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Low demand drives Honda Clarity PHEV out of Northeast region

California will be the primary market for the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid, but it's still available to order anywhere.

Sean Szymkowski
It all started with Gran Turismo. From those early PlayStation days, Sean was drawn to anything with four wheels. Prior to joining the Roadshow team, he was a freelance contributor for Motor Authority, The Car Connection and Green Car Reports. As for what's in the garage, Sean owns a 2016 Chevrolet SS, and yes, it has Holden badges.
Sean Szymkowski
2 min read
2018 Honda Clarity PHEV
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2018 Honda Clarity PHEV

It'll be a little harder to find a Clarity PHEV outside of California.

Honda

Those looking to wean themselves off fossil fuels in Northeastern states have lost a readily available option. The Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid will no longer be in stock at dealers in the region.

Instead, Honda will focus exclusively on stocking Clarity Plug-in Hybrids in California for now. Green Car Reports first reported on the inventory shift on Wednesday and a spokesperson for the automaker confirmed the news with Roadshow.

"The state of California is the largest market for plug-in hybrid vehicles," said a Honda representative in a statement. "In order to meet customer demand we are currently prioritizing supply of the Clarity Plug-in Hybrid in California, rather than allocating units for dealer inventory in other markets."

Honda's statement pointed out that dealers in all 50 states can still order a Clarity PHEV and customers across the nation are still able to purchase or lease the model.

"We are always monitoring the market and can make adjustments to supply accordingly, but Honda remains disciplined in our approach of matching supply and demand and, in this case, that means focusing sales of Clarity PHEV vehicles in the market with the strongest consumer demand," the spokesperson added.

News of the inventory allocation shuffling follows confirmation that Honda will dial back Accord and Civic production at its Marysville, Ohio, assembly plant. The company will cut the production line responsible for the two sedans temporarily, but Acura production isn't affected at this time. All CR-V production from the Ohio plant will shift to Indiana for now.

The funky Clarity PHEV is part of a trio of Clarity models that also encompasses a purely electric version and a fuel-cell variant. The and Clarity Fuel Cell are not offered nationwide, however. With the now relegated to the automotive graveyard, the Clarity PHEV could provide a space for those not willing to take the step into full-blown electric car ownership. The Clarity PHEV will go 47 miles on electricity before the 1.5-liter inline-4 engine kicks in as a backup.

Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid a more fuel-efficient Accord option

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Watch this: Can Honda's hydrogen-powered Clarity Fuel Cell go mainstream?