how to determine miles driven electric versus ICE

Discussion in 'Clarity' started by Brooke, Mar 13, 2019.

To remove this ad click here.

  1. Brooke

    Brooke New Member

    I don't doubt that there's an easy answer to this I just can't find it. How does one determine how many miles one has driven in EV mode vs. HV, or perhaps that's not quite accurate. I just want to know how many electric vs. ICE.
     
  2. To remove this ad click here.

  3. KentuckyKen

    KentuckyKen Well-Known Member

    Unfortunately, the Clarity does not report this metric to us. Only work around I found was to install an inductive pickup hour meter on one of the spark plugs. Easy peasy and costs about $7. Or you can spend more for an OBDII and plug in to the port under the dash. Either way you’ll only get hours and not miles. Besides, miles in HV would not be very meaningful since the engine cycles on and off in HV. On a trip my ICE only ran about 2/3s of the time.

    Here is a link to my thread on installing the hour meter.
    https://www.insideevsforum.com/community/index.php?search/2019051/&q=Hour+meter&o=date&c%5Btitle_only%5D=1&c%5Bnode%5D=53&c%5Buser%5D%5B0%5D=4453
     
  4. sniwallof

    sniwallof Active Member

    I was trying to remember how Volt gen 2 handled this question, esp. after noting the comment that ICE cycles (Volt ICE cycles too). This is how Volt gen 2 reported EV vs. gas use for each trip as gallons used (see pic, a random google image find, my gen 2 was sold some years back).
     

    Attached Files:

    Walt R likes this.
  5. The Gadgeteer

    The Gadgeteer Active Member

    The Clarity needs a screen like this!
     
    Walt R likes this.
  6. Robert_Alabama

    Robert_Alabama Well-Known Member

    I've kept up with the number of gallons of gasoline I have purchased (including the 7 that came as a full tank when buying the car). From that and how much gas is approximately in the tank from the gauge, I can estimate total gallons of gas burned. I approximate gasoline miles at 45 mpg times gasoline burned. The rest of the miles on the car are then EV miles. Best solution I have come up with. I also don't reset Range A (set to manually reset only) so that it matches the odometer. Then the Range A tab under Info / Trip Computer will show the mpg for the life of the car (up to 199 mpg). I can then check my calculations by taking the 45 mpg estimated gas mileage and dividing by the calculated percentage of gasoline miles.

    Example: 27 gallons of gas burned at est 45 mpg = 1215 miles on gas
    Odometer reads 4950 miles = (4950-1215)= 3735 miles on electricity

    Range A tab under Info / Trip computer shows 180 mpg. Calculation from above info is 45 * 4950/1215 =183.33 mpg

    I also use the Range B reset for every charge setup so that I can see miles driven as the EV range declines to get an idea of actual EV range.
     
    Last edited: Mar 13, 2019
  7. To remove this ad click here.

  8. Brooke

    Brooke New Member

    Top secret info that most all want to know and would be easy to provide, but is not.
    Thanks all.
     
  9. Robert_Alabama

    Robert_Alabama Well-Known Member

    I wonder if someone could get Honda to release this data. I'd bet they track it just like Chevrolet does. Some one started a site called voltstats.net
    Here is my 2012 Volt from this page:

    https://www.voltstats.net/Stats/Details/6585

    On the main page, it shows EV miles, Gasoline miles, MPG on gasoline average over life of car, MPGe calculated, and MPG like Honda does (just total miles divided by gasoline consumed). It also gives graphs to track all of these things over time and tables to look at how each month has turned out. It also can show you the distribution of daily driving on EV and on EV and gas. I doubt it is possible with Honda, but I would have said the same thing about the Volt data being accessible like this. Too much information can be stressful, though. I loaned my Volt to my son for the past couple of weeks. He lives in an apartment and can't charge and has no access to charger at work. Every time I check it recently, I see the gas miles going up and the reported total MPG going down.
     
    Mowcowbell likes this.
  10. sniwallof

    sniwallof Active Member

    Just a note, in another thread, someone mentioned correctly that when running EV, Chevy Volt engine does not come on -except- for low temperature (or, the occasional maintenance run). Of course after battery depletion, or if "Hold" or "Mountain" modes are selected, the engine runs as needed at an RPM as needed. Another random Volt Gen 2 Google Image picture (https://gm-techlink.com/?p=5633).

    The similarity for battery/gas accounting is that on a long drive, beyond EV range, as a plug in hybrid, some part of the Volt trip is also on gas. Also when Volt ICE is running, the engine RPM can vary as related to maintaining battery minimum SOC, or some % soc in mountain mode, (as opposed to speed alone for ICE).

    In EV "Normal" mode, the engine -does not- come on by itself related to accelerator pedal demand (other than as noted above, ERDTT (engine running due to [low] temperature) or maintenance). Also, Volt does not have a Clarity like accelerator detent position that causes ICE to come on.

    Volt "Hold" is somewhat analogous to Clarity "HV", and "Mountain" different soc gen 1, gen 2, to Clarity "HV charge", "Sport" in Volt only remaps the go pedal, there is no change in available power.

    The closest thing to Volt "Normal" EV mode on battery in Clarity is our Econ mode, because Clarity econ mode at least minimizes ICE starts. However, the far more common Clarity ICE cycling, especially as caused by power demand, go pedal detent, climate settings, and factors yet unknown in any mode, is a significant difference between Clarity and Volt.

    Screen Shot 2019-03-15 at 8.39.16 AM.png
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2019

Share This Page