After almost one month, rambling thoughts about my Clarity

[Fast Eddie B]

12 gal at 44 mpg and 70 mph is about 7 hours of driving.
I enviously salute your cast iron bladder!

Even if you could hold out for 7 hours*, sitting that long at a stretch is not a good idea for medical reasons. We have yet to take a seriously long road trip, but stopping every 2 or 3 hours for snacks and stretching is something we’d do regardless of potential range. Might as well fuel up at the same time.

Also, “tankering” fuel is inefficient. An extra 3 or 5 gallons would weigh about 18 or 30 lbs. I don’t know if EPA estimates are based on full fuel, but a pound here and a pound there makes a small difference in fuel economy regardless.


*Can’t help but think of that story of using astronaut diapers to extend range. I suppose it “depends” on how critical your mission is!

 

[KClark]

According to google 1 gallon of gas weighs 6.3 pounds. So an extra 4 gallons would be about 25 pounds. Would adding that much weight to a 4050 pound car really almost halve the EV mileage? I’m skeptical of that claim.

 

[Fast Eddie B]

I must have missed where anyone made such a claim. Any effect of “tankering” an extra 4 gals of fuel would be very small.

 

[AlAl]

According to google 1 gallon of gas weighs 6.3 pounds. So an extra 4 gallons would be about 25 pounds. Would adding that much weight to a 4050 pound car really almost halve the EV mileage? I’m skeptical of that claim.

I doubt weight had anything to do with their decision to use a 7gal tank. If I had to guess, they made the tank small to ensure gas doesn't spoil; given how PHEV owners tend to go without using gas for a long time

 

[insightman]

I doubt weight had anything to do with their decision to use a 7gal tank. If I had to guess, they made the tank small to ensure gas doesn't spoil; given how PHEV owners tend to go without using gas for a long time

I daresay there is not room for an 8-gallon tank. This car is really packed.

 

[KClark]

See comment #16 for 4 more gallons of gas taking 20 miles off EV range. But I do appreciate the comments and discussion.

 

[Fast Eddie B]

See comment #16 for 4 more gallons of gas taking 20 miles off EV range. But I do appreciate the comments and discussion.

Thanks. I see that now.

I interpreted Insightman to mean a bigger gas tank would mean something would have to be smaller to compensate. And if that “something” were the battery, that’s why EV range might go down. Not because of the increase in weight.

Still, I imagine manufacturers go to great lengths to eke out every single mpg or EV range they can. Since both seem to be rounded up or down to the nearest whole number, it’s not inconceivable that a small increase in full-fuel weight could cause at least a single-digit reduction of mpg or range EV range they could advertise. And I further imagine Honda engineers agonize over every single ounce they can shave off, such that a 30 pound weight savings is far from trivial.

 

[Vezz66]

Thanks. I see that now.

I interpreted Insightman to mean a bigger gas tank would mean something would have to be smaller to compensate. And if that “something” were the battery, that’s why EV range might go down. Not because of the increase in weight.

Still, I imagine manufacturers go to great lengths to eke out every single mpg or EV range they can. Since both seem to be rounded up or down to the nearest whole number, it’s not inconceivable that a small increase in full-fuel weight could cause at least a single-digit reduction of mpg or range EV range they could advertise. And I further imagine Honda engineers agonize over every single ounce they can shave off, such that a 30 pound weight savings is far from trivial.

A smaller battery would provide less amps thus reducing the EV HP, and bring down the point where the ICE kicks in thus increasing the average fuel consumed. I would trade a larger battery for less fuel in this theoretical situation.