Honda Kills the Clarity Electric, Its Only EV Available in the U.S.

author: Vineeth Joel Patel   

Honda's been slow to introduce electric vehicles. The brand believes that fuel-cell and hybrids are the way forward, and we can't blame them for thinking that. Beyond Tesla, other automakers haven't been able to make electric cars that American consumers are interested in purchasing. While Honda recently introduced the "E," a miniature electric vehicle for European markets, the automaker is taking a different approach in America. It's not adding more electric models, but taking them away.

Goodbye Honda Clarity Electric

The Japanese automaker recently announced that the Honda Clarity Electric would not be returning for the 2020 model year, reports Green Car Reports. This decision leaves Honda without an all-electric for the U.S. market. In a statement to CNET's Roadshow, Honda stated, "We will be introducing new, highly appealing all-electric vehicles for the U.S. market in the years ahead."

We're not surprised to see Honda call it quits for the Clarity Electric. Honda was a little ahead of the curve when it introduced the Clarity in a three-prong family. There's the Clarity Electric, Clarity Plug-In Hybrid, and Clarity Fuel Cell. Luckily, for consumers, the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid and Clarity Fuel Cell models will continue to be sold. Since its introduction, the Clarity Electric has fallen well behind the times.

While Tesla is on the verge of breaking the 400-mile range mark with its electric cars and 250 miles of range becoming the norm, the Clarity Electric's range of just 89 miles was pitiful. The sedan had one of the smallest ranges in the market, but still had a relatively large price tag - $34,355 including destination. Compared to newer, more affordable electric cars, the Clarity Electric just couldn't cut it.

A Rough Life For The Clarity Electric

From the get-go, consumers weren't that interested in the Clarity Electric. It was originally offered in multiple states, but was pushed out of the Northeast region of the country last year. More recently, Green Car Reports claims that the Clarity Electric was limited to just California and Oregon.  

With the Clarity Electric gone, consumers wanting an electrified Honda will have to look at the automaker's hybrids. Those include the Accord Hybrid, Insight, and CR-V Hybrid. But if you're interested in sticking with the Clarity, we recommend the plug-in hybrid variant. It has an electric range of 47 miles and a combined range of 340 total miles. It also costs the same as the Clarity Electric, making it the better value option, better option for daily use, and easier option to get ahold of.

While Honda claims that it will be bringing electric vehicles to the U.S. market, we're not too sure of that. The new Honda E reveals that the automaker believes small electric cars are the way forward, which is something that American consumers are not interested in. We haven't heard of any larger, all-electric crossovers in the making, but that's what consumers in the U.S. want. It could be a few years until we see the return of a battery-powered EV from Honda in America.

Vineeth Joel Patel

Joel Patel has been covering all aspects of the automotive industry for four years as an editor and freelance writer for various websites. When it comes to cars, he enjoys covering the merger between technology and cars. In his spare time, Joel likes to watch baseball, work on his car, and try new foods