In your article you said,
In your article you said, “Why buy a BEV with a range of 89 miles when you can buy a PHEV with an EV range of 48 miles and a total range of 340? We don’t mean that rhetorically. Why would you do that? Please tell us below in the comments section if you can think of a justification. Even though the BEV Clarity was launched many months ahead of the PHEV, the PHEV Clarity is outselling the BEV by about 8 to 1.”
Have you considered that one of the reasons the PHEV is outselling the BEV nationally is the that BEV is only available in California and Oregon? Have you also considered that the BEV is only available as lease option and cannot be purchased? The truth of the matter is that the BEV is a compliance vehicle and Honda is practically giving them away for a $200 a month lease payment which is close to half what the PHEV would cost as a lease vehicle. There is a limited supply of Clarity BEVs in California and most Honda dealerships are only getting one or two a month so there is a waiting lists six months to a year long for folks wanting to get in on this fantastic lease deal. I have a Clarity BEV and it is a wonderful option as a commuter vehicle. I have a 20-mile commute and I park in a city garage where I get a $100 discount on the monthly parking rate for driving a ZEV. I would not get that discount for the PHEV. I also get free electricity at the city garage so my marginal cost of ownership is close to zero. Since I still have my SAAB 95 for longer trips, choosing the BEV over the PHEV was a no brainer.