Does Everyone Need A Fast Charging EV? 2022 Bolt EUV 0-100% DC Fast Charge Test
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- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
- Kyle is back with another DC Fast Charging test of the 2022 Bolt EUV!
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#Bolt #EUV #EV
Got a Bolt because I won't be road tripping in it. If I was doing lots of long trips I would have purchased something else. The new price was too good for me to pass up considering my personal use of the vehicle.
Should of got a spark ev if thats the case. Gotta love that mountain of debt 🤣
@@samusaran7317 needed more room for my son and his stuff. Debt isn't an issue for me 🤷🏼♂️
He mentioned the ID4 is nearly the same cost or Kia EV6 for crazy fast charging for a reasonable cost. No reason to buy a bolt as Kyle said.
@@TheAndrwwJohnson Good luck finding either of those cars for under $30K. Even less if buying a used Bolt.
@@anthonyreynolds2365 Bolt isn't under that so you're not making sense
I've done one ~2000mi roadtrip in my post-recall Bolt, and fortunately most of time chargers were spaced out really nicely (this was on I15) so that charging past 60% was rarely needed. Staying under 60% is really the play in roadtripping a Bolt, IMO.
You only charge it to 60%?
@@TreFree-n7o Yeah, anything past 60% starts to take a reeaaally long time, because the Bolt (and really all EVs) charge slower the higher they get in state of charge. Most EVs you can charge to ~80% pretty quickly and easily, but the humble Bolt is a different story.
@@prerunnerwannabe I'm thinking about getting a bolt euv. Hopefully it will have enough juice for road trips!
@@TreFree-n7o Nice! Road trips can be done with the Bolt (I have done several ~800 mile ones myself) you just need to plan ahead a bit and mentally prepare that it is going to take some time. Buy if you charged to ~80% while roadtripping, that would be fine as well. You just don't want to go much past that for time reasons (unless you need to because the next DC fast charger is far away). I like using the apps PlugShare and A Better Route Planner to plan out my road trips most efficiently.
Enjoy your Bolt! It's a truly fantastic daily driver, and I love mine more than the Model 3 I use to have.
For me the Bolt is a great car for the money. I was looking for a car that could make it to trailheads 100 miles away, many of which are in remote areas, far from DC fast chargers. The Bolt's rated range of 259 miles is just about perfect for this use case, and if the trip takes place in the summer and involves mostly 50-60 mph back roads, the Bolt's actual range becomes closer to 300 - even when the "back roads" in question involve significant elevation gain (you pick up a lot of regen on the way back down).
I do the bulk of my charging at home with 8 kW level 2, and set the charge limit to 75% for normal day-to-day use. When getting ready for a hiking trip, I'll charge to 90% or 100%, depending on how far I need to go. Occasionally, I will need to do a brief DC fast charge on the way back, but even then, it's just to pick up a little bit of extra juice to comfortably make it home, which means, even at 40-50 kW, 15-20 minutes is plenty - by the time I get done using the restroom and walking the dog, the car is charged enough to get home.
Also, worth noting - the longest I have ever driven in a day - in any car - is about 680 miles. Even though this trip was in an ICE car, I needed a ton of breaks to make it to the destination safely, and the 680 miles took me about 13 hours. By the end, I was literally stopping for 15 minutes of rest after 15 minutes of driving. If I were to repeat the same trip in a Bolt, I would expect the travel times to be virtually identical.
I agree. On the 55mh highways during our last long trip my 2020 was guestimating 275 miles range.
Great review Kyle. Just took delivery of a 22 EUV Premier with Sun & Sound and Supercruise for less than $32k after all rebates and incentives in NJ. A great EV for the money.
Nice deal 👍
Good on ya! I just started my search for one today. I can't find one without a crazy market adjustment.
Shucks that is was the Lt1 cost a year ago.
Nice deal. How.much was the dealer markup? I'm also in NJ and looking for a reputable dealer.
@@LiiveLifeToTheMax No dealer markup.
I think we tend to massively overestimate our car usage, and what we actually need. People think they need a massive amount of luggage space, but how often do you want to fill two shopping trolleys at a supermarket? How many people have enormous boots but don't ever fill them, or order their stuff online? How many people have 4 seats but don't have kids, or friends they need to take around in them (I mean, not that they're Billy no mates, just that they and their friends drive separately to go out together)?
