Does anyone know what the usable kWh is from the Clarity PHEV? We know the rated pack capacity is 17 kWh. Charging to full with my Chargepoint charger that tracks power, it only indicated 14.35 kWh (from the wall). If I assume it is 80% efficient like my Volt (assuming dash readout of kwh used is correct), that would only be 11.5 kWh usable for the Clarity, or even 90% efficient would put it around 13 kwh. Looking at efficiency of the two cars, 11.5 kWh usable would give the Clarity 47 mile rated range if my Volt can drive 35 miles on 9.4 kWh usable. Again, this is all based on the dash readout of the Volt being accurate when it says I used 9.4 kwh for a full charge. This would point to the 11.5 kWh usable being an accurate number since it matches the EPA range when I calculate it that way. In the end it doesn't matter, just what the electric range is and how many kWh are used from the wall. In the winter I am getting around 41 kWh/100 miles and my Volt is getting around 52 kWh/100 miles. They will improve dramatically when it is warm and not running climate control.
I don't want to discourage you, but it was several years after the Tesla Model S debuted before anyone was able to give a definitive answer about what the full capacity vs. the usable capacity of the battery pack was. Some EV makers give us the full battery capacity, others the usable capacity; unfortunately there does not seem to be any standard. I've even seen people who ought to know better claim that the Volt's usable capacity is the same as its full capacity... which simply cannot be true. If it was, then we would see reports of gradual loss of range over the years. Since we don't, obviously GM reserved some capacity to hide the loss. The issue of battery capacity, and usable vs. full capacity, is a can of worms. * * * * * Unsurprisingly, on "The Green Car Guy" website, John O'Dell says: "RE Honda Clarity Electric’s usable battery capacity: Honda won’t release a figure." http://thegreencarguy.com/honda-provides-clarity-phev-ev-details/ Well of course that's not the PHEV, it's the BEV; but I would be surprised if Honda was willing to release the figure for the PHEV when it won't for the BEV.
I agree. I'm not really sure just why there have been a number of recent posts here on this forum from new EV owners asking how to measure their new EV's full capacity or usable capacity, or both. If they had the exact figure, would it really change anything? As you say, what matters is how far the car will go on a full charge, and how much electricity you have to pay for to charge it. In fact Tesla, with its newest vehicles, the Tesla Model 3 and the Tesla Semi Truck, they don't even publicly give out the actual kWh of the battery pack. For the TM3, they just talk about the range and how fast it will charge. OTOH if we want to know what the actual energy efficiency of EVs are, then we do need to know exactly how much energy they are using. But that can be measured by installing a meter between the EV charger and its power source, and comparing that to the car's odometer readings. No need to figure out the exact full or usable capacity of the battery pack.
You'll find out weather plays an important role in total charge efficiency. Cold battery takes more energy to charge than warm battery.
