[Shrktank]

I am looking at a EV t o replace my truck. Just the cost of gas is making the truck costly.

most of my trips each day are like 50 to 60 miles round trip and based on where we live we are doing mostly highway miles at speeds over 50mph

will the charity do full EV on these trips and then flip over to the gas engine? At what speed does the car flip to gas?
Also how is the comfort level of this car for long trips? As well as for larger 6 foot and above types

much interest in this vehicle

 

[meooem22]

I am in los angeles and my commute is 33 miles one way. If I am traveling at freeway speeds (75) I can make it to work with about 3 miles remaining and then I charge at work. In stop and go traffic I usually get home or to work with 12 miles. The car will remain in EV mode unless you really dip into the gas pedal. If you run out of battery the car will automatically switch on the engine. I am 6'3 and I am very comfortable in the car.

 

[EV Nerd]

I am looking at a EV t o replace my truck. Just the cost of gas is making the truck costly.

most of my trips each day are like 50 to 60 miles round trip and based on where we live we are doing mostly highway miles at speeds over 50mph

will the charity do full EV on these trips and then flip over to the gas engine? At what speed does the car flip to gas?
Also how is the comfort level of this car for long trips? As well as for larger 6 foot and above types

much interest in this vehicle

You're a bit out of the range of the Clarity PHEV, but you'll still save a ton on gas. Do note that range decreases significantly with cold weather.

 

[RickH]

I am looking at a EV t o replace my truck. Just the cost of gas is making the truck costly.

most of my trips each day are like 50 to 60 miles round trip and based on where we live we are doing mostly highway miles at speeds over 50mph

will the charity do full EV on these trips and then flip over to the gas engine? At what speed does the car flip to gas?
Also how is the comfort level of this car for long trips? As well as for larger 6 foot and above types

much interest in this vehicle

I generally get 40 - 45 miles of EV around town, but less at highway speeds. When the battery is almost depleted the ICE kicks on seamlessly. I usually don't even notice its running. It's actually more efficient at highway speeds to run the ICE so I hit the HV button when I'm up to speed, then on my way home switch to EV when the mileage on the guess-o-meter is around the same miles to get home. I've had my 2018 since July '21 and it's been perfect. I'm 6'4" and 200 lbs. I wish the seat went back another inch or 2 but it's been comfortable enough on long trips. It's the most enjoyable car I've owned in my 66 years.

 

[EV Nerd]

I generally get 40 - 45 miles of EV around town, but less at highway speeds. When the battery is almost depleted the ICE kicks on seamlessly. I usually don't even notice its running. It's actually more efficient at highway speeds to run the ICE so I hit the HV button when I'm up to speed, then on my way home switch to EV when the mileage on the guess-o-meter is around the same miles to get home. I've had my 2018 since July '21 and it's been perfect. I'm 6'4" and 200 lbs. I wish the seat went back another inch or 2 but it's been comfortable enough on long trips. It's the most enjoyable car I've owned in my 66 years.

"It's actually more efficient at highway speeds to run the ICE..."

I'm not sure that this is the case.

 

[RickH]

"It's actually more efficient at highway speeds to run the ICE..."

I'm not sure that this is the case.

You may be correct but that's what I read. Perhaps an expert can weigh in.

 

[James]

You may be correct but that's what I read. Perhaps an expert can weigh in.

I would say the Clarity is more efficient on the highway when driven on HV mode. let the EV miles for the city driving with four regen check marks ON. But than it depends how long is your highway trip. If it is only 40-45 miles stay on EV.

 

[ClarityDave]

"It's actually more efficient at highway speeds to run the ICE..."

I'm not sure that this is the case.

No, it’s not really in my opinion. Always more efficient in EV if you have the juice.

 

[James]

No, it’s not really in my opinion. Always more efficient in EV if you have the juice.

If the trip is a long one, using the EV miles to the end, is not a good idea. ICE will have to work harder to supply juice to move the car and charge the battery.

 

[EV Nerd]

You may be correct but that's what I read. Perhaps an expert can weigh in.

An EV is typically twice as efficient than an ICE. The Clarity PHEV demonstrates that fact quite nicely:

Energy content for the two sources:

3400 BTU/kWh for electricity
116,000 BTU per gallon of gas.

Thus, 34kWh of electrical energy equals approximately one gallon of gas. (Divide 116,000 by 3400.)

The Clarity PHEV battery is stated as 17kWh, so it has the equivalent of about a half-gallon of gas in its battery.

The Clarity PHEV, in EV mode, can go approximately 45 miles on that half-gallon equivalent.
The Clarity PHEV in HV mode (using gasoline), can go approximately 45 miles on a gallon of gas.

While I would hardly call myself an "expert", I'm an EE, and have been an owner and driver of EVs since 1997.

