NHTSA : 2018 HONDA CLARITY=54 COMPLAINTS

After several hours of internet digging I found this: https://venturebeat.com/2017/01/04/honda-partners-with-att-to-put-4g-lte-and-wi-fi-inside-its-cars/ ATT coverage is spotty - at best - in most of my state and all but non-existent in my town.

 

Thanks for a great source document on this to add to our accumulated knowledge base.
Perhaps the best news is that HL is 4G and not 3G so we may get a few more years out of it until we’re no longer able to make a cellular connection.

 

I live in the Rocky Mountains, eastern side of Washington state. In the 1.5 years we have had the clarity, we have driven Stevens pass 6-7 times, look out pass and 4th of July pass 3-4 times as well as smaller mountains and passes. We also live up a fairly steep but short mountain drive, hence sometimes finishing drives with the battery depleted. About 4 of those pass drives have been in temps of 0-30 degrees. We have never experienced the loss of power described. The “roaring engine” definitely happens if the battery is depleted driving up the steep mountains (If battery is depleted or HV mode at low speeds) but that is to be expected given the low over all hp of the gas engine and the Atkinson cycle. If you want to make the ride more enjoyable and have better fuel efficiency, I agree with recommendations that on long drives use HV early and keep the battery at least 1/2 charge. Going up the steep mountains turn off HV mode. Keep it electric on most of the ride down. This allows it to charge back up and keep it there for the next mountain. (or at least change back to EV mode shortly after you reach the bottom of the mountain. If you change to HV and keep it there from the top of the mountain the car is designed to keep the charge level at the level you started at. Hence you end up with lower and lower charge on the subsequent mountain passes and for a long mountain drive with multiple passes you will eventually have to climb something on pure engine. If you wait to switch to HV mode until the bottom of the steep pass you get most of your charge back for the next and don’t have to listen to the engine)

 

I need to clarify my prior statement for clarity newbies or those considering buying. I only make the conscious change to EV on really steep passes. Run of the mill mountain pass, engine noise doesn’t bother me if >45mph