Why and how to joyfully move our butts around town, without mucking the place up.

2018 Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid pricing announced - $33,400 MSRP

; Date: November 17, 2017

Tags: Honda »»»» Electric Cars »»»» Plug-in Hybrid

If Honda had brought this to market in 2011 or 2012 or 2013 we'd be jumping up and down excited about this. As it stands, this isn't any more capable than the Chevy Volt except in two ways -- first, the electric range is a smidgeon longer -- second, and this is actually very important, the charging rate is 6 kiloWatts versus the 3 kiloWatts for most other Plug-in Hybrids. You calculate this by dividing the battery capacity (17 kWh) by the charging time (2.5 hours) and you end up with a number close to 6, meaning it's a 6 kW charging system. Or maybe 5 kW. The point being that the more powerful the charging system the more degrees of autonomy the driver has. Conceivably a driver taking a longer trip might feel more encouraged to plug in and charge the car during the trip, because of more miles of range gained per unit of time, than with a lower-power charging system.

Because it's not 2011-13, this car is (to me) an interesting curiosity. Honda wants us to believe they're really interested in green and minimizing the harmful pollution from the vehicles we drive. But they're behind the game on electric vehicles and instead spent a few years working on fuel cell vehicles rather than battery electric.

This price, base MSRP $33,400, also leaves me a little underwhelmed. At not that much more dollars one can buy a 200 mile range battery EV and not have to put up wth stinking gas car attributes like oil changes and gasoline stations. If that sentence made one say "hey wait a minute, gasoline isn't all that bad, and it lets me take long trips" then this car is for you since it'll let you continue using gasoline as the means to long trips. I apologize, but my point of view is the necessity of switching completely to electricity.

Source: Honda
  • Honda's all-new plug-in hybrid is competitively priced with the most robust standard equipment among plug-in hybrid vehicles
  • Five-passenger, low-emissions vehicle goes on sale December 1
  • 47-mile all-electric EPA range rating is highest of any plug-in hybrid sedan

Nov 16, 2017 - SAN FRANCISCO -- Just in time for the holidays, the 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid will go on sale December 1, 2017 at dealerships nationwide. The midsize plug-in hybrid starts at a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $33,400 with highly equipped standard equipment and is offered with a Touring trim for $36,600. [msrp]

"The Clarity Plug-in Hybrid takes a big step forward in bringing Honda electrified vehicles into the mainstream with no compromise to performance, range or comfort," said Ray Mikiciuk, assistant vice president of Honda Automobile Sales. "The Clarity Plug-in Hybrid leads the pack with the highest all-electric range rating of any plug-in hybrid sedan and the most comprehensive standard equipment, spacious five-passenger cabin and a roomy trunk – all at an affordable price point."

Clarity Plug-in Hybrid owners are eligible for a federal income tax credit of up to $7,500 when they purchase, and for additional state rebates, where available, when they purchase or lease the model. Residential property owners may also take advantage of financing and incentives from their local government and utility company, where available, to install an EV charger.

Features

  • Smart Start and Entry
  • TFT Gauge Cluster
  • 8-Speaker Audio
  • Dual-Zone Auto A/C
  • 8.0" Display Audio
  • Bluetooth®
  • USB Audio Interface
  • Pandora®
  • SMS texting capability
  • Sirius XM
  • HD™ Radio
  • Heated Front Seats
  • Multi-Angle Rearview Camera
  • Steering-Wheel Audio Controls
  • Cruise Control
  • HomeLink®

Safety & Driver Assist

  • Honda Sensing®
  • Honda LaneWatch™
  • Vehicle Stability Assist®
  • Side Curtain Airbags
  • Driver and front passenger front, side and knee airbags

The Clarity Plug-in Hybrid earned the highest all-electric range rating among all plug-in hybrid sedans with its EPA range rating of 47 miles on a full charge.2 The model also received an EPA fuel economy rating of 110 combined MPGe, among the top of midsize plug-in hybrids, and a gasoline only 44/40/42 MPG rating (city/highway/combined). [EPA]

