[melynn44]

I am about a week and a half into owning my 2018 Clarity. I am still learning the ropes a bit. Still seeing how the car has adjusted to my driving patterns.

I have a road trip coming up in a couple of weeks. I haven't done a ton of highway driving on it yet, I anticipate having maybe 2 more highway trips prior to the big road trip.

I have been reading on the forum strategies on long trips and what not. But, it seems like people have varied experiences and opinions. So, I thought I might put my specific plans forward, to see if you might have thoughts on my best course of action.

The itinerary:

I will be driving from Southern Indiana to Nashville, one-way will be about 210 miles, but maybe a little bit more, figuring for bathroom breaks, possible detours and what not. I plan to start out with a full tank of gas, and as close to a full battery as possible.

It will be approximately 5 miles from my home to the interstate, and then it will be pretty much all interstate till I get to Nashville. There IS a charging station at my hotel, so I do want to use up my battery, because if I have a way to charge it for free...I definitely want to take advantage of that. I am under the impression that driving in HV mode will maintain the battery level, AND also use more gas to maintain said battery level. My hotel is right off the interstate, so there isn't a ton of "in town" driving to be done once we get to Nashville. Maybe if there is traffic.

Some people have said to use up the battery at the beginning, some have said to save it to the end. Some have said to use the battery to about 50% then switch to HV mode. I want to get the best bang for my buck for sure. I feel like....if I drive on the interstate on EV, that's just a waste of charge, because the battery doesn't go as far at interstate speeds. But, I don't want to waste gas in HV mode either.

What would be your plan of attack in my position?

 

[jzchen]

I would not play the charge remaining guessing game and just use the electric up earlier on in the trip, then leave the car to run in hybrid mode the rest of the way. I am not familiar with the route looked at it on Google Maps. Is it mainly flat? I couldn't tell using satellite and terrain modes....

 

[EV Nerd]

I would not play the charge remaining guessing game and just use the electric up earlier on in the trip, then leave the car to run in hybrid mode the rest of the way. I am not familiar with the route looked at it on Google Maps. Is it mainly flat? I couldn't tell using satellite and terrain modes....

I'd run it down to about 50% SOC in the battery, then switch to HV mode. This way, you'll keep some reserve for hill-climbing. If you find yourself climbing a steep pass, you might consider switching to HV+ mode. The engine RPM will climb quite high, but you'll minimize the chance of going into a reduced performance mode, due to depleting the battery. The ICE alone is incapable of sustained high speed up a significant incline at typical freeway speeds (70-80 mi/hr).

Don't forget to switch back to HV mode when leaving the gas station!

 

[obermd]

Don't forget to switch back to HV mode when leaving the gas station!

This ^^^^ cannot be stressed enough.

 

[Ken]

Just a for a complete range of opinions, you can also just drive it and not worry about it. We're two weeks into a 13 week journey, more than 5000 miles so far, with few opportunities to recharge. We've covered most kinds of terrain, other than the Rockies. A few days in the Ozarks with short but steep climbs and descents, long ascents and descents across the desert southwest and up through Arizona and Nevada into the Oregon hills. Included both highway speeds and back country roads. The first half was with a fully loaded car - two people, luggage for 13 weeks of various weather conditions, and extra stuff that we dropped off in Arizona. The vast majority was done with only two bars of electric. Never had a problem maintaining highway speeds, although after a long high-speed uphill, the high revs did last a little longer as the battery apparently dropped below some threshold. Those high revs, in my mind, are no worse than you experience with a 4-cylinder small SUV under similar conditions. I never saw the electric gauge drop below two bars (maybe it doesn't, no matter how depleted), but did see it climb to as much as 5 bars on a long steep descents (I now read those "trucks use low gear" signs as "free miles").

It is nice to save a little electric for quieter city driving, but if you really don't have much of that, and you can recharge when you get to the hotel, I wouldn't make the effort to try to save any.

I don't think there's anything between Indiana and Nashville that requires any special handling.

 

[NiceSimplicity]

I am about a week and a half into owning my 2018 Clarity. I am still learning the ropes a bit. Still seeing how the car has adjusted to my driving patterns.

I have a road trip coming up in a couple of weeks. I haven't done a ton of highway driving on it yet, I anticipate having maybe 2 more highway trips prior to the big road trip.

I have been reading on the forum strategies on long trips and what not. But, it seems like people have varied experiences and opinions. So, I thought I might put my specific plans forward, to see if you might have thoughts on my best course of action.

The itinerary:

I will be driving from Southern Indiana to Nashville, one-way will be about 210 miles, but maybe a little bit more, figuring for bathroom breaks, possible detours and what not. I plan to start out with a full tank of gas, and as close to a full battery as possible.

It will be approximately 5 miles from my home to the interstate, and then it will be pretty much all interstate till I get to Nashville. There IS a charging station at my hotel, so I do want to use up my battery, because if I have a way to charge it for free...I definitely want to take advantage of that. I am under the impression that driving in HV mode will maintain the battery level, AND also use more gas to maintain said battery level. My hotel is right off the interstate, so there isn't a ton of "in town" driving to be done once we get to Nashville. Maybe if there is traffic.

Some people have said to use up the battery at the beginning, some have said to save it to the end. Some have said to use the battery to about 50% then switch to HV mode. I want to get the best bang for my buck for sure. I feel like....if I drive on the interstate on EV, that's just a waste of charge, because the battery doesn't go as far at interstate speeds. But, I don't want to waste gas in HV mode either.

What would be your plan of attack in my position?

I would recommend using the EV to get you to the highway. Once you're on the interstate switch to HV mode. The ICE is more efficient once you're going faster than about 55mph. When you're about 45 miles away from the destination, just go back to EV. even if it doesn't make it all the way, it'll be better to use it all up then to save it and estimate. Then charge up overnight and do the same thing.

