In polar vortex

  • Thread starter Thread starter JKroll
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JKroll

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So far no issues in polar vortex. temp going to get to -13 F in indianapolis. Feels like -39 F with wind chill.

Will have to check after car has been out in those conditions for 9 hours.

I am not convinced this is ideal car in midwest .. we will see.
 
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@JKroll, we look forward to hearing how it goes. Could you post or repost from here in the thread “Please post your low temp experiences here” so we can get them all in one place?
 
Great thread. Can someone comment on how well the car drives in EV and when ICE kicks on when switching to hybrid mode when it's below -20 F (ambient, not wind chill)? That would be a good test of the entire system under extreme conditions. I've only experienced about 0 degrees. It worked fine as far as I could tell.

Whoops! I just noticed the other thread. Will get my answer there.
 
JKroll said:
I am not convinced this is ideal car in midwest .. we will see.
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Of course, it depends on what you want your midwest car to do. If the Clarity PHEV's 20 F limit is the only criterion, then it might not be the ideal car for places that often see such temperatures. People who travel long distances may consider the 7-gallon gas tank size to be a more important negative criterion. People who like to drive out on frozen lakes may be wary of the Clarity's 2-ton weight (OK, that's ridiculous). I'm such a fan of this car that I accept every compromise decision Honda's engineers made. Perhaps battery warmers should have been an option in the US, but I don't know what they would cost.

Back in the day (said the old codger), getting ANY car to start at 20 below was a miracle. Modern-day cars are better engineered and carburetor freeze-up isn't something most people remember. The thrill of spraying ether into those things and getting a flaming backfire is a foreign experience to most people. But that's what it took to get my 1968 Cutlass to start on really cold mornings.
 
Here I am worried that my fruit trees will receive enough chill hours in Southern California. I cant even imagine what -20°F feels like. I feel cold at 40°F...
 
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