total EV vs ICE miles

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I tried to find a credible source that quantified the mileage difference between 2WD and AWD, and did not. The only source that quoted a number said 1-2 mpg, and I think that's low. But I doubt that it makes a huge difference in mileage/range. If there was a 2WD Clarity and a AWD Clarity (which I know we'll never see) I personally would have chosen the 2WD model. For me, the extra complexity isn't justified, but the fact that I already have an AWD vehicle that I can drive when it snows affects that decision a lot. The Clarity already has a lot going on and AWD would provide even more points of failure.
 
MNSteve said:
I tried to find a credible source that quantified the mileage difference between 2WD and AWD, and did not. The only source that quoted a number said 1-2 mpg, and I think that's low. But I doubt that it makes a huge difference in mileage/range. If there was a 2WD Clarity and a AWD Clarity (which I know we'll never see) I personally would have chosen the 2WD model. For me, the extra complexity isn't justified, but the fact that I already have an AWD vehicle that I can drive when it snows affects that decision a lot. The Clarity already has a lot going on and AWD would provide even more points of failure.
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An AWD option would come with a dual motor though. Maybe the Clarity could crack the 7 second 0 - 60 with it! :-)
 
RickSE said:
An AWD option would come with a dual motor though. Maybe the Clarity could crack the 7 second 0 - 60 with it! :)
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Heh.

Well, to get the thread totally off topic . . . which would be a better design, another motor to power the rear wheels, or transferring the power via a differential? I think the differential would be lighter, maybe less complex, but finding routing space might be a challenge. Not that this will ever happen, but it's an interesting thought problem.
 
MNSteve said:
Heh.

Well, to get the thread totally off topic . . . which would be a better design, another motor to power the rear wheels, or transferring the power via a differential? I think the differential would be lighter, maybe less complex, but finding routing space might be a challenge. Not that this will ever happen, but it's an interesting thought problem.
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Toyota went with the motor option for the AWD Prius. The battery in any PHEV with decent EV range would get in the way of a driveshaft to the rear.
 
The rear motor in the awd Prius is tiny, about 7hp. It’s much lighter than a differential, drive shaft etc for a conventional awd. Only time will tell how useful it is beyond marketing (my guess, 80/20-It’s 20% of the cost of a typical awd and handles 80% of the situations).
 
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JustAnotherPoorDriver said:
I'm in NYC and rarely have to go out--I'm a professor, so my work actually closes when there's a significant snowfall. My entire route to work is on high capacity roads that are plowed/salted first. Had I really been in snow country, I would have bought another Subaru (or maybe a mild AWD, like the RAV4 hybrid).
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Toyota is building a Prius with AWD to be sold this coming year. https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1120277_2019-toyota-prius-awd-e-priced-at-27300 Not a true PHEV like their Prime, though.

As far as having to go out - we almost never get any kind of weather that'd close campus, though last semester I did lose a class session one afternoon because the water main was shut down so they also called off classes for 3 hours. I suppose I could've forded the flood with AWD - or shorted out the car. LOL
 
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