No way to plug-in. any downsides?
Bought my Clarity 2018 recently at 83k miles and have driven about 2,000 miles so far without plugging it in even once. Honestly, I absolutely love the car. I’m getting around 43–45 MPG in HV mode, and even better when I’m easy on the accelerator.
I live in an apartment and currently have no way to charge it, so I’m planning to continue driving it in HV mode only until I relocate and have access to charging. No charge for the car currently.
From what I’ve read, a PHEV like the Clarity can basically function as a regular hybrid if you don’t plug it in. The main downside seems to be that I’m carrying around a much larger battery without taking advantage of the 45 miles of EV range.
Is that really all there is to it?
For people who own or have owned a Clarity PHEV:
Has anyone driven theirs for months/years with little or no plugging in?
Are there any reported issues with the hybrid system or battery from doing this long-term?
Does the car manage the battery properly on its own in HV mode?
Is there any maintenance or battery-health concern from rarely/never charging the plug-in battery?
I’m perfectly happy with the MPG I’m getting and don’t mind not using the EV range for now. I just want to make sure I’m not unknowingly doing something that could hurt the hybrid system long-term.