Is the Clarity ideal for 80 miles round trip commute?

With rebates the Clarity is cheaper than Accord hybrid and you get the bliss of driving EV- especially apparent in stop and go traffic

 

I think the right question is whether you should buy the Clarity or a BEV, like Tesla or Leaf. If BEV doesn't work for your lifestyle then Clarity by all means. You will save a lot of money comparing to a regular hybrid. A regular hybrid driving experience is similar to a regular car. Clarity drives like an EV when battery is charged.

 

I’d give the OP the benefit of the doubt that they’ve asked the “right question” for their particular needs. A BEV was never mentioned, perhaps for good reason.

The question was about whether or not it would be more efficient to use a Clarity PHEV as a hybrid, or a regular hybrid, for an 80 mile RT commute. The answer to that question is that it would depend on the rated MPG of another hybrid compared to the 42mpg rating of the Clarity as a hybrid.

That answers the question, however, it doesn’t explain how the Clarity PHEV will be significantly more fuel efficient than a hybrid when used as both an EV and hybrid vehicle.

 

I would caution you against buying any EV with less than 150 miles of range with that kind of commute. If your commute is on 45-50 mph roads -- you can POSSIBLY get away with a 120 mile EV. If it's on 55+ mph highways -- no way, you need at least 150 miles.

 

I drive my clarity 80-100 miles a day on average. I get over 100mpg average 9 months out of the year. Clarity is good not great.
It’s a strong value, however I wonder how well the batter will hold up with daily full charge cycles.
If you can afford it get a model 3. It’s probably a better value in the long run or at least close, and it’s much much more car.


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The battery has a built in buffer, it never full charges or discharges, what you see as 100% is more like 85%. It should last great.

 

The batteries will retain 80% of their capacity after 3000-5000 charge cycles. Once a day for 10 years, 3650. Charge away folks.

The most we can throw at them is Level 2 charging, which is a charge rate of ~C 0.4. This was s a very gentle charge rate for lithium batteries.

The BMS limits charging to ~90% SOC. Discharge is limited to ~15% SOC.

Warranty is 8-10 years. Use them, charge them. It’s what you paid for.

 

I guess it depends on your units of measure. For luggage space and passenger comfort, I have to believe that the Clarity is "more car". Of course this is a 63-year old talking.
With an average price of $50k (with federal tax credits exhausted) the Model 3 is substantially more money than either of the Clarities.
Don't get me wrong--in a year or two I could maybe consider a Model Y if Tesla cleans up its customer service experience but for now, I'm going with Honda on the Clarity PHEV.

 

I have a similar commute (about 42 ish miles each way). I have ability to charge at work. I plan to get a level 2 charger for home. I purchased the Clarity so we will see how it goes. Worst case would be commute one way on gas and the other on electric.

 

I'm flabbergasted that the response from a Clarity specific forum recommends buying the Clarity when asked.
Also always shocks me when I ask a Chevy Salesperson if I should buy a Chevy and they say YES!

/sarcasm

I reality, if you look at only the info we were given:
1) 80 mile round trip commute
2) Charging at home but not at work

Since it would be used for commuting in the Bay Area (we have zero info about any other use) a BEV with ~120+ mile range would be the logical choice.
Reduced range from high speeds is not a factor, a 50% buffer on rated range is extremely generous given the climate and use case. Even the MINI Cooper SE would be on my short list at 108 miles (117 city). ~ $20K MSRP after accounting for the Federal and State incentives available n CA (income can affect that number up or down).

Almost certainly there are other considerations (price, etc), but for the same cost as the Clarity PHEV, options are available that do not require hauling around an ICE and having to perform the maintenance required on it.

And yes, if the OP drives to Las Vegas once a month, has relatives in Chico they visit every other weekend, needs to haul 7 people and sheets of plywood on weekends, a short range BEV is likely not the vehicle for them. But the Clarity PHEV may not be either.

 

Tesla Model 3 starts at $41,190, no federal tax credit available.
My 2019 Clarity Touring had a net cost of $22,500.

In many parts of the US it costs more to operate the Clarity on batteries than gasoline due to low fuel prices and high electricity rates. Tesla does not offer a gasoline option.

On 3 occasions we’ve driven our Clarity 700 miles in 10 hours at speeds between 70-80mph with just a few quick fuel stops. I’d like to see a base level Model 3 pull that off.

I’m up nearly 20 grand and have a much more versatile vehicle.

 

700 miles in 10 hours is definitely a fringe case usage of a vehicle. Not that nobody does it, but it is not typical (<10%? 5%?) and not something the OP was asking about. And being in the Bay area, low fuel prices mean less than $3.50/gal
Given what information was provided by the OP, I doubt the Model 3 is the most economical vehicle, but it would do what he was asking with no trouble at all. Base Model 3 is $36,200 with destination charges (not $41,190). You can't order online but can with a single phone call.

