How can I see my actual combined mpg with HV and ev combined?

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Kingemail

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Hello I just bought a 2018 clarity, and I'm pretty confused on how to use the functions, coming from a Volt.

I take it I'm not able to drive in strictly electric only, as I usually hear the motor turn on sporadically. And is unable to view my actual mpg work using both gas and electric

Can anyone assist this newbie!
 
Kingemail said:
Hello I just bought a 2018 clarity, and I'm pretty confused on how to use the functions, coming from a Volt.

I take it I'm not able to drive in strictly electric only, as I usually hear the motor turn on sporadically. And is unable to view my actual mpg work using both gas and electric

Can anyone assist this newbie!
Click to expand...
You cannot force your Clarity to run only on EV, however, you can run on EV only if you restrain the extension of your right ankle. You can see on the Power/Charge Gauge in front of you how much power you can use before the engine is activated. In ECON Mode, the engine won't come on unless you press hard enough to overcome the "click" resistance point in the accelerator's travel. You can select the Energy Flow Screen on the center display to see when the engine is activated. A gear appears between the wheels on that display when you are on the e-way and driving steady enough to engage Engine Drive mode, where the engine directly powers the wheels through a single-speed transmission (sort of like the Volt does, but only 1-speed, like a 5th gear).

upload_2020-9-28_9-42-46.webp


There is no way to see separate MPG readings.

Did you receive the Owner's Manual for your Clarity? It's much thicker than the Owners Guide.
 
Last edited:
If you set one of the Trip meters, A or B, you will then be able to view the combined mpg for that trip. It only displays up to 199.9mpg.
 
insightman said:
You cannot force your Clarity to run only on EV, however, you can run on EV only if you restrain the extension of your right ankle. You can see on the Power/Charge Gauge in front of you how much power you can use before the engine is activated. In ECON Mode, the engine won't come on unless you press hard enough to overcome the "click" resistance point in the accelerator's travel. You can select the Energy Flow Screen on the center display to see when the engine is activated. A gear appears between the wheels on that display when you are on the e-way and driving steady enough to engage Engine Drive mode, where the engine directly powers the wheels through a single-speed transmission (sort of like the Volt does, but only 1-speed, like a 5th gear).

View attachment 9426

There is no way to see separate MPG readings.

Did you receive the Owner's Manual for your Clarity? It's much thicker than the Owners Guide.
Click to expand...
Landshark said:
If you set one of the Trip meters, A or B, you will then be able to view the combined mpg for that trip. It only displays up to 199.9mpg.
Click to expand...






I didn't receive an owners manual but I'm more of a visual learner. When I set the trip meters, ( left side of the dash display, they only show me how many miles I've gone that current trip. Am I supposed to view it on the big navigation screen display? Will it tell me accurate e-mpg like the volt did? I saw a number like 199 mpg but that didn't sounds realistic
 
Kingemail said:
Am I supposed to view it on the big navigation screen display?
Click to expand...

It can be viewed on the cockpit display, in front of the steering wheel, by using the buttons on the left side of the steering wheel. 199 is max.

There is a downloadable manual that is more comprehensive than the printed version.
 
The problem you are experiencing is that it averages MPG inclusive of EV which is essentially useless. The only time that ever really shows something helpful is if you are doing a long road trip using mostly gas. I traveled roughly 2k on a ~6 day road trip last year and only charged overnight and if I remember correctly the average it showed me was something like 65 ish
 
For "lifetime" information, I keep a spreadsheet like this one and just enter info into it whenever I buy gasoline:

2019 Chevrolet Volt Gasoline Usage
Date Gallons $/Gal Mileage
9/25/19 8.500 0 0 Note: Full tank when purchsed
2/1/2020 5.001 1.990 2900
6/25/2020 5.548 1.829 5640

Totals 17.55 gallons at average cost of $1.905 per gallon

8.5 gallons in tank on 06/25/2020
5640 miles driven using 10.549 gallons of gas

electric miles are approximately 5640-(38*10.549)=5640-401= 5239 miles EV (assume average 38mpg on gasoline)


6.1% gasoline
93.9% electric
 
Landshark said:
It can be viewed on the cockpit display, in front of the steering wheel, by using the buttons on the left side of the steering wheel. 199 is max.

There is a downloadable manual that is more comprehensive than the printed version.
Click to expand...


Know where I can find it? Thanks!
 
