My terrible morning with the Clarity

[Conelite]

I did some research and most websites say the same thing. You must have some extra info I can't find.

It's literally on the Honda Website that I quoted above. 212hp. I just added the C&D article as a second reference

Honda Website must be incorrect. I understand drivetrain loss but who knows. There is some grey area for sure.

 

[Landshark]

Again, my focus here is to help you understand how the electric motor outputs 181hp. The battery alone cannot provide sufficient electrical current to produce 181hp. Additional current is required from the engine/generator to reach that figure.

I really couldn’t give two shakes as to how or why Honda claims total system HP of 212.

 

[TC1782]

There should still be ~100 HP of power available, even with 0 bars (this has been my experience, even with no battery at all I can still maintain 70mph with ease, even up an incline, and merge), I wonder if when people report "no power" they are backing off the gas pedal due to the sound of the engine.

 

[Landshark]

There should still be ~100 HP of power available, even with 0 bars (this has been my experience, even with no battery at all I can still maintain 70mph

The ~100hp engine can propel the car in 2 ways. One is Direct Drive or Engine Drive Mode. This can engage at speeds above 45mph when minimal power is required. Just a guess, I’d estimate 30-40hp max. It takes about 30hp to go 70mph in the Clarity and I’ve seen EDM engaged up to 85mph.

The engine can also drive a generator which is capable producing sufficient current to provide 60hp to the electric motor. Keep in mind that with a depleted battery, 2 bars or less, some of that current may be utilized to maintain or charge the battery while the remainder is used by the electric motor. The best case scenario is that 60hp would be available.

My experience pushing the car through some mountainous terrain with 2 bars on the battery gauge is that it behaves like a 50-60hp vehicle. FWIW: I never saw less that 2 bars on the gauge while I owned the car.

 

[leop]

Only accounting for the force of gravity pulling a Clarity PHEV downhill on a 6% grade (not including drag from tires or the air), it takes about 42 hp for a half loaded (4400 pounds gvw) to climb a 6% grade at 60 mph. I estimate that the power to overcome air and tire drag at 60 mph to be about 19 hp (this is consistent with Landshark's 30 hp at 70 mph). Thus, a Clarity PHEV can barely climb a 6% grade at 60 mph if the motor-generator powertrain produces 60 hp as Landshark said.

Leop