Strong regen is one of my favorite things about the Volt (and, to an even greater degree, my Tesla Model S). The Clarity Plug-in Hybrid does have a regen paddle on the back of the steering wheel, but its effect was barely noticeable. The feel was pretty much the same as a conventional car. The gas-mode-only test drive did reveal a couple of things.įirst, I noticed that the regenerative braking was weak. And then, as we got into the demo car for the test drive, it turned out the battery was completely discharged, so we could only drive it in gas mode.ĬHECK OUT: 2016 Chevrolet Volt: Gas Mileage ReviewĪt least the salesman knew how to turn the car on. Once we got inside, the salesman was unable to find a Clarity brochure. Perhaps Honda dealers have seen the electric light at last? So I told the dealer I was checking out the Clarity as a possible alternative to my Volt when my lease expired.Ģ017 Chevrolet Volt in Vancouver, BC, CanadaĪs I pulled into the dealer’s lot with my college-age daughter Callie (who actually drives my current Volt most of the time), I was astonished and delighted to see a Clarity Plug-in Hybrid displayed right out front in a featured position. But it would let me get a basic feel for the car-as well as a chance to see if mainstream dealers are starting to move beyond ignoring electric cars, which I’ve seen so often in the past. Not a great way to do a thorough evaluation, to be sure. I headed to my local Honda dealer to drive the Clarity. Numbers aside, I was eager to test-drive a Clarity Plug-in Hybrid and to see if my beloved Volt was about to be dethroned as "King of the Plug-In Hybrids." The Clarity is classified as a mid-size sedan, the Volt a compact hatchback. On paper, the Clarity Plug-in Hybrid and Volt really diverge in only two major areas: size and body style. Their prices are very similar: a base price including destination of $34,295 for the Clarity Plug-in Hybrid, $34,095 for the Volt. READ THIS: 2018 Honda Clarity PHEV revisited: is this the car Bill Clinton wanted built? The Clarity Plug-in Hybrid has a bit more electric power than the Volt (181 vs 149 hp) but less electric torque (232 lb-ft vs 298). In gas mode, both the Clarity Plug-in Hybrid and the Volt get 42 mpg overall. ![]() The electric motor can typically handle gentle acceleration and moderate speeds by itself, but when more power is needed, the gas engine jumps in to help drive the wheels-even with a full battery charge.Ģ018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid drive, Napa Valley, Caifornia, Dec 2017 In general, the gas engine and a small electric motor trade off or pair up as necessary to drive the wheels. The parallel drivetrains of other plug-in hybrids work differently. When the battery runs out, the Volt’s gas engine kicks in as a generator and keeps the battery charged up to power the electric motor.Īs a result, the Volt driver always enjoys that sublime electric torque, even in gas mode. That means the electric motor drives the wheels virtually all the time. That torque number is more than double the electric oomph of the Prius Prime and Fusion Energy.Īnd third, the Volt uses a (mostly) series-hybrid powertrain. Second, the Volt has a much bigger electric motor-149 horsepower and 298 foot-pounds of torque. Other plug-in hybrids have smaller batteries that typically limit electric range to around 20 miles-and in the case of the early Prius plug-ins, a pitiful 11 miles. READ THIS: 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid: weekend drive reviewįirst, the Volt has a much bigger battery-18.4 kwh, good for an EPA-rated range of 53 miles. Three features set the Volt apart from-and in my opinion way above-other plug-in hybrids such as the Toyota Prius Prime and Ford Fusion Energi.
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