This is a bit like fitness devices revealing how much we actually sleep (less than we should or thought) or calorie diaries revealing that mysteriously you are eating more than you thought and that's why your diet isn't working. Financial advice often starts with 'actually write down everything you spend, it'll be revealing'.
We don't really capture or use the data that we could or should. So instead of noting your journeys over a year, how far it actually is to work (people say it's 20 miles away but if you check Google Maps it's a 12 mile drive...), or working out how much shopping we really need to fit in our car... we massively overspec. Partly because after the house we expect it to be the second most expensive thing we own. It'd be smarter to spend less on it, and make solar panels the second most expensive thing you own. ;)
In Oregon in winter I got .1 KWH from my 9- 60 cell panels a couple days this winter, where in the summer I can get 13 KWH. Even this time of year I get 8-10 KWH. Solar is great for summer when the sun is overhead but to get 1 KWH on some winter days I would need 90 panels. I agree with your comment though.
Oh absolutely I own an old TJ Jeep wrangler 2D and constantly get told about how I must be constantly desperate for space but I'm really not on the extremely rare occasion that I actually need more space I just take two trips it's really not a big deal and my mom who also owned a small 2D wrangler had no issue fitting both me and my brother both in car seats into the back
The slower charging speed of the Bolt had never bothered me. GM did a similar thing with the original Volt, *slower charging speeds to maximize battery life* (plus the battery buffer).
It'll be interesting to see how the Ioniq 5s and Taycans batteries fair after 10+ years of use, because there's high mileage Volts out there with their original battery packs still exceeding EPA range. I suspect the Bolt will last a long time with minimal degradation versus other EVs.
There was an article about a guy in Korea with 300,000km on his Bolt with minimal (2-3%) degradation.
@@bob808 I highly doubt that. Was there any proof? Honestly 300 k isn't that much in the grand scheme
No one is going to own a Taycan for 10 years, let's be realistic. They're going to be shipped out of the country for $15k after 6 years.
@@bob808 how do you even buy a Chevy in Korea? I have never seen anything except Hyundais in Korean media.
@@aluisious Probably just the rebranded opel ampera-e...
I just bought a Bolt EUV literally yesterday. It’s a wonderful car for sure. I probably only need DCFC a couple times a year and not a 0-100% at that so it’s great for my use case. Looking forward to seeing more coverage!
How do you like it so far?
@@TreFree-n7o a year and 12,000 miles later, doing great. Took a few ~400 mile road trips and things went fine.
A couple of thoughts: First, I was still able to drive a 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV over 1,100 miles in a single day. It was a slog, sure, but driving 1,100 miles in a day will always be a slog.
Second, the peak charging speed wasn't a "blatant oversight." It is simply a result of the low-cost batteries. For better or worse, those low-cost, thick-electrode batteries just can't charge that fast (they have a 1 C max charging speed rating), but they do cost about half as much as Tesla spends on their nickel batteries. Essentially, you can get low cost, long range, or fast charging: Pick any two.
Now, to be fair, and this is something I've been after GM for for a while now: The Bolt needs a 200 A CCS socket. The current 150 A limitation doesn't allow the Bolt's battery to charge at its peak 1 C rating, and there is no overhead available for battery and cabin conditioning. Some have argued that the ~10% increase in speed below 50% isn't worth the $50 or so premium for a 200 A CCS socket, but I think your demonstration proves otherwise. Charging from 0% to 50% in ~30 minutes is much better than 40-45 minutes.
Thick electrode cells or cooling system deficiency? This is an engineering problem and GM is supposed to be good at engineering, though it did outsource all the engineering on the Bolt EV drivetrain. 75 kW is the bare minimum DCFC speed, in my opinion.
@@barryw9473 It has nothing to do with the thermal management system. If that were the case, it wouldn't behave in the way that it does (i.e., never charging at a higher speed). Even Hyundai, which is notorious for pushing past spec sheet ratings cut their similar cells off at a peak 1.1 C, and Jaguar has a similar 1 C limit for these cells in the I-PACE.
The Bolt EV's .9 C peak is solely due to the CCS harness limitations (150 A), which as Kyle noted in this video was likely a decision made by the accounting department overruling the design and engineering teams.
