This is a really great deal, I called every dealer I can drive to and Woodland Hills had one yesterday but they don’t hold them, first come first serve so I could not leave work to go get it. Within two hours it was gone. I am on every dealer’s vicinity’s “waiting list” hoping to hear back and this time I am leaving work when they call. However, I found this deal with the Plugin hybrid: $278 +tax/month $1000 down, when I came into the dealer they were tagging on the $1500 for gps/anti theft device they need because they are in a really bad area. Unfortunately it is not optional so total out the door was $4100 down to keep it at this price. Other dealers might match this deal if they see it in writing. I am thinking the deals have to get better on the plug-in hybrid by August when the new ones come in. Any thoughts?
And it has a free Android Auto/Car Play
LOL $1500 GPS. The dealers have insurance. How much could their premium be discounted for adding a Lojack type of device?
Thank you for putting the breakdown. I am currently looking for the car and didn’t want any surprises.
Hello Seachange,
I was wondering if everything worked out with the rebates and if you actually got the money or a tax credit. This would make the purchase more attractive. Thank you for your post
I just turned in my 2015 Kia Soul EV + lease. Great car when it worked. Had three major repairs including the on board charger and the main battery. After 2 years, the car only got 60 miles on a full charge. Getting Kia to warranty it was difficult. Corporate was super unhelpful. I would never get a Kia again. Still enjoying my Clarity, but the range is terrible. I’ve been driving it 45 miles a day and wiping out more than 60% of the battery.
I was just approved for my CA rebate of $2,500 and SCE rebate of $450. I purchased the car in December and was told it may take 60 days to receive the funds.
Hi,
Yeah all good here 
I got the 7.5k Federal tax credit which in my case turned out to be an extra 7.5k in my return, and then I have been approved for the SCE and the CA State credits (450 and 1500). Both should be here within another 60 days or less.
Overall really happy with the process, also got my carpool lane stickers in the mail today.
Averaging over 160 MPG at the moment seeing almost all my driving has been on Electricity from plugging in free at work.
We drove the Honda Clarity car at the dealership (gas/electric version) but went for a Ford Fusion Energi SE as the Honda seemed like the platypus of cars. This is a Fugly car in Fugly colors that goes only 89 miles and doesn’t have a gas-engine backup. This DOES NOT handle and perform like a Honda Accord, its a “compliance car” (meaning made just so the manufacturer can claim they make electric cars for state of CA). Honda can offer the awesome lease because the US gov gives them the $7500 rebate on the all-electric vehicle. The lease on the gas/electric is much worse as the rebate is only $4000. If you want an ecological car, just wait 1-2 months and get the new Accord Hybrid. We didn’t have a working car and couldn’t wait 1-2 months.
Its true that Clarity Electric is a compliance car. what kind of handling and performance are you expecting from a mid size sedan ?
If you read the reviews of the new 2018 Honda Accord, everyone gushes about the handling. If there existed a version with a couple of hundred pounds of batteries, I’d buy one in a heartbeat. The Ford Fusion Hybrid also has great handling and good acceleration. Our Ford Fusion Energi is sluggish due to all the batteries in the back trunk, but a far more comfortable car with a better radio and better infotainment system than a Honda. The trunk is way-small (8 cu ft) so we’ll be using duffel bags to travel, but the car has a range of 600+ miles, unlike Honda Clarity gas/electric (300 miles).
In my opinion, all the “Honda Sensing” features are a gimmick and are somewhat flakey, EXCEPT for the automatic distance-keeping cruise control, which most manufacturers seem to have figured out by now, so it’s not like it’s a proprietary thing in a Honda.
I think that’s what @D_Gillies is saying here "This DOES NOT handle and perform like a Honda Accord, its a “compliance car” Granted Accord and Acura are probably the best handling in the segment, that does not make the Clarity lees of the compliance car though. I was really hoping for that car to be a “real” car and was actually on the waiting list, but then decided not to get anything, will wait for a bigger battery deal.
I just noticed that Fusion Energi can go over 600+ mile! but Clarity PHEV only 300+, that’s kinda odd…
The trunk of Clarity EV is super small too there’s a big place for battery so it’s super hard to fit luggage.
and yea, the sound system only 180 watt, not that good, even Toyota Camry base model sounds better.
Honda Sensing is kinda useful if you do long road trip a lot. It also saved me from crashed into another car before while I tried to grab my water and the car in the front break all the sudden, and I was too busy looking into my bag, the car gave me 3 loud beeps and applied the break for me. It was really close like bumper to bumper. I was at first thought it’s gimmick too but I’m glad that I have them for just in case situation.
