Clarity PHEV Introduction Press Briefing

insightman

insightman

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I don't believe anyone on this forum has mentioned this 2017 YouTube video inappropriately (for the participants of this forum) titled:
Live 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid Press Briefing: More Than Anything You Ever Wanted to Know


The video would have been better had the camera had a good view of Honda's visual displays. What would have made the briefing spectacular is if someone from this forum could pose the questions we all want answered. If you've already consumed all of the meager information about the Clarity PHEV available elsewhere, there are worse ways to spend 50 minutes.
 
iluvscuba said:
I asked my dealers and Honda Canada these questions in my earlier post a couple of months ago but nobody ever get back to me with any answers

http://www.insideevsforum.com/commu...questions-to-my-dealer-and-honda-canada.1033/
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I wangled a press pas to the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit last January. There were 3 Clarity PHEVs on the floor in the Honda display. There was one woman designated as the person who could answer questions about the Clarity PHEV. As I began speaking with her it became clear she didn't even have a good grasp of how the Mode buttons worked. So it wasn't long before all my questions were deflected with an "I don't know, I'll get back to you." She didn't have a business card because she was "moving." So she took my email address, but she must have written it in disappearing ink, because I never heard back from her.

As people on this forum will all agree, to say that Honda is not forthcoming with technical information would be a gross understatement. I doubt Honda's people running the Press Briefing could have answered our questions, either. There are many barriers protecting their brain trust from us knowledge seekers. I've experienced this frustration since I bought my first Insight in 2000. However, like my 3 Insights, my Clarity doesn't care what I know, it just works. I feel badly for those whose Claritys don't work for them and hope Honda makes things right.

If I can't communicate with a knowledgeable Honda engineer, I wish those who have erected the information barriers would explain the policies that cause us such frustration. In the tradition of Apple, believe Honda should have a public electrification evangelist who provides a face and a voice that speaks with the knowledge we seek.

[insightman steps off soap box]
 
insightman said:
I don't believe anyone on this forum has mentioned this 2017 YouTube video inappropriately (for the participants of this forum) titled:
Live 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid Press Briefing: More Than Anything You Ever Wanted to Know


The video would have been better had the camera had a good view of Honda's visual displays. What would have made the briefing spectacular is if someone from this forum could pose the questions we all want answered. If you've already consumed all of the meager information about the Clarity PHEV available elsewhere, there are worse ways to spend 50 minutes.
Click to expand...



I had seen that video before I bought mine in December. Since Honda never put out a press briefing with a copy of the presentation, I asked my salesman if he could look for the briefing on his side. He never got back to me. Having this briefing would have been a little more relevant than everyone having to quote the briefing on the Accord Hybrid from 2014.
 
Slightly different topic. The Insight review will be out this Wednesday. Since the Accord hybrid is only about $1500 more than the standard model, this is promising for the Insight pricing.

https://www.automobilemag.com/news/the-big-***-2019-honda-insight-photo-gallery/
 
ab13 said:
Slightly different topic. The Insight review will be out this Wednesday. Since the Accord hybrid is only about $1500 more than the standard model, this is promising for the Insight pricing.

https://www.automobilemag.com/news/the-big-***-2019-honda-insight-photo-gallery/
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A YouTube video appears to have already leaked the entry-level Insight price: $22,830.
price_preview.jpg
 
Honda's Insight news embargo is lifted. Link: 2019 Insight Press Kit.

The Insight LX goes for $23,725 delivered, with the EX at $24,995 and the Touring at $28,895.

The Insight's 1.5-liter Atkinson-cycle engine develops 107 hp vs the Clarity's 103 hp. The Insight's traction motor develops up to 129 hp and 197 lb-ft of torque. The 60-cell Panasonic Li-Ion battery under the rear seat is good for up to 1 mile of EV travel, provided you've built up a full charge through careful driving.

The LX and EX models are rated at 55 mpg city, 49 mpg highway and 52 mpg combined. The heavier Touring model with power heated leather seats, larger 17" wheels and a moonroof gets 51 city, 45 highway, and 48 mpg combined. The plastic fuel tank holds 10.6 gallons (the same as the gen 1 Insight!) for a 500+ mile range.

The Car Connection reports angry bees:
Honda fitted the Insight with a slightly different right pedal than its other cars: 75 percent of the pedal travel is normal, but about 25 percent of the pedal is past a stiff detent that sends the engine into a furious tizzy.

CNET's Roadshow on the lock-up clutch and fake engine sound:
A "lock up clutch" can engage to send torque from the gasoline motor directly to the driven wheels, but only during very light cruising at highway speeds or when you totally mash the throttle. Sport mode...pipes electronically generated faux engine noise into the cabin when accelerating.
 
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insightman said:
Sport mode...pipes electronically generated faux engine noise into the cabin when accelerating.
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Why would anyone in their right mind want or desire fake engine noise piped into the cabin? Have we got that neurotic now? “My Car can’t beat up your car but by golly it sounds like it can”. My car self identifies as a Bugatti Veron? Turn up the volume and impress your date? What’s next, safe spaces for “acceleration challenged” cars?
Thag not understand.
 
I was shocked to learn that one could 'tune' one's exhaust on certain vehicles. This is important to some.
 
KentuckyKen said:
Why would anyone in their right mind want or desire fake engine noise piped into the cabin? Have we got that neurotic now? “My Car can’t beat up your car but by golly it sounds like it can”. My car self identifies as a Bugatti Veron? Turn up the volume and impress your date? What’s next, safe spaces for “acceleration challenged” cars?
Thag not understand.
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It would make me avoid Sport mode. Wait, I already avoid Sport mode in my no-intentional-extra-noise Clarity. I guess Honda decided the Clarity is for more mature drivers. I hope there's a menu option for turning off the Insight's Sport noise.
 
Alex on Auto has a first drive on the new 2019 Insight, he also mentioned the potential angry bee issue and he explained the how and the why of the noise issue

 
iluvscuba said:
Alex on Auto has a first drive on the new 2019 Insight, he also mentioned the potential angry bee issue and he explained the how and the why of the noise issue
Click to expand...

I've watched tons of Insight reviews since Honda's info embargo expired at 11:59 June 19th. As usual, Alex does it best. One very interesting detail only Alex reveals is that, unlike the Clarity, the new Insight has space for an optional donut spare tire under the trunk floor if you jettison the styrofoam block and the included blow-goo tire inflator.

spare_tire_well.jpg
 
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