@@barryw9473 Also, it's worth remembering that GM engineers were willing to push things in the past. The Chevy Spark EV has what is still to this day one of the fastest average C rates to 80% of any production EV.
@@newscoulomb3705 so what happened? Those engineers got canned or told to stop innovating?
@@newscoulomb3705 something still seems fishy. Kona uses same cells and it’s 64 kWh pack can take 75 kW. I blame the cooling.
love my 2020 bolt ev. I drive maybe 8 to 15 miles a a day. once a year I do a trip that is 100 miles, I charge from the level 1 they give you with the car. Im a renter so no level 2 at home. it fits well in our life :)
As an owner of an EUV this is really my only complaint as well. Before we bought the car we sat down and tried to determine how many trips per year we would take that we would need DCFC. We determined 2-4, with 1/2 of those being trips needing only 1 short stop. Most of the locations we frequently go on car trips are under 3 hours away and can be done (one-way) on a single charge. So far, after 4 months of ownership, our only DCFC experiences have been to test out chargers for the experience, not out of necessity.
I think it'd be good to differentiate between 1 and 2 car households as well. If you're in a 1 car household it might be worth it to spend the (high!) premium of the faster charging cars. If you're in a 2 car household though, having a gas car for road trips and a cheap simple EV for a daily driver.
I was going to make this exact comment. Have the EV for the around town chores of going to the store and shuttling the kids around and have a gas car for your twice a year road trips. This could also be adapted to all gas households. Rather than two SUVs have a fuel efficient sedan for around town chores and an SUV for road trips.
Do you think it’s really worth it to have two if you don’t pay cash? I have a truck and car and have been debating selling getting rid of the Corolla for an ev since the Corolla has been over heating lately
Great for a 2 car household with a 220V hookup. Any other model, treating fast chargers like gas stations, 110V “charging”, etc will lead to pain and suffering. In 2022 the mainstream EVs should be better than a spare car.
yup this is what we do
Exactly. We are planning to replace our old ICE with a faster-charging EV in the next 5 years when it's expected to kick the bucket. For now we can take either car depending on circumstances.
I think one thing people don't mention is how useful 50kW DC charging is for daily commuters. For people who don't have access to level 2 charging (yes, there's many ways to get access to it, but some people could be in that situation, especially when they first buy), then having a quick 15-minute charge session a couple times a week, or 1 hour charge session once a week or so, still makes a better commuter vehicle. 50% of commuters in the US commute 10 miles or less to each, which means literally half of us could drive a Bolt 20 miles a day for 13 days without charing. Depending on your weekend habbits, you could go almost 3 weeks without charing, or you could charge for 20-minutes a week to top up your 100 miles weekly usage.
I do still wish they could have upgrade the charging rate a little bit. The newest Leaf charges at 100kW.
My suggestion to EV shoppers about range and charging speed is to look a their credit card bills over the last year or two. If they never (or only once or twice) filled their gas tank twice in one day, range and charging speed won't matter to them. And, of those who do fill up enroute on a road trip, think about whether they would appreciate a leisurely lunch stop half way thru the trip. My Tesla charges too fast for leisurely eating stops. Invariably, halfway thru my hamburger, my phone will ding to let me know that I've reached my charge limit. I'm not the kind of person who can just relax and allow my car to hog a spot when I don't need additional charge, so I run to move out of the spot, then return to a tepid 2nd half of my meal.
Interesting perspective! For you (at times) the fast charge rate is almost a downside!
In my EUV, I always time my charging to coincide with a meal, bathroom break, and quick leg stretch.
It would be great to be able to set a lower charge rate in the car but hardly any enable this!
Dan's hitting on the exact real true clarifying point that WAY more people including our fine Vlogger here need to think HARD about, which considering charging speed: "How often do you do this? How much money do you want to spend to save a couple of hours over the course of a year, even for a trip you do a half-dozen times?"
The "OH GOD I MIGHT HAVE TO WAIT 30 MINUTES TO REFUEL INSTEAD OF 10! IT WILL RUIN MY VACATION EXPERIENCE!" reactions just seem so overwrought that they border on silly.