 

[ClarityDave]

An EV is typically twice as efficient than an ICE. The Clarity PHEV demonstrates that fact quite nicely:

Energy content for the two sources:

3400 BTU/kWh for electricity
116,000 BTU per gallon of gas.

Thus, 34kWh of electrical energy equals approximately one gallon of gas. (Divide 116,000 by 3400.)

The Clarity PHEV battery is stated as 17kWh, so it has the equivalent of about a half-gallon of gas in its battery.

The Clarity PHEV, in EV mode, can go approximately 45 miles on that half-gallon equivalent.
The Clarity PHEV in HV mode (using gasoline), can go approximately 45 miles on a gallon of gas.

While I would hardly call myself an "expert", I'm an EE, and have been an owner and driver of EVs since 1997.

The thing about a gas engine, in general, is that it converts about 1/3 of the energy that’s in gasoline into motive power. The remaining 2/3 is wasted in the heat transferred by the radiator and what goes out the exhaust pipe. An electric motor, however, is usually around 95% efficient.

 

[2002]

It's actually more efficient at highway speeds to run the ICE so I hit the HV button when I'm up to speed, then on my way home switch to EV when the mileage on the guess-o-meter is around the same miles to get home.

As pointed out in the other responses, as a general statement driving in EV is always more efficient than gas, including on the freeway. And for most people it will be more economical also, especially when gas prices are high.

However you are bringing up a scenario where you will be using all of your EV range during the trip and the rest will be using gas. That brings up a separate topic which is whether someone should manage EV use in those situations. Many people including myself will start out EV but then switch to HV for at least part of the higher speed freeway/highway driving, then switch back to EV when there is just enough range to get home, just like you are doing.

As for me I do this just for ride enjoyment, and I think that is likely true for others also. On city streets I like the near silence of the car, I don't really like hearing the engine when I accelerate from a stop. However at freeway speeds I barely hear the engine over the wind and road noise. So I prefer to use HV on the freeway and EV on city streets, and that seems to be a pretty common strategy. Although if you say that some people will say "You're overthinking it, just drive the car it knows what it's doing". Well sure you can drive it that way also, let it use up all of the EV range at the beginning of trip and drive HV the rest of the way. If someone finds it too much trouble to switch back and forth from EV to HV, and they don't mind engine noise on city streets, then I fully understand that some people prefer to drive it that way. It's all about preference.

However there is also some opinion that switching to HV on the freeway in these situations will also make the overall trip more efficient, because EV range gets used up pretty fast at high speeds, whereas the gas engine at steady highway speeds will go into direct drive mode, which is basically an overdrive gear. It's the only time the gas engine directly turns the wheels, all other times it just generates electricity which is then sent to the electric motor. My guess is this makes it a little more efficient to use this strategy. However I suspect it's not a huge difference, so it still comes down to mainly being just preference.

 

[tommyboy]

When I am taking a longer trip than my EV range can cover I will run my EV for about half of its range, switch to HV until I am sure my remaining EV range gets me the rest of the way. This gives me the most EV range until I can charge again.
I had a Prius Prime until I bought the Clarity and the amount of room is significantly greater and with more comfort and less fatigue.

 

[EV Nerd]

When I am taking a longer trip than my EV range can cover I will run my EV for about half of its range, switch to HV until I am sure my remaining EV range gets me the rest of the way. This gives me the most EV range until I can charge again.
I had a Prius Prime until I bought the Clarity and the amount of room is significantly greater and with more comfort and less fatigue.

I do the same. Occasionally, I'll forget to enable HV, and deplete the battery. Nothing that HV+ can't take care of, but I do have to put up with the extra engine noise for a while.

I came to the Clarity from an '11 Chevy Volt. Same application, but very different behaviors and features. If Chevy hadn't stopped making the Volt, I would have bought that. Nothing against the Clarity, but the Volt top trim seemed more refined, but with fewer high-tech features. I really wish Chevy had refreshed the Volt line, rather than canceling it.

 

[MPG+]

Thoughts from 2 1/2 years of ownership. There are a lot of facts available online regarding efficiency of gas vs electric, energy from either source, mileage you can/should get. Many of these, like the MPG ratings on vehicles, are derived under controlled conditions. What it really boils down to is just 3 things: electricity costs in your area, where you drive, and how you drive. If you can charge for free (at work or elsewhere), then it's a no-brainer, but if you have to pay for charging, that cost needs to be figured into the calculation. Your in CA so generally have a mild climate which is easier on battery capacity. As with any vehicle, flat roads will give better mileage than hills (FL vs VT). Finally, a light foot on the accelerator will always help increase mpg.

