The Honda Clarity's Weight Gives It a Safety Advantage
The Honda Clarity’s 4,059 lb curb weight might not make it a favorite for drag racing, but who’s bringing the plug-in hybrid to the track anyway?
EV batteries
weigh a lot. On the racetrack, this can have a less-than-desireable effect, but on the road, it can actually help a vehicle perform better in crash tests.This benefit extends to hybrid vehicles like the
Honda
Clarity as well. Weighing in at 4,059 lbs, the Honda Clarity’s battery makes it significantly heavier than similar vehicles like the Honda Civic. A surprising side effect of this is a safer ride.Why does added weight make the Honda Clarity safer?
A lot of energy has been put toward keeping the wheels of gas-powered cars planted on the road. Spoilers, lowering kits, and many other
modifications
have the sole purpose of directing wind away from areas of a car that could send it airborne. Electric vehicles and hybrids don’t really have this problem. Their batteries give them a strong center of gravity that helps their tires maintain plenty of traction.
The
Honda Clarity
is no exception. When it gets into car accidents, it tends to stay put, allowing the vehicle to absorb the crash the way it was designed to. Similar vehicles have even been hailed as lifesavers.
NBC
reported about an accident involving a Chevy Volt in which the driver’s life was spare thanks to the hybrid’s extra weight.Other advantages of the Honda Clarity
Hybrids like the Honda Clarity have safety advantages to gas-powered rivals, but they also have economic advantages.
The Clarity in particular has excellent
fuel economy
. Its gas engine has an EPA-rated mileage of 42 mpg. With the battery engages, its mpg-equivalent (MPGe) of 110.On top of that, two of the Clarity’s driving modes help you consume as little energy as possible while driving. When in ECON mode, the car relies almost exclusively on its battery. HV mode optimizes the gas engine and the electric powertrain for highway driving.
Besides the obvious benefits to your gas bill,
Car and Driver
also pointed to the Clarity’s interior as a net-positive. Logical functions and a comfortable seating arrangement make the hybrid plug-in a pleasure to drive.What’s it cost to own a Honda Clarity?
The discontinued Honda Clarity is only available as a used car, and with the market where it is, savings are hard to find. The newest Clarity available will probaby cost you about $40,000.
Its electric powertrain makes
car insurance
for the car expensive, too. Average annual rates sit at over $3,200. But you can easily drop that number by shopping for car insurance quotes online
with Jerry. A licensed broker,
Jerry
does all the hard work of finding cheap quotes from the top name-brand insurance companies and buying new car insurance. Jerry will even help you cancel your old policy.And to ensure you always have the lowest rate, Jerry will send you new quotes every time your policy comes up for renewal, so you’re always getting the coverage you want at the best price.
This level of service is why Jerry earned a 4.6/5 rating on the App Store and made it the top insurance app in the country.
Compare Car Insurance Quotes For Free
Jerry automatically shops for your insurance before every renewal. Members save $872/year.
Start saving money!
You might also be interested
