Its Not GOM its WOM

HV charge consumes is exactly the same efficiency as HV, it just shunts range to the battery. If you're not counting the miles gained in EV range into the mpg, you need to.

 

I am most certainly including the "miles" shunted to the EV side, but it is NEVER one for one. I don't lose 1 km (I'm in Canada, so we're on the metric system) in HV range and gain 1 km in EV range. It is ALWAYS more of a loss on the HV side than the gain on the EV side.

For example:

Before HV Charging, I might have 18 km EV range, 386 km HV range = Total range is 404 km
After HV Charging, I might get 26 km EV range, 372 km HV range = Total range is 398 km.

During this time, I may have driven 20 km, so in effect, my range was actually more like 398 km + 20 km = 424 km, but in monitoring my real time fuel efficiency (using the power info in the Clarity's interface), I see my consumption during that "trip" was more like 9 L/100 km, whereas my usual HV (non-charging) mode consumption (including using cabin heat/AC, etc.) is about 5.2 L/100 km.

HV Charge definitely does not consume the exact same efficiency as HV. In HV (without Charging), if I reduce my speed or pressure on the pedal, I will coast or be able to reduce my power output enough to fall in the EV range (blue on the power meter on the dash). During this time, the ICE is not running, and there is no gas consumption. I find I recapture quite a bit of additional EV range when driving in HV mode. Whereas my car never displays the "blue" range, regardless of what I am doing, in HV Charge mode. The ICE is running all the time I am in HV Charge, whether I am standing still (parked, or stopped at a red light), or driving.

 

Well duh, that's kind of the point.
If it turned off the engine while stopped how do you expect it to charge? And yes, the efficiency is the same. The gas generator generates the same power, and the direct gear engages the same way.
The only difference is that it stays on in charge mode. Sure, the gas generator is infinitely less efficient than plugging in at home and charging from solar panels, but it is the same gas generator running the same way whether HV or HV Charge.

 

Honda specifically recommends in the manual, against using HV Charge in city driving or stop and go traffic. This is most likely the reason you are experiencing inefficient charging in that mode. If you have an opportunity where you can maintain a sustained high speed of say, 75-80kph or better, for 15 or more minutes, that would be a more appropriate time to utilize HV Charge mode.

 

Excuse me?

My response was pointing out that the efficiency in HV Charge cannot be the same as in HV mode, as they don't operate the same way. This is a direct challenge to to your statement "HV charge consumes is exactly the same efficiency as HV".

Of course the ICE has to keep running to charge. Yes, that is the point of the HV Charge option.

Furthermore, I wanted to make sure people understand that using HV Charge mode DOESN'T just shift range from HV to EV in the straightforward manner you're suggesting. There is definitely a "hit" to your efficiency if you chose to charge this way, rather than plugging in. You will use a lot more gas than you expected to, and will be largely negating the efficiency potential of this vehicle.

 

You're arguing that, based on HV mode, the energy required to move the car and/or the power generation characteristics of the gas engine differ significantly.

 

Like Eva Farkas I was losing some mpg efficiency with HV Charge, but Landshark has hit that nail in a headly fashion on how to reduce that inefficiency.