For longer trips, the Clarity Plug-in Hybrid can utilize its hyper-efficient 1.5-liter Atkinson cycle 4-cylinder engine to generate electricity and, under certain conditions, to act as a direct power source. The Clarity Plug-in received an overall EPA driving range rating of 340 miles.2

The vehicle's electromotive power comes from a 181-horsepower electric motor producing 232 lb.-ft. of torque and drawing power from both the gasoline engine and a 17-kilowatt hour (kWh) battery pack with a recharge time of just 2.5 hours at 240 volts. The Clarity Plug-in features Honda's two-motor hybrid powertrain that has a total system output of 212 horsepower. [Power]

The Clarity Plug-in Hybrid features three selectable modes – Normal, Econ and Sport – allowing drivers to customize their experience, maximizing efficiency or driving performance. A fourth mode – HV mode – is provided to maintain the battery's state of charge and can be selected in conjunction with Normal, Econ and Sport driving modes.

The Clarity Plug-in Hybrid joins the Clarity Electric, launched August 2017, and Clarity Fuel Cell, launched in December 2016, to complete the Clarity series of vehicles, offering customers an array of electrified vehicle choices in a sophisticated, spacious and comprehensively equipped five-passenger midsize sedan. The Clarity series is at the forefront of Honda's initiative to bring electrified vehicle technology into the mainstream. The company has announced its intention for electrified vehicles to comprise two-thirds of its global automobile sales by 2030.

Honda Clarity Series

As the next progression of Honda's dynamic styling for electrified products, each Clarity variant has a low, wide aerodynamic body with unique design elements, including its own special hero color, and differentiated front styling, headlights, tail lamps, non-compromised trunk space, Honda Sensing standard and 18-inch alloy wheel designs. Combined with elegant and advanced exterior styling, each Clarity series vehicle has a spacious interior with comfortable seating for five adults, outfitted with premium, environmentally responsible materials.

Offering Honda's "fun-to-drive" DNA, each Clarity variant provides a smooth, quiet and highly refined driving experience, aided by the smooth and seamless character of electric drive torque and acceleration. The Clarity series also features advanced technologies, including Display Audio with Android Auto™ and Apple CarPlay™ integration, and the full suite of Honda Sensing® safety and driver-assistive technologies.

With three different powertrains and luxury packaging, this shared "3-in-1" platform strategy is enabling Honda to respond to infrastructure and market developments, provide customers nationwide with an ultra-low carbon vehicle that meets their lifestyle needs, and will take Honda toward higher volume sales of advanced powertrain products that will help reduce CO2 emissions.

About Honda

Honda offers a full line of reliable, fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive vehicles with advanced safety technologies sold through over 1,000 independent U.S. Honda dealers. The Honda lineup includes the Fit, Civic, Accord and Clarity series passenger cars, along with the HR-V, CR-V and Pilot sport/utility vehicles, the Ridgeline pickup and the Odyssey minivan. Honda has been producing automobiles in America for 35 years and currently operates 19 major manufacturing facilities in North America. In 2016, more than 96 percent of all Honda vehicles sold in the U.S. were made in North America, using domestic and globally sourced parts.

David Herron
David Herron is a writer and software engineer focusing on the wise use of technology. He is especially interested in clean energy technologies like solar power, wind power, and electric cars. David worked for nearly 30 years in Silicon Valley on software ranging from electronic mail systems, to video streaming, to the Java programming language, and has published several books on Node.js programming and electric vehicles.
Footnotes
1. [msrp]: MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price) excluding tax, license, registration, $890 destination charge and options. Dealer prices may vary.
1. [EPA]: Based on 2018 model-year EPA ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your MPG/MPGe and range will vary depending on driving conditions, how you drive and maintain your vehicle, lithium-ion battery pack age/condition and other factors.
1. [Power]: Total-system horsepower as measured by the peak, concurrent output of the electric motor and gasoline engine.