Bay Area. I'd probably bite but I'm set to drive my Leaf into ground first.