 

[mwagner10702]

@Shrktank - you didn't say where you live but let me tell you about my experience. I have a 2020 Clarity Touring. Living in the Portland OR area we get spring and summer temps between 50 and 90 and fall and winter temps between 30 and 50. In the spring and summer season I will get anywhere from 35 to 50 miles of electric-only range. In the fall and winter months I'll get around 28 to 30. Unfortunately, the car is parked outside. It is plugged in all the time when not being driven.

As you can see you electric-only range will vary depending upon temperature. Given your trips are 50 to 60 miles you will need some amount of ICE assist for your HV battery. My recommendation would be to start out with a full battery and engage HV mode. You will run the ICE as you drain your high voltage battery, but this is OK. Depending on driving speed and road conditions (hills, flat, etc) you can expect upwards of 60 mpg when driving in this configuration.

I've driven from Portland to Spokane and easily averaged 55-60 mpg while driving 70 to 75mph.

My recommendation would be to NOT start out in electric only mode and let the car switch over to ICE assist when the high voltage battery drains down. The reason for this is it causes the ICE to work harder to keep the high voltage battery charged. You do have a HV Charge mode, which increases the charge rate to the battery, but performance is impacted especially if any significant hills are encountered.

Start out in HV mode and you should not have any issues during your 50-to-60-mile trip.

As far as comfort goes, IMO the car is very comfortable and quiet. I do wish the driver's seat had some lumber adjustment, but other than that no complaints. The other feature I like is the adaptive cruise control. Once you use this, you'll wonder how you drive long distances without it.

 

[palalechat]

I am looking at a EV t o replace my truck. Just the cost of gas is making the truck costly.

most of my trips each day are like 50 to 60 miles round trip and based on where we live we are doing mostly highway miles at speeds over 50mph

will the charity do full EV on these trips and then flip over to the gas engine? At what speed does the car flip to gas?
Also how is the comfort level of this car for long trips? As well as for larger 6 foot and above types

much interest in this vehicle

Hi, I've had my Clarity for two years and drive approximately 45 miles each way to work. My challenge was that I would fall short by about a mile or two inbound to work on a full charge, charge the car at work, but could make it home on just electric no problem. I eventually decided that there were more hills inbound which wasn't obvious because they're slow inclines. So I adjusted my speed from 70 mph to 60 or 65 and now I routinely make it to work with charge to spare. My previous car was a Honda Fit and the Clarity sedan style car is a total upgrade for me comfort wise. I love it. It has it quirks but for a relatively inexpensive car, it seems very luxurious to me! Btw, have had an unused half tank of gas in my car for going on 6 weeks now. Granted, I only drive in to work a couple days a week. But that also includes any other trips I otherwise make like grocery shopping etc.

 

[2002]

What it really boils down to is just 3 things: electricity costs in your area, where you drive, and how you drive. If you can charge for free (at work or elsewhere), then it's a no-brainer, but if you have to pay for charging, that cost needs to be figured into the calculation.

Many people have done the calculations, and it seems almost unanimous that driving electric was cheaper for them than driving with gas. The only exceptions that I can remember were people in a few of the east coast states which have onerous surcharges on any electricity that comes from coal powered plants, those owners were the only ones that said driving gas was cheaper for them. Well there were also some people who couldn't charge at home or at work and had to pay at public charging stations, they also said driving gas was cheaper for them. But everyone else said it was cheaper to drive electric, some a noticeable difference, others only a slight difference.

That of course is not a scientific survey I'm just giving my observations after nearly three years of reading comments about the Clarity on forums like this. Most of the comments that I am thinking of were a couple of years ago when gas prices were roughly half what they are now. I would be very surprised if anyone charging at home anywhere in the U.S. does not save money now by driving electric. Although I haven't heard anything yet from anyone in the east coast states that I mentioned, but I would be surprised if even they now don't find it cheaper to drive electric.

But yes I agree everyone should do the math for themselves and not take anyone else's word for it. But I would just be very surprised if anyone currently finds it is cheaper to use gas instead of charging at home.

 

[EV Nerd]

Do note that my numerical analysis, above, is about efficiency, not cost.

Efficiency can be more easily quantized.

 

[2002]

Do note that my numerical analysis, above, is about efficiency, not cost.

Efficiency can be more easily quantized.

And FWIW my comments were only about "fuel" cost, i.e. electricity vs gas. For someone considering purchasing an EV or a PHEV they also need to consider the extra cost for these vehicles compared to a similar gas counterpart. Of course factoring in tax credits. I think it tends to be a somewhat similar concept to getting solar installed, you have to look at how many years it would take to pay back, which is only going to be an estimate due to unpredictable electricity prices. And the likelihood that in a few years the technology improves substantially, both EV and solar. I always tell people you should only get one of these if the car itself appeals to you, not to try and save money.