The simple fact is that for many (even most) EV households that are well-adapted to HAVING an EV, the EV is one of TWO vehicles in a household. Usually only ONE goes on long trips anyway. The other does basically exclusively local driving anyway, so DCFC *at all* is a valid question to ask, and never doing so is typically pretty easy to arrange. (12 hours a day plugged into a normal 120v garage outlet will put a hundred miles a day into a Bolt, and the number of people that drive even close to that is *vansishingly* small. There's about 700,000 people in the US statistically that travel more than 100 miles a day of commuting (and they ALLLL seem to be comment threads). But only about 2% of people commute more than even 50 miles so a Bolt with an just an ordinary wall socket (not even level 2) will go from empty on Sunday night to completely full Friday morning for 98% of the commuting population and probably some time Wednesday night for most. And if most of those people can bear having a 500 mile drive take nine hours instead of seven and a half or eight, the "slow" DCFC that the Bolt offers is more than enough for the rare times that people actually drive that far. (Anyone doing that often enough that this level of extra time is sucking their life away should probably consider buying a used Cessna instead of a new car and give up on speed limits entirely.)
@@hellsop You are right but who in their mind would 110 charge at home when Chevy provides 220v charging unit at your residence. We have an Hybrid Toyota RAV4 for vacation that gets about 540 miles on 1 tank. My bolt euv does average 263 miles a charge in summer but winter is another story... I think the charge stations need to diversify like gas. Have 4 separate stations with different speeds so the bottlenecks don't occur and keeps everyone chugging.
@@jeremymichaels5959 Renters who don't have permission to alter the property is whom I was thinking of mostly.
I sold my model y performance last month and picked up a bolt euv. I honestly like the bolt better and it was about a 45k difference between the two in my pocket which I really like. With a home charger and being someone who would never drive more than 200 miles away (what airplanes are for) the bolt suits my needs perfectly. Glad I switched to the bolt.
I sold my Model 3 and went to a Bolt, and I too enjoy it more. Though I've already gone on a ~2000 mile road trip with it, and while it did take a bit longer than in my Tesla, having a car cost half as much is worth it for me.
re: "it was about a 45k difference". $ CHA-CHING...!!! $ re: "what airplanes are for" ikr...?
Yep, the vast majority of people fly, when the trip is more than a few hundred miles.
Again I might say a little bit of a myopic view but a little bit more open-minded. I have a 2018 bolt with the new battery in it. I'm a senior I find that I have to use the facilities every 1 to 2 hours. So I time my stops at charge stations and only charge for 10 to 20 minutes as I use the bathroom and get a cup of coffee or whatever. Then there's your breakfast stop and lunch stop at 30 to 45 minutes never been an issue of course if I was still young and in a hurry it would be an issue
Got the LT2 EUV love it. The reduced propulsion light came on but it was just a software fix. We fast charge because we have a charging network in socal, EVCS, $50 a month unlimited charging which is even cheaper than doing it at home.
We are in the category of not needing fast charging for our 2022 Bolt EV. In addition, for the first two months of ownership we charged it exclusively via the supplied 110v level 1 charger and never had an issue. The Bolt has an option to increase to 12 amps charging for level 1 if you have a 20amp circuit. That gave us a rate of 6 miles per hour which more than met our needs. We love our Bolt and our ID.4.
Yep. On month three of only a standard outlet. Works great if you have a normal commute. Saving 200 bucks in gas vs electricity every month. This car will pay for itself.
Kyle firstly I have to say I like your reviews… but I do have to say something about this review. 1. You are very lucky and probably worked very very hard to be where you are and are able to a) drive the types of cars you do. b) afford the cars you drive.
But I almost feel that this review had another purpose. I watched a recent review of yours where you interviewed yr dad and others about the state of charging facilities in the USA and that a) a lot of charges today are out of service b) shortage of chargers.
I almost feel your underlying message was … don’t buy this car because it’s going to block chargers for us who can afford faster charging cars… now don’t get me wrong everything you said about the Bolt EUV charging speed is correct. It does charge slower… but there are thousands of people in the USA who cannot afford a Tesla, Hyundai, Kia.. etc. but would love an ev. But because they may block a charger for longer than the others would like….that’s an issue and should move out of the way. There are lots of people who don’t mind the longer wait times and I feel 1st come 1st serve… the not so affluent also have a right to charge their cars. What has to be fixed as per that other video of yours is the whole charging infrastructure has to be reviewed and updated to handle lots of different cars.
