The automotive industry is built on research and development. For every vehicle that goes on to become an iconic feature of the road, there are dozens of examples that fizzled out into obscurity.
While far from obscure, the recently discontinued Honda Clarity offers insights into the rise and fall of certain makes and models. For all of its advanced technology and pioneering development, the Honda Clarity failed to take off in terms of popularity.
Yet, there are still thousands of them out there on the road. With a life expectancy matching most automobiles, it’s safe to say the Clarity shouldn’t be going away any time soon. However, the Honda Clarity is only available with a lease. Once the last working model travels its last mile on a lease, the Clarity will become a footnote in automotive history.
With this in mind, we figured it might be best to point the spotlight on the recently discontinued Honda Clarity:
History
The first Honda Clarity rolled off the assembly line in 2008. Based on the 2006 Honda FCX Concept, the first generation of Clarity was exclusively fuel-cell powered. It served as a cutting-edge concept of what a world of FC-powered vehicles might look like. Available by lease agreement only, the original Honda FCX Clarity was phased out in 2014. But Honda wasn’t finished with the fuel cell.
Fuel Cell
The next phase of the Clarity was unveiled in November 2014. While Honda was determined to include hybrid and electric versions, the latest iteration of the Clarity would continue the trend of using fuel-cell technology. Available for lease in limited places, the Clarity had a range of 366 miles when powered by the revolutionary fuel cell. However, due to the exclusivity and limited availability, the new and improved model failed to take off.
Plug-in Hybrid
You’d think Honda would have given up on their experimental line of vehicles and shifted gears to its standard offerings. But you’d be wrong. Given the innovative qualities of the Honda Clarity level 2 charger system, the automaker decided to take the Clarity and convert it to a plug-in hybrid. This version was unveiled in the United States in late 2017. A similar version was released in Japan in 2018.
Fully Electric
Honda decided to release a fully-electric Clarity as well. Like with other Clarity types, the all-electric model was available through lease only. Production was halted in 2019.
Discontinued
Honda announced they were discontinuing the Clarity line of vehicles at the end of 2021. As of October 2022, there is no sign the company plans to revive its experimental alternative fuel vehicle. As a vehicle available to lease but not own, it’s hard to say when the final Clarity will be spotted on the road.
What Comes Next?
Honda isn’t interested in snuffing out its EV lineup. Far from it. The insights gained from the Clarity experiment will no doubt be used to enhance the other hybrid and all-electric designs the company hopes to unveil in the coming years.
What Went Wrong?
It’s hard to see anything Honda did wrong that led to the Clarity being discontinued last year. The only thing we can consider is the lease-only arrangement, coupled with the limited availability, practically condemned the Clarity to a limited lifetime. It’s safe to say that was probably Honda’s plan all along; lease the Clarity and study its practical application for several years before dialing back and starting from square one.
The reality is that the list of failed vehicle models far exceeds the number of success stories. But that doesn’t mean these forgotten vehicles were a waste of time. The Honda Clarity provides the perfect example of a seemingly failed experiment that yielded beneficial results. In the years to come, it’s safe to say Honda EVs will include engineering insights and technological merit first seen in the Clarity.
HONDA CLARITY
2008 -2021
Gone But Not Forgotten
Michael Driver is a freelance writer from Texas. He enjoys writing about cars, movies, and technology.