@Nmikmik I wasn’t thinking of getting it too but figure that I can live with the range since I’m used to those first gen. electric car’s 80 miles range. The car will just be a commute car. I was on my way to a Chevy dealership to get a Bolt. about to leave the garage, saw an ad. on my phone so I decided to swing by to Honda first. and luckily they have the color that I like and a polite salesperson that’s not rude or pushy. The Chevy dealership was completely opposite(since everywhere else don’t have Bolt only they have some in stock, so price wasn’t that great + pretty rude attitude). Plus Clarity has pretty comfy seats compare to Bolt and more safety features too. If you are looking into bigger battery deal. try the Bolt, now they have extra incentives for owner who lease/own an Asian manufactured car (except for luxury brand ex: Lexus)
I am definitely considering the lease on the all electric. The waiting list being what it is, the Plug in is kinda becoming attractive. I can’t really afford to buy at this time but I found a lease for $1000 down plus taxes and fees and $595 acquisition fee for 278+tax a month 32K miles a year. I think not worrying about having to plug in nightly is very convenient and Seachange said he is getting over 160 mpg charging at work with the Plugin model. My situation is the following, I have six months left on my cr-v 2015 lease and am going over miles (2K currently). I pay $229 a month and I can jump on the electric now and even roll the remainder payments and lease on it and still be at around $250+tax. This is what one of the dealers sent me on the lease, my gut tells me if I can’t find an electric before my lease ends then just wait and the Plug-in will definitely drop for the release of the new year models in August. Thoughts, advice? I really appreciate and am grateful to have found a good resource such as this forum/website to make an informed decision.
If I were you, I’ll definitely go for Electric model. Knowing that there’s a possibility of going over miles, the standard 20k miles per year lease will surely keep you in a comfort zone. the point of Electric version is to save people as much money as possible when they can such as commute (daily drive).
Yes the plug-in model can get good mpg, but even when you get good mpg, you only have let’s say 12k mile a year to drive or else you will need to pay extra like your current CR-V, and keep in mind, you still have 6 month to go. if you drive as much as your CR-V with the new car, your mileage will be over a year before your lease is up. just my little thoughts.
btw, there’s a bit more incentives on the Electric version than the Plug-In version.
If you can charge it at work, then that’s great! but if you don’t have a charging station at the office, then you might need to think of other ways to charge. Home is always a way but I’ll say it’s the last on the list (since to reach max. saving, charging outside is the best way to do so). Charging at home everyday cost me around extra $55 a month.
We of course wish that the plug-in will have a good lease number soon, but don’t get the hope up as it’s still too new.
Thank you so much, I greatly appreciate the input. You are right, I will be faced with going over the miles before the lease is up on the Plug-in version. I hope one of the local dealers calls me soon for the electric, I’m not sure how confident I am with the “we’ll call you when it comes in” answer I keep getting, I am not sure how many people will really follow up. What is the current mileage you are getting with the electric model? What happens when you are sitting in traffic? I live 34 miles from work but work in West Hollywood and travel to Santa Clarita and sometimes it translates to sitting in traffic for 1.5 hours one way. I can charge at work during the day so I think that is a great benefit. Thanks again.
Chapin, I’m also on a couple waiting lists for the 17 Clarity Electric since Jan and got the same answer as you did each time I’ve called to check back. Last week the sales guy told me they were just told not to expect any Electric until May/June and these will be 2018 models. By that time, the current $199/mo $899 down lease program will have expired and he had no idea if it will be continued to the 18’s. However he did offer his guess that this great lease will not be renewed. So with that, I’m still on the lists but have started to widen the search. Hope that helps.
Thanks for the comment. I wish I would have dropped everything and gone to Woodland Hills when they called but Oh well. live and learn, it’s not as if the car is free. I reached out to Honda corporation and chatted with their customer service dept. Here’s what they said about all this hearsay we are getting from dealer to dealer:
William (3/6/2018, 1:11:52 PM): "I haven’t heard anything that would indicate a stop sale has been initiated for the vehicles nor have I heard production has been stopped. I must apologize, though as we are not provided a production schedule for the vehicles. I wasn’t able to find anything but I’d like to look into this further. Would you be comfortable with me sending you an email when I can find some more information for you? "
He said he would have a definite answer for me in about 48 hours. I’ll update you on what they say, I also asked him if he can find any dealer with the car in inventory in southern Cali, he is doing a 100 mile radius search for me. I’ll see if they come through. I might go take a test drive for the Bolt, I think they are having a competitive lease on it but at 20K miles a year this deal can’t be beat.
When you sit in traffic, it’s just like you don’t use the battery at all, unless you are using AC which might cost 2% per 45 min. Electric car is great in traffic! high speed kill the battery faster! If im traveling 55~60mph with full battery, I can drive up to 100 miles no problem. but If Im driving 70mph, can only drive 65 miles. Have you guys check Culver City Honda? they have 6 in stock.
I emailed every dealer in northern cal for clariy electric. I was close to give up … then one of the dealers called me (last friday) and said they just received one. Three hours later I signed the paperworks. It has been a nice car so far. The range numbers are actually very realistic, i.e., matches the actual mileage…at least in my experience…