Photo: Honda
Honda may have signed an agreement with Hitachi to co-develop and sell electric vehicle motors, but then again, Honda might not be on the right track with its electrification strategy. According to a recently published report, the Clarity EV is going to launch with a range of 80 miles (129 kilometers) or thereabout.
Automotive News cites insiders close to the matter regarding the Clarity EV, but then again, a question must be posed. Why would Honda even think of spending money of developing such a short-distance electric vehicle?
"A pillar of the Honda brand is affordability,” explains Steve Center. American Honda Motor’s vice president of environmental business development would also like to underline the following matter: “And if Honda came out with some obscenely priced long-range electric car, what does that do for the brand? Most of our customers would not be able to acquire it." Point made.
Expected to start from just about $35,000 before any tax credits and government incentives, the Clarity EV is slated to make its debut this spring, after which Honda will proceed to launch the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid. If this estimate is bang on, then I’m afraid that Honda didn’t think this through.
A mid-size sedan it may be, but that would be the only obvious advantage of the Clarity EV over the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq Electric and Chevrolet Bolt. Then there’s the imminent debut of the Tesla Model 3, which should cost $35,000 before incentives. For reference, the Ioniq Electric kick off from $32,500, whereas the Bolt is the most costly of the lot at $37,495.
The bottom line is, I have a hard time trying to understand who elese would buy the battery-powered electric variant of the Honda Clarity other than a handful of Californian loyalists. Here’s hope Honda will prove me wrong. Otherwise, it’s back to the drawing board for the Japanese automaker.
"A pillar of the Honda brand is affordability,” explains Steve Center. American Honda Motor’s vice president of environmental business development would also like to underline the following matter: “And if Honda came out with some obscenely priced long-range electric car, what does that do for the brand? Most of our customers would not be able to acquire it." Point made.
Expected to start from just about $35,000 before any tax credits and government incentives, the Clarity EV is slated to make its debut this spring, after which Honda will proceed to launch the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid. If this estimate is bang on, then I’m afraid that Honda didn’t think this through.
A mid-size sedan it may be, but that would be the only obvious advantage of the Clarity EV over the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq Electric and Chevrolet Bolt. Then there’s the imminent debut of the Tesla Model 3, which should cost $35,000 before incentives. For reference, the Ioniq Electric kick off from $32,500, whereas the Bolt is the most costly of the lot at $37,495.
The bottom line is, I have a hard time trying to understand who elese would buy the battery-powered electric variant of the Honda Clarity other than a handful of Californian loyalists. Here’s hope Honda will prove me wrong. Otherwise, it’s back to the drawing board for the Japanese automaker.
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