The lease price for a Honda Clarity Electric is not too shabby
That range, on the other hand...
Honda's battery-electric Clarity landed with a thud, as opposed to a boom, thanks in large part to its middling range. But if you're still intent on picking one up, Honda Tuesday revealed leasing information.
The 2017 Honda Clarity Electric can be leased for $269 a month for 36 months. The lease terms allow for 20,000 miles per year, and the lease also includes 24/7 roadside assistance. The federal tax credit is built into this lease price, which requires a down payment of $1,730. It will be available in August to consumers in California and Oregon, and Californians will be eligible for the $2,500 Clean Vehicle Rebate, as well.
The Roadshow team is very, very torn on the Clarity's looks. I love it, but few seem to agree with me.
Let's compare that lease price to another, similarly priced EV -- the Nissan Leaf. Right now, Nissan is offering a 2017 Leaf for $229 per month with $2,570 down. This base-model Leaf offers 107 miles of range and heated front seats. Quick charging is extra, and if you want navigation or other fancy options, you'll have to move to a higher trim, where leases will run $309 a month and up.
So, on paper, the Clarity is a good deal. But with an EPA-estimated 89 miles of range on a single charge, the Clarity Electric lags behind some of the oldest EVs on the market, including the Ford Focus Electric (100 miles) and the aforementioned Leaf.
All of these range figures pale in comparison to the Chevrolet Bolt EV, which offers 238 miles of range on a single charge. But it's a fair bit more expensive, with a lease offer of $329 a month with $3,480 down and only 15,000 miles allowed per year. Then again, paying $60 more per month and a higher down payment for triple the range might be more attractive to EV lessees. Plus, the Bolt EV is available in far more states than just California and Oregon.
The Clarity comes pretty well equipped. Its electric motor puts out 161 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. The infotainment system packs both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Honda Sensing, the automaker's suite of active and passive safety systems, is also standard, as is DC fast charging capability. A plug-in hybrid will be available later this year, too.
Solar Installer Guides
Other Energy Saving Guides
Our Experts