https://insideevs.com/2018-honda-clarity-fcev-arrives-at-select-u-s-dealerships/ Better hurry! These things just fly off the lots. So many great fueling options. So much range. /sarcasm Honda, please just stop. Give us some bigger packs in our BEV and PHEVs and we’ll all pretend this hydrogen thing was just a bad dream.
Actually, I like the FC version too. But they don't have a chance to fly off the lots because they are not in the lots to begin with. I called the dealers a month or so back and they all said there is a long waiting list. If any one knows of a dealer with this car in the bay area, let me know.
The hydrogen infrastructure isn’t there yet...and the range on the EV is horrendous, so the vote is easy.
It's not a horrible deal. You lease a car for a pretty small amount. You get free energy for the life of your lease. Besides the fact that it can't be your first car, what's not to like - it is a Clarity. If there was more than one - yes ONE - refueling station here in the entire far southwest corner of the state, I'd have thought seriously about taking that deal.
Apparently the ev version had a pretty sweet lease deal, too. I know the range isn't great for 2018, but it is for the price they are leasing. Still, I like my phev version.
What I like about the BEV is the simplicity. No engine.No engine maintenance.No gas tank. Etc. I do wish it made sense for our family. For those who can live with the short range it would be a good choice. Not for us as we need to take long trips several times a year. Forget the fuel cell. It's a loser. John Q Public is having enough residence to BEV and PHEV cars. A fuel cell isn't even on their radar. Shorter battery charge times will kill the only advantage of the fuel cell.
I think I read that fuel cell cars are a thing in Japan, which explains why Toyota and Honda are experimenting with it. I agree that I don't think it will translate over here. By the time they could get the infrastructure and public acceptance I think batteries will have sorted out some of their shortcomings, like charge times and range, to be more competitive with ice cars in the us market.
Did anything change on the 2018 model, such as cross traffic alert or hatchback? Any changes to the Fuel Cell version should carry over to the other versions, right?
I picked up FC version over the weekend. California has about 100 Hydrogen refueling stations, so driving around should be ok. I would have preferred BEV, but it is not available.
Thanks for chiming in for the FC version. I truly hope it is a good experience and I look forward to hearing about it. I will admit to being in the anti-hydrogen camp, but you are helping to make progress to sustainable transport. It also sounds like there were some significant breakthroughs in FC tech this week so maybe I’ll have to eat a hat or two in the future. I think we would all love to hear some firsthand reports of how it drives. I suspect it’s probably every bit as nice as the PHEV and BEV on the road. Free gas ain’t a bad deal either!
Thank you very much! I would have preferred a Clarity BEV, but it is not available. Clarity FC is a nice consolation prize Yes, Hydrogen does not have the purity of an all electric vehicle, while maintaining the legacy experience of refilling at a pump and taking away the "filling at home" freedom. I am going to miss the home portion, especially since I have solar panels on my home. I haven't read about a macroscopic analysis of ZEV future comparing electric and hydrogen systems, especially in terms of materials needed to make batteries and fuel cells, energy efficiencies in fully electric ecosystem vs using it to crack methane/water for hydrogen, transporting it and converting back, driving efficiencies with electric cars being heavier, etc. The car itself drives very well. Coming from Prius, the electric acceleration is new and wonderful to me, while the car itself looks and drives like a luxury sedan.
