When is Old Too Old?

[jazdean]

My 2018 Clarity PHEV is still running well at 46k miles, and the battery still charges fully to 47 miles. Kept in the garage in the seattle area and has been a wonderful vehicle for only $36k. But I'm wondering when would be the optimal time to sell and buy another PHEV. Now seems about right, but I'm having trouble finding another PHEV that has the same/better EV range and still as much comfort and interior/trunk space. Suggestions?

 

[coutinpe]

My 2018 Clarity PHEV is still running well at 46k miles, and the battery still charges fully to 47 miles. Kept in the garage in the seattle area and has been a wonderful vehicle for only $36k. But I'm wondering when would be the optimal time to sell and buy another PHEV. Now seems about right, but I'm having trouble finding another PHEV that has the same/better EV range and still as much comfort and interior/trunk space. Suggestions?

I am exactly in the same situation as you, miles included. The only thing remotely resembling the Clarity is the Toyota RAV4 prime SUV, but according to common lore you have to wait forever to get one. Prius Prime in paper seems to be a good option too, but I haven't dared to crawl into one to figure out if my old rigid spine fits, as its very sleek profile suggest I would have a very hard time getting onboard. I would keep the Clarity forever if not for the continuous threat of AC failure, which in the inhabitable hell they call Sonoran Desert is a real PITA.

 

[Robert_Alabama]

I also have a 2018 Clarity with 78k miles on it. It has about 44 miles of range usually and the battery capacity shows 45.74 Ah. Degradation has slowed to a crawl over the last couple of years, so it will probably take a cell failure to kill the car's battery. As to when that would occur, I'd bet on average life of the pack being about 12-15 years (given it still seems healthy at 8+ years), so odds are that it will occur for me in the next 4 years or so. I'm still planning on driving mine for now at least another couple of years or until the battery fails. As to what is available as a PHEV/EREV replacement, a possibility is the upcoming 2027 Hyundai Sante Fe extended range EV. It is being touted with a potential 600 mile total range and probably approaching 100 miles EV range (that's a guess from what I've read, no actual specs have yet been released). Apparently, Genesis may release at least one EREV, but I haven't read anything about the potential range.

 

[jazdean]

I also have a 2018 Clarity with 78k miles on it. It has about 44 miles of range usually and the battery capacity shows 45.74 Ah. Degradation has slowed to a crawl over the last couple of years, so it will probably take a cell failure to kill the car's battery. As to when that would occur, I'd bet on average life of the pack being about 12-15 years (given it still seems healthy at 8+ years), so odds are that it will occur for me in the next 4 years or so. I'm still planning on driving mine for now at least another couple of years or until the battery fails. As to what is available as a PHEV/EREV replacement, a possibility is the upcoming 2027 Hyundai Sante Fe extended range EV. It is being touted with a potential 600 mile total range and probably approaching 100 miles EV range (that's a guess from what I've read, no actual specs have yet been released). Apparently, Genesis may release at least one EREV, but I haven't read anything about the potential range.

Thanks for your comment and the suggestion re the Santa Fe.

 

[Steven B]

None of the commoner brands have anything comparable. GM made claims that it would reintroduce plugin models but I've seen no confirmation. You can find luxury brands advertising plugin sedans but actual availability is unknown. Attached are comparisons of some SUVs with at least 37 miles of range.

Mazda has a couple models as well but their range is less than 37. If you don't mind the risk of manufacturer collapse, you might also consider the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, which for 2026 got a battery size bump and now has a 44 mi range.