Sure it's frustrating to have to wait, but the blame lies with the infrastructure, not the individuals using it. If we had better maintenance and more chargers, this wouldn't be an issue.
@@CounterFleche For a cash incentive at the charger, I’m happy to move my slow, charging less expensive car for your overpriced luxury car. Otherwise bugger off.
Spot on. Drove our EUV to Seattle and back to Boulder. Very capable and very slow. Learned to take it down as close to zero as our nerves and charging stops would allow as it does charge the fastest at low SOC…..
In early May I was deciding between the Ioniq 5 SE and the Chevy Bolt EUV. At the time - the price difference was pretty close with the fully equipped Bolt EUV and the low end Ioniq 5 especially with the $7500 rebate for the Ioniq 5. The Chevy Dealers couldn’t even sell them anyway last May. I did get to sit in the Bolt EUV and liked the look. I’m really glad the price has come down and customers are able to get them now. I’m also extremely happy with my Ioniq 5 SE!!
I’ve got a 2017 Bolt. I take ~200 mile round-trip road trips now and then. I’ve only DC charged only once and that was just to see how it works. I use the included Clipper Creek cord which comes with the Bolt plugged into a 240 volt dryer out. Yes, it can take over a day to catch up to a complete charge, punctuated by short trips around town after a long trip. The battery will probably last longer too if you don’t fast charge. Because I don’t need long range on a daily basis, I also limit the max charge to 80% unless I have a road trip planned. Unlike a used 2011 LEAF I owned previously, the Bolt showed virtually no loss of self- predicted range after ~4.5 years of driving. Chevy replaced the battery under the recall in March 2022, so that reset the battery life and actually extended the range about 10% because the new battery is a few KWH larger.r
It is a different paradigm from needing to fill up all once at a gas station… for many owners who have plugs at home, but…. If you are an apartment dweller and your only option is to fast charge, then a Bolt / Bolt EUV may not be the best choice. For road trips, the Bolt may not be the best choice anyway. Although spacious for a car it’s size, the Bolt is a smallish for parents + kids + luggage. I took a long trip with friends and decided to rent a larger car for the weekend.
I'd be hard pressed to recommend an EV to anyone who doesn't have access to a home charger, regardless of DCFC rate. Even at 15mins per charge, I still would think DCFC multiple times a week to be inconvenient for non road-tripping use. I used 120v 12amp home charging for my Bolt when I first got it. I would get 40 miles of range overnight (250+ miles for per week). Depending on how many errands I ran or small trips I made besides work, I'd still be be forced to DCFC.
@@Cakebattered Duly noted. Similarly, I charged my former 2011 LEAF and now my 2017 Bolt for the first three years using the 120 EVSE cord provided with the car. The LEAF would pull 15 amps while Chevy intentionally conservatively limits current draw to 12 amps max snd 8 amps by default to prevent accidentally overloading the circuit. At 8 amps, you’ll add about 3 miles of range per 120 volt charge hour. You really do a lot better if you can plug into 240 volts with the included cord. Check with an electrician to be sure of the following: The Bolt’s included EVSE cord is made by Clipper Creek and operates at either 120 or 240 volts because it is intended for sale in global markets. A simple pigtail allows plugging the cord into a 240 volt outlet such as a dryer outlet. Because of improved efficiency, higher voltage and 12 amp current, you can add around 9 miles of range per charge hour. Chevy is now (August 2022) running a US promotion to pay for the installation of a 240 volt outlet for home owners. You can speed up charging more by using a dedicated EVSE that can provide 30 amps at 240 volts. That could add 23 miles of range per charge hour. A dedicated EVSE typically costs $300+. Hopefully that price will come down because the electrical complexity does not warrant costing that much. Unfortunately, apartment dwellers are still often out of luck. Not many apartment management companies provide outdoor outlets for owners to charge their EVs. That may change if having outdoor outlets becomes a feature for attracting renters. Some municipalities are requiring suitable outlets to be be installed in parking areas of new construction. Otherwise, the market will slowly sort out the need for charging infrastructure.