 

[EV Nerd]

I would recommend using the EV to get you to the highway. Once you're on the interstate switch to HV mode. The ICE is more efficient once you're going faster than about 55mph. When you're about 45 miles away from the destination, just go back to EV. even if it doesn't make it all the way, it'll be better to use it all up then to save it and estimate. Then charge up overnight and do the same thing.

Dr. Kelly at Weber Automotive claims that the engine-drives-the-wheels mode kicks in at around 62 mi/hr.

 

[NiceSimplicity]

Dr. Kelly at Weber Automotive claims that the engine-drives-the-wheels mode kicks in at around 62 mi/hr.

That depends on the mode you are driving in. The electric motors are fully capable of driving the car at the top speed of 100mph. Granted, not well and you'd be burning through electricity really quickly, but it can be done. I've gone as fast as 80mph on the freeway in ev while on econ mode. Also, if you ever floor it and push past the initial stop, you can force the car to use the ICE.

 

[EV Nerd]

That depends on the mode you are driving in. The electric motors are fully capable of driving the car at the top speed of 100mph. Granted, not well and you'd be burning through electricity really quickly, but it can be done. I've gone as fast as 80mph on the freeway in ev while on econ mode. Also, if you ever floor it and push past the initial stop, you can force the car to use the ICE.

The limitations I describe are for when the battery SOC is zero, and the Clarity PHEV is running just on the ICE. The ICE isn't capable of solely powering the car beyond about 55 mi/hr up a significant grade.

 

[hp79]

One of the reason I like to leave some battery for the end, especially pulling into my garage is to keep the garage cool.
If it's going to be a multiple gas tank road trip, I'd preserve at least 50% battery everywhere and drive HV mode all the way. On the way back home, as I get closer I would switch to EV to return with a cooled down engine into my garage.

 

[EV Nerd]

One of the reason I like to leave some battery for the end, especially pulling into my garage is to keep the garage cool.
If it's going to be a multiple gas tank road trip, I'd preserve at least 50% battery everywhere and drive HV mode all the way. On the way back home, as I get closer I would switch to EV to return with a cooled down engine into my garage.

Exactly what I do, when driving beyond the Clarity PHEVs EV range.

 

[melynn44]

I would not play the charge remaining guessing game and just use the electric up earlier on in the trip, then leave the car to run in hybrid mode the rest of the way. I am not familiar with the route looked at it on Google Maps. Is it mainly flat? I couldn't tell using satellite and terrain modes....

Certainly not flat. But, it's what I would call rolling hills. Central-Western Tennessee has rolling hills versus the steep hills you would see in Eastern Tennessee. I will say, as I said before, it's interstate, and they have done a fairly good job of grading things so that there isn't a lot of up-and-down. What topographical changes there are...it's mostly gradual.

So, again, it's not flat. But, there shouldn't be much, if any, major hill-climbing or anything.

I'd run it down to about 50% SOC in the battery, then switch to HV mode. This way, you'll keep some reserve for hill-climbing. If you find yourself climbing a steep pass, you might consider switching to HV+ mode. The engine RPM will climb quite high, but you'll minimize the chance of going into a reduced performance mode, due to depleting the battery. The ICE alone is incapable of sustained high speed up a significant incline at typical freeway speeds (70-80 mi/hr).
Don't forget to switch back to HV mode when leaving the gas station!

I am curious the difference between HV and HV+ mode. I tried Googling it, but wasn't able to come up with much.

If I am remembering correctly, HV+ is what happens when you hold down the button? Does it visually show a HV+ emblem or you just know? Does it automatically come out of HV+ or do you have to manually change it?

One of the reason I like to leave some battery for the end, especially pulling into my garage is to keep the garage cool.
If it's going to be a multiple gas tank road trip, I'd preserve at least 50% battery everywhere and drive HV mode all the way. On the way back home, as I get closer I would switch to EV to return with a cooled down engine into my garage.

No garage, so I don't have to worry about that. But, the concept is still noted.

 

[EV Nerd]

Certainly not flat. But, it's what I would call rolling hills. Central-Western Tennessee has rolling hills versus the steep hills you would see in Eastern Tennessee. I will say, as I said before, it's interstate, and they have done a fairly good job of grading things so that there isn't a lot of up-and-down. What topographical changes there are...it's mostly gradual.

So, again, it's not flat. But, there shouldn't be much, if any, major hill-climbing or anything.




I am curious the difference between HV and HV+ mode. I tried Googling it, but wasn't able to come up with much.

If I am remembering correctly, HV+ is what happens when you hold down the button? Does it visually show a HV+ emblem or you just know? Does it automatically come out of HV+ or do you have to manually change it?




No garage, so I don't have to worry about that. But, the concept is still noted.

See pages 16 and 17 of the Owner's Manual.

 

[ericmiles]

When planning a pajama party, it is important to have an overall theme. You can use balloons, streamers, and other decorative items to help you create the right atmosphere. You can also decorate the room with music-themed decorations. Be sure to have plenty of pillows and a designated area for food and drinks. If you are throwing the party outdoors, you may want to rent a tent and provide flashlights. You should also include the RSVP date on the invitation, as well as a contact phone number and email address. You can also include the items that guests should bring to the party, such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other necessities. For kids, you can also set up an arts and crafts corner. This will help your guests get creative and have a great time. If your guests are artsy, set up a coloring book corner or tie blankets. Be sure to supply enough materials to create many unique crafts. These are fun to do together and will relax your guests. Another great activity is giving makeovers. Kids can use fabric paint or even pens to decorate their pillowcases. Another classic slumber party activity is to give guests a makeover. There are various makeover kits available for this purpose en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleeper_(brand) .