Mod clarity plug in with clarity electric charging port

I’m sure you realize there is more involved in charging the car than simply the physical plug. And, since the PHEV has a good ‘ole gas engine too, I’m not sure faster than Level 2 charging is useful?

 

Why bother with the EV parts?

Just order the parts from the Japan PHEV--that car supports CHAdeMO: But be prepared to replace a lot more than the port--you probably would need to compare part numbers for the entire charging system and replace all the different parts.

 

You'd need a lot of parts--including a new right front fender. Also, Clarity parts are not inexpensive in the US and probably less inexpensive in Japan even before getting a 3rd party to find, buy and ship them.

 

You don't need a new right front fender--they didn't move the charging port to the right side. See the picture here: https://global.honda/newsroom/news/2018/4180719eng-clarity-phev.html. The charging port and gas are opposite the driver's side in Japan

 

Oh, and I would so pay extra for that Blue

 

You're right. I was wrong to assume the Japanese Clarity PHEV wouldn't make charging less convenient than the US version. So the conversion will be cheaper than I thought (but still not cheap).

 

No one knows until you compare part numbers. With the required 15 year battery warranty in some states, the shaken inspections in Japan that makes it expensive to keep a car long term, the reduced lifetime of batteries that are quick charged, and the expense of creating different versions, it's certainly conceivable that we already have almost all the hardware required except for the port.

Do note that if you have a battery go bad before the warranty goes out, they would be within their rights to refuse warranty service if the battery was charged at DC rates.

 

Oh boy, I like the extra feature in the Japan model where it can provide 3kw of power to external devices. Think emergency backup power. Anyone know what's the specs of the DC to DC converter on USA model? Wondering if I can use my 1kw power inverter on the terminals described in the jump start of the car manual.

 

In response to another recent discussion, @insightman posted a link to this post http://www.insideevsforum.com/community/index.php?threads/clarity-as-a-back-up-power-source-dc-dc-converter-size-idle-behavior.1027/page-2#post-41039 which indicates that a 1-1.5 kW inverter should be fine.

 

Sure, but why would I sit somewhere for a half hour waiting for my PHEV to charge when I can just continue on my merry way using the ICE? For my needs, that's why I purchased a PHEV instead of a BEV. And, in my area (southern Michigan), there are so extremely few public fast chargers that any capacity in the car to do that around here is irrelevant. I realize there are some folks who own PHEVs that really want to run them only as an EV and that there are places with lots of public fast chargers where that may be ok, but it's not me and not here. In fact, in Ann Arbor, MI, there are even folks upset with PHEVs using public chargers at all because the few available are so desperately needed by BEVs. And, as a last note, I don't have the electrical capacity in my home to add Level 3 charging in my garage. It's a LOT of power.

 

Let’s remember that no Clarity sold in
the US or Canada can fast charge.
And that fast charging (and fast discharging, as in Tesla drag racing) is very hard on Li-ion battery health and longevity. Even Tesla says that and warns against repeated drag racing and repeated super charging on the same trip. And the Leafs with only air cooled batteries have to monitor their battery temperature when fast charging and like the Teslas have a limit on the number of fast charging in a given time.
Someone posted that the value “C” (charge rate/battery capacity) over 1 is not good. So fast charging at a high enough rate will incur a penalty regarding battery longevity.
Our Claritys C is ~0.42 C [7.2 kW (max rage reported on a Level 2 EVSE) / 17 kW]. And actually is a little less since the car’s charger is only ~92% efficient (.92x7.2)/17 =~0.39 C.
So our battery should last a long time especially considering they are liquid cooled.

If I’m still around when my Clarity wears out, I’m hoping solid state Li-ion (or better chemistry) batteries will be available and affordable. Then maybe we’ll really will see the 80% charge in 15 min with no penalty.

Edited to include I’m talking about the PHEV Clarity that the vast majority of us own.

 

Should've got an electric then?
Here's mine...

 

Tell them to make it 50 states for 199/mo and I’d sign a lease tomorrow actually. It would make an amazing second car to replace my wife’s Niro Hybrid. That aspect of compliance cars really upsets me. California needs to tweak the provision so that the car must be offered in all 50 states, even if it has to be dealer ordered.