JFon101231 said:
The problem you are experiencing is that it averages MPG inclusive of EV which is essentially useless. The only time that ever really shows something helpful is if you are doing a long road trip using mostly gas. I traveled roughly 2k on a ~6 day road trip last year and only charged overnight and if I remember correctly the average it showed me was something like 65 ish
Click to expand...


Yeah when I had my volt, and I used electric only, the display showed I was getting like 108-110 mpg, and if I used two miles in gas, then it would drop to like 90 mpg, which seems more accurate than what I'm seeing on the display, at 199 mpg!
 
ClarityBill said:
I think the problem is the Clarity does not measure the energy input from the battery, in calculating the mpg... I do not know of a way to see anything that resembles KWH/mile, or an equivalent of e-mpg
Click to expand...


Gotcha, thanks! I guess I'm just used to seeing real time mpg
 
Robert_Alabama said:
For "lifetime" information, I keep a spreadsheet like this one and just enter info into it whenever I buy gasoline:

2019 Chevrolet Volt Gasoline Usage
Date Gallons $/Gal Mileage
9/25/19 8.500 0 0 Note: Full tank when purchsed
2/1/2020 5.001 1.990 2900
6/25/2020 5.548 1.829 5640

Totals 17.55 gallons at average cost of $1.905 per gallon

8.5 gallons in tank on 06/25/2020
5640 miles driven using 10.549 gallons of gas

electric miles are approximately 5640-(38*10.549)=5640-401= 5239 miles EV (assume average 38mpg on gasoline)


6.1% gasoline
93.9% electric
Click to expand...


When I had my volt, it would calculate all that in the navigation screen, doesn't yours?
 
Yes, Volt is much better than the Honda at this. But, I was already keeping a spreadsheet for the Honda, and I burn so little gas in the Volt that I started one for the 2019 Volt, too. On my first generation Volt, the dealership did a computer upgrade and reset everything a couple of years into ownership, so the computer keeping the data in the car is not infallible.
 
Kingemail said:
Know where I can find it? Thanks!
Click to expand...

A link to the manual was posted above.

The MPG display will be found by fumbling with the buttons on the left side of the steering wheel. Press the “info” button then scroll left or right using the round button with four arrows until you see the car and gas pump icon, I think. Select that icon.

The buttons are counterintuitive at best. Press the wrong one and you’ll get “power off” or the radio will change channels or it will go back to 1 and you’ll have to start over.
 
I'm also a former Volt owner (2013) and now own a new 2020 Clarity.
The most surefire way to keep from triggering the ICE is to run in Econ mode, which puts an accelerator linkage detent between you and that event.
I'm finding it pretty easy to avoid, even in Normal mode. I aim to keep the power dial in the main display no higher than "12 o'clock" in my launches. If I exceed that a little, there's still some buffer to the point where the ICE starts. I find the acceleration to be pretty robust, even using this approach.
 
I do same as above, though ICE does trigger occasionally at the first or second stop I make due to the "design" of slowing down the car when fully charged...
 
Kingemail said:
Will it tell me accurate e-mpg like the volt did?
Click to expand...

What would you consider an “accurate e-mpg?

What energy source is being used to provide the electricity used to charge the battery? Solar or hydro? In either case, virtually no gallons of fossil fuel were used to generate or deliver the power. This would not factor in building and developing the infrastructure, fuel used in maintenance vehicles, etc. If it’s “clean green” electricity, why bother performing the mathematical gymnastics to complete an energy conversion calculation? Just reset one of the trip meters at every fuel fill and check the mpg on the screen at the next fuel stop.

Now if 60% of the electricity is generated from natural gas or 80% from coal, an e-mpg calculation could be made if it so pleases the owner.

I’d lump e-mpg in the same group as ZEV and PZEV, as completely meaningless and nonsensical terms, even though someone has gone to the trouble of providing definitions for them.
 
css28 said:
I'm also a former Volt owner (2013) and now own a new 2020 Clarity.
The most surefire way to keep from triggering the ICE is to run in Econ mode, which puts an accelerator linkage detent between you and that event.
I'm finding it pretty easy to avoid, even in Normal mode. I aim to keep the power dial in the main display no higher than "12 o'clock" in my launches. If I exceed that a little, there's still some buffer to the point where the ICE starts. I find the acceleration to be pretty robust, even using this approach.
Click to expand...

Yeah man I noticed that too, I have to turn off HV and sport, and turn on econ, I'm just used to running all electric even when I gun it, which is rare. It sucks because when the ICE kicks in, it will stay on for like 5 min, even if I'm not moving. I remember the volt doing that but shuts off when I stop.

Are you able to see an accurate e-mpg on your end?
 
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