Cross-country trip dream

[Kerbe]

Kerbe, I will counter your theoretical calculations with real world experience.

You have no idea how sad I am to learn the my trip from just outside New Orleans to Syracuse, NY, and NYC was theoretical - because I was so certain that I had an excellent vacation, visiting friends and family! What a shame that the two 1200 mile legs of my journey were imaginary - I could have SWORN that I started with a full SOC and a full TOG, stopped for the night after 600 miles of driving without being able to recharge, and arrived at my destination each time with 65% SOC - it just seems so REAL to me! How delusional I must be to have taken note of the amount of fuel I purchased and the miles I drove between fictional fill-ups on this (now that I think about it) obviously fictional trip. I wonder if I can find an online therapist to help me with this problem I didn't know I had!

 

[KClark]

Once again, I called your calculations theoretical. I actually said just that in the quote you included. Mpg x gas tank capacity gives a theoretical range, doesn’t it? Theoretical because mpg will vary and because we all fill up before we run out of gas. You never mentioned your actual trip, I try not to comment about things that were never said. But you did say that your theoretical range should be good enough for any driver, which is why I did comment. My actual range on long distance trips is not good enough for me. Again, I try and not make assumptions for others based on my experience, which is why I only offered my experience as a counterpoint to your claim, nothing more.

 

[Kerbe]

I try not to comment about things that were never said. But you did say that your theoretical range should be good enough for any driver, which is why I did comment. My actual range on long distance trips is not good enough for me. Again, I try and not make assumptions for others based on my experience, which is why I only offered my experience as a counterpoint to your claim, nothing more.

Ah, but I said no such thing about it being "good enough for any driver". I was responding to the previous comment which used the term, "lack of gasoline range," in an attempt to be reassuring. So, yeah, you kinda did "read into" my comment and interpret in an unintended way. BTW - I'd made the same trip in a VW Golf getting an average of 36 mpg and a Honda Fit, with an average of 33 mpg. The Clarity's mix of battery, regen and ICE makes any comparison of mpg essentially moot.

 

[KClark]

You’re right, I did overreach a little bit. You didn’t say our Clarity’s long trip range is good enough for everyone, you said it should be good enough for almost everyone. I should have just noted that unfortunately I am not almost everyone who is satisfied with it.

 

[Tek_Freek]

Kerbe, I will counter your theoretical calculations with real world experience. I’ve monitored my mpg on four long trips of 750-1500 miles. All of it on interstate 15 driving between LA and southern and northern Utah at 70-80 mph, 2-3 adults with luggage. I consistently see 39 mpg. Driving in the empty desert means that gas stations are not on every off ramp. In all of those trips I haven’t been comfortable driving all the way from LA to Las Vegas, which is about 270 miles from my house without stopping for gas. My state of charge and gas levels were just too low for me to chance getting stranded. A car that won’t get me to LV without anxiety over running out of gas is missing a pretty low bar for what I want and expect in a long distance cruiser. My clarity is a fabulous commuter car but not one I would choose for regular extended driving in the western US. Obviously this is just my anecdotal experience, but for me it disproves your theoretical conclusions.

We won't make that drive non-stop in our Sorento that has a 420 mile range. We always stop and fill the tank part way through. Common sense dictates the need to be careful when driving through the desert. We've done Salt Lake city to Las Vegas in the Clarity and stopped for gas once. That's two of us with not a lot of luggage. Did the trip to SLC and back to LV and did the same. One stop for gas each direction.