 

I rented a dual motor M3 for a weekend. I didn’t mind getting back into my clarity afterwards but it kind of felt like a 2004 Buick after having the M3 for 600 miles.
It’s easily worth twice the money if you can afford it and you enjoy driving. Cargo space and Passenger comfort is better in the M3. Passenger experience in the M3 is far superior. If you don’t believe me download an app called Turo and rent one for a day or a weekend.


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Why do you think it’s going to be that good for 3-5000 cycles? Is the chemistry is the Honda battery different than most EVs today? I know the power and energy density of the battery is pretty low compared to BEVs. That makes sense as a trade off for longevity.
I hope your right as I go through at least 5 full cycles a week sometimes more.


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It all depends on what's important to you. If all that's important is doing the trip on all electric then the clarity is not the choice. I like the versatility and overall value of the clarity. But when comparing the clarity to an accord hybrid it's a no brainier unless electricity cost factor in. I was actually looking to buy an accord hybrid when I saw the clarity. It Looked a little strange at first but after studying on this forum and reading all the very enthusiastic posts I did not hesitate. Considering the out the door cost, the carpool lane access, and how nice the car really is, I am very happy as well. I average low 80s mpg and like the no range anxiety and not having to charge the car at all if on a road trip. I really am pleased with the cars overall performance.

 

In case you’d like to take a stab at answering the question, the OP also did not ask about a BEV.

 

@JPham , this particular sub-forum is for Clarity enthusiasts and you are going to get answers that steer you in the direction of Clarity (as said by @DucRider ). Based on the few requirements that you mentioned, a Clarity will meet your needs, and it is both, reasonably priced and well regarded. Living in California, you do have other choices like Hyundai/KIA or Toyota Prius Prime etc., though based on what I read Clarity is a top choice. And I believe, from the responses, you have the information you need, but that should be not be the deciding factor.

My suggestion is straight forward, kick the tires, and take a test drive. Try the competition if you can. If you like it, it will clearly meet your needs and so go for it. If you like it and also like another one (whatever it is PHEV, BEV, HEV), you have to make a decision based on what factors are important to you. If it is price, Clarity is a good choice.

 

Without additional information from the OP, the Clarity will work, but is not "ideal".

For the same amount of money, there are BEVs available that will easily cover his range requirements and allow the benefits of driving electric 100% of the time.

"Ideal" can certainly change given additional info (needs to drive 700 miles in 10 hours, i.e.), but if the only parameter is commuting 80 miles, I would not consider any PHEV "ideal" since none can cover that range on electric only. The added expense (and time) of fueling and maintaining the ICE portion of the PHEV equation is the main reason for this, but there is also the subjective view that driving only on electric is a better experience (quieter, smoother, etc). There are also many vehicles out there whose ACC is good enough to use in fairly heavy traffic - I have not heard anyone say that about the Honda implementation.

 

Ideal is specific to each one, it cannot be generalized. However you are right that some information is missing. There are few important pieces of information that the OP has not provided. Some examples:

1. What is his or her motivation to buy a PHEV? Is to to save money on fuel? Is it to get HOV access? Be green? ..?
2. What is the price point? The decision could shift if the price point is $30,000 to $40,000 or even $50,000
3. The ability to get the full Federal Tax credit. A married couple with 2 children under 17 filing jointly would need an income of more $110,00 to get the full credit (https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/tax-credits-deductions/discussion/it-doesn-t-matter-how-much-you-owe-on-your-tax-return-whe/01/772849#). So it depends.
   
4. Will the OP have an ICE alternative after this purchase, in case there is a need?

 

I suggest you do some calculations to understand the financial side of things since this seems like the most important aspect you are looking into


https://fueleconomy.gov/feg/savemoney.jsp

You should be able to compare a PHEV vs Hybrid vs BEV pretty quickly. Just be sure to add in all of the extra purchase perks for PHEV and BEV since it doesn’t automatically put that info in. Also the anticipated out the door purchase prices. I was able to get my ‘18 Clarity touring for a very good percentage off MSRP.

I have a very similar commute as you do, 80-100 miles round trip everyday. I also take long trips that make the hybrid portion of the car very appealing. I do not regret my decision with the Clarity. I end up using my Clarity frequently on weekends for errands since I’m able to do so in all electric. I would not trust a low range BEV for my needs. I went from a Gen 2 Honda Insight to the clarity based on financial decisions and size of the backseats.

Some more things to add to your research.
Electricity costs per kWh. (TOU plan if available) Clarity takes about 14 kWh for a full 50 mile charge.
Insurance costs (Tesla was astronomical for me)
Alternative vehicle cost for your long trips if you decide to go with a low range BEV
Future ability to charge close to work for free (free is important since fee based charging is more expensive than just using gas)
Climate (large hit to range with heater use)




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