Clarity is Effing Slow

Well then get a Tesla if you want quickness.

I love my Clarity in Sport mode - very torquey!

 

Correct - the Clarity is no Tesla, but you will often times outrun most cars on the road due to instant acceleration from dead stop.

 

Read the comments: Per https://www.caranddriver.com/honda/clarity 7.7 seconds. Per https://www.motortrend.com/cars/honda/clarity/2018/ 7.5

Not a speed demon, but not bad.

 

That must be EV only, at full hybrid power is about 8 to 9 seconds.

 

How did they keep Clarity from turning on ICE for the EV test?

 

Just don’t push pedal past the click. Engine won’t start, and acceleration will be a bit slower. You can see watching the dash that he wasn’t quite full out with the EV test...he was working the throttle in an effort to prevent the engine from coming on, but there was more room in the blue zone he wasn’t using. Probably cost him a second or two.

We also have no idea how many people were on board, weight, etc.

 

Definitely not a speed demon but good enough in Sport mode... I think 0-45mph is pretty decent.

 

So I was interested in doing better environmental choice. As part of that I wanted great gas mileage. I was willing to sacrifice. I bought a Clarity. I was assuming due to its great mileage that it would barely accelerate if at all-- and I was good with that.

So I buy the car. Given my last was Subaru Outback (4cyl) stationwagon-- wow, its like being in a race car. So I think a lot depends on what 'normal' means to you. If you put my 2003 Subaru outback on the line with Clarity at a race track, Clarity would win by every measure possible.

So it all depends on your expectations. Now is it fast? No not really. Is it faster than my last ride-- yes, no question.

 

I would describe the Clarity’s acceleration as “perfectly acceptable”.

That said, I don’t think I’ve “punched it” more than a few times in 4 months of ownership. But whenever I did, I was not disappointed.

 

Gotta love that Clarity torque from the EV engine - has a very good low end take off ability.
Then the ICE has the upper "RPM" torque that added together in Sport mode and I am quite happy.
Even beats out my wife's 4cyl BMW 5 series.....

 

If you floor it in EV mode, the engine will start. I think he was trying to modulate the accelerator and keep the power meter in the blue range. Obviously this will result in slower take off.

The way to measure acceleration is to warm the engine up in HV mode and then floor it in sport mode. You should be able to get something in the 8.5 second range.

 

I am more interested in 45-70 passing times, as I frequent curvy two-lane roads and need to know if I can take advantage of the passing zones to get around any slow pokes. And it that regard, I consider the Clarity to be marginal.

 

The Clarity is “fastest” in HV charge mode + sport mode. At least response-wise, it seems to pick up quicker since the engine is already running and able to generate extra power with less of a delay. It definitely seems to noticeably improve the speed, but for most of us, it’s a mode that we would rarely be using.

 

"Fast enough" is subjective. Compared to what? If you want a race car go buy one. This topic has been talked about and most people are very pleased with the performance. The Atkinson 1.5 ltr is not designed for maximum torque and accelleration but rather favors efficiency. But when combined with the torquey electric traction motor i find it very acceptable both off the line and in passing situations. But if all that matters is being a speed demon then get an old civic and trick it out for speed. However I think the clarity would out perform the car in your avitar.

 

HV CHARGE Mode diverts some power from the ICE-powered starter motor/generator to charge the battery. I would say that the Clarity PHEV is "fastest" in simple HV Mode, when all the power from the ICE-powered starter motor/generator joins with power from the HV battery to drive the traction motor at its maximum of 181-hp.

SPORT Mode, indeed, maps the accelerator pedal to feel more responsive, but the maximum acceleration is the same in ECON, NORMAL, or SPORT mode when the accelerator pedal is floored.

 

did you have it in sport mode- I have no problems passing peopler

 

Lately I’ve been using HV mode on the highway. Between 60 to 75 MPH on a fairly level road the gear icon comes on and the engine is driving the wheels. At the same time I’m noticing that the battery is also being charged. The engine isn’t running at a noticeably higher RPM (no angry bees) and my battery charge is staying relatively stable. I keep up with traffic just fine too.