Clarity PHEV launched in Japan

Discussion in 'Clarity' started by lordsutch, Jul 19, 2018.

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  1. lordsutch

    lordsutch Member

    Here's the link to the website: http://www.honda.co.jp/CLARITYPHEV/ (in Japanese, of course)

    Working through Google Translate, I can't make out everything. However, I found several notable differences so far:
    • There appears to be a CHAdeMO fast charging port on the driver's side (right in Japan) rear. It also includes a level 2 port in the PHEV's standard position (front left). Not surprising since CHAdeMO is very common in Japan for public charging.
    • Cobalt Blue Pearl seems to be an available PHEV color in Japan, unlike in the U.S. (alas). The other color options seem to be the same as the U.S.
    • It looks like the fuel cell model's air filtration system is included.
    • The FCV's traffic sign recognition feature seems to be included too.
    • There only seems to be one trim level, equivalent to Touring, but there's no Touring badge.
    • Android Auto isn't advertised as a feature, but Apple CarPlay is. Maybe Android isn't big in Japan?
    The infotainment system appears to be the same knobless design as on all previous models, and the Honda Sensing features appear to be the same as the U.S. model (except the sign recognition). No sign of the FCV's HUD.

    Let the tea leaf reading for what this portends for a hypothetical North American 2019 model begin.
     
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2018
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  3. lorem101

    lorem101 Member

    It mentioned a 101-114 km range! Do they have an upgraded battery?
    The battery pic looks different too.
    [​IMG]

    Edit: 17 kWh battery advertised!
     
    Hobbesgsr likes this.
  4. qtpie

    qtpie Active Member

    Wow, these cars are sold for 5,880,600 Japanese Yen? That's $52,296.18 USD (according to Google based on today's exchange rate):
    Screen Shot 2018-07-19 at 3.56.34 PM.png
     
  5. PHEV Newbie

    PHEV Newbie Well-Known Member

    Is this evidence that Honda sells the Clarity in the US/Canada at a loss? By comparison, the Honda Vezel with Honda Sensing is sold in Japan for 2075000 yen (US$18,455). The Vezel is called the HR-V in the US and the cheapest base LX 2WD (no Honda Sensing) is priced at $21,465. What this shows is that cars are not generally priced higher in Japan than they are in the US. It is then likely that the true selling price of the Clarity should be around US$52K.
     
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2018
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  7. insightman

    insightman Well-Known Member Subscriber

    Perhaps that's the same battery without the skin seen in previous photos. I doubt Honda would make 2 different 17 kWh batteries for this limited-production vehicle.
     
  8. dstrauss

    dstrauss Well-Known Member

    Maybe they snuck the BEV battery in the PHEV? Wouldn't that be awesome...NOPE - says 17kWh pack - maybe their test circuit uses less highway speeds
     
  9. insightman

    insightman Well-Known Member Subscriber

    The BEV has another big block of batteries that occupies much of the trunk. Yes, the EPA's tests are more rigorous than those of Japan or the EU, which explains a greater range in other countries.
     
    lordsutch likes this.
  10. Odobo

    Odobo Active Member

    I am guessing they just use the average mile per kWh to get that number instead. Unless they are advertising a 20 kWh battery as 17 kWh battery to get those extra miles...
     
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  12. Hobbesgsr

    Hobbesgsr Active Member

    It looks like they just removed the top cover of the battery.

    [​IMG]
     
  13. Hobbesgsr

    Hobbesgsr Active Member

    I didn't know the Clarity did this? Maybe only the Japanese version?
    Brake flash.JPG
     
    Johnhaydev likes this.
  14. Johnhaydev

    Johnhaydev Active Member

    I suspect us regulations may prevent this from being available here.
     
    KentuckyKen and lordsutch like this.
  15. qtpie

    qtpie Active Member

    I have seen this feature on some models of Van and Truck in US.


    Sent from my iPad using Inside EVs
     
  16. KentuckyKen

    KentuckyKen Well-Known Member

    I think Johnhaydev is right. My son ran into a DOT reg prohibiting amber lights being used for anything but turn signals when he was getting an off road bike made street legal.
     
  17. bpratt

    bpratt Active Member

    It can't be the same battery we currently have in our Claritys because our batteries don't allow for a fast charge and one of the pictures shows a fast charge port on the right side of the vehicle. So here is my speculation: Honda has changed to the same battery technology that Tesla uses. Those batteries do allow for a fast charge and they also provide about 1.25 times the Watt hour/kg of weight. So if the batteries take up the same space, then there would be about 21 KWh of energy in the batterys with about 17 KWh of usable power.
     
  18. ab13

    ab13 Active Member

    Clarity EV has fast charging, it appears to be the same battery but with an extra pack.
     
  19. bpratt

    bpratt Active Member

    Fast charging for a LI battery is considered to be able to charge the battery to 80% in 20 minutes or less. The Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide batteries use in the Clarity don't allow that. The Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide batteries used in the Tesla do.
     
  20. insightman

    insightman Well-Known Member Subscriber

    So the Clarity PHEV and BEV cars don't use the same battery chemistry?
     
  21. ab13

    ab13 Active Member

    The Tesla supercharger has a lot faster rate than the base Chademo rate. The outlander phev has Chademo, and it doesn't appear to use aluminum in the battery that I could determine from searching . I don't know if the Clarity battery info had been noted anywhere.
     
  22. Honda could have included 17kWh for NA Clarity for maxing tax credit incentives but also lower cost compared to larger or different battery of its Japanese version.
     

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