It's a good thing that the vast majority of EV owners don't need public charging and rarely if ever use them. I've had my EV for nearly four years and drive just under 100 miles each day. I have never needed to stop at a public charging station. With over 350 miles of range why would any daily commuter (that can charge at home), need to use one. And when traveling long distance I can always find a hotel that provides charging for its customers. Holiday Inn, Hilton, Best Western, Marriott and Radisson to name a few all have provisions to allow their customers to charge their EVs. If I'm desperate then it's easy to find a ChargePoint station which has a whopping 30,000 stations with over 47,000 individual charging ports. Consider as well that Tesla now allows non-Tesla EV's to charge at Tesla charging stations. Charging issues are being vastly and deliberately over blown by the anti-EV trolls. Charging issues are being vastly and deliberately over blown by the anti-EV trolls.
@@Cakebattered most anyone with less than 100 miles of daily drive to work can charge from a garage wall socket or in a parking garage at 12-amps with no problems. That's almost double the average commute today.
I don't mind a 45 minute travel break. Heck, my doggies prefer a leisurely walk and a snack before climbing back into the car & hitting the road. But if your OCD is not well managed, a Bolt may not be for you ...
One thing that Bolt owners can do to mitigate the throughput problem is to use that 50kw evgo or the 65kw chargepoint station instead of the EA station... (especially if the 50kw station is *before* the EA station so you have the EA station as a backup plan).
There are times we can be conscientious... though, there are routes where this isn't an option.
I found this interesting as well. Oil Companies are buying up all of the proposed available infrastructure and properties to keep the charging stations from being built so that way it will continue to frighten drivers from getting into the electric arena...
Would be nice to change faster, no question. Still, at that price I have been able to rack up 103,000 miles on my 2017.
Interestingly, the first 36,000 miles were simply from a hard 100 mile commute every day. Since then it’s been mostly fast charging road trips.
Charge on!
Thinking about getting a bolt for a 100 mile commute! Would you mind telling me this; what was the range of the bolt when the commute was over? And did you drive consistently at ~70 mph (for example) or did you fluctuate your speeds?
Two guys at work drive 2-3 hours each way to work and can Level 2 charge here. The charging light is still flashing when we leave after 8-hours.
Both have had newest batteries installed and enjoy the better range(2016/2017 owners). The 2016 had 150,000 miles when he got the new battery. Now he says he set for 150,000 more miles!
My '17 Bolt EV is much easier to get in & out of than my 3, but I gotta say, once I'm settled into the 3 the comparison ends there in so many ways (but I do wish the 3 had Apple Car Play & SiriusXM). When my Bolt goes bye-bye in a few days, I will miss it's convenience, versatility, utility and capability (after 82K miles) that can be had at a comparatively low cost. The Bolt is essential to EV adoption in North America.
re: "The Bolt is essential to EV adoption in North America."
I like the Bolt. But the fact that you replaced it with a 3 (instead of a new Bolt) is telling
@@bsd107 50kw charge limit and I could not use Tesla charge infrastructure, pretty much tells it.
I totally understand why you miss Apple Car Play. I really like the Tesla interface, but not having Car Play in inexcusable these days. (Just as it will be on upcoming GM EV’s…)
I guess I don't understand the problem. For most people who do not need fast charging, but only use it 2 or 3 times a year for longer trips, the charging time isn't an issue. I usually stop for a food & stretch break every 200 miles when I travel. With my 24kw Leaf, I put $50.00 a month in a kitty (that I save on gas) so I can rent a car 3 or 4 times a year for trips.
I plan on a longer range car in a year and am looking forward to the Toyota solid state battery before the end of the decade that is cheaper, charges to 80% in 10 minutes and has over 700 mile range. GMs new Ultium system should be interesting too with 300 to 600 mile range.
I went my Chevy Dealer today. I wanted to order my Chevy Bolt 2023. Great deal with the $6300 rebate. One problem i would not receive the EUV until next year sometime in the spring. The rebate is over Dec. 31, 2022. I spoke with my dealer by phone drove 2hrs to a dealer that said no dealer makeup. At the last minute I was told no rebate. I was then told we could hope for the best.
The best would be to offer a rebate and lock in my deal. I am very disgusted with the bait and switch tactics of Chevy and I will not buy this car.
Good point on the charging point throughput. I have a 2019 Bolt and have fast charged only a handful of times, but only once come across any kind of line to charge. In that case, we only needed about 15 minutes of charge for our purposes. Definitely something to keep in mind about clogging the charging stations, though. Full disclosure, we have a Forester as our 2nd car which we use on our longer road trips (better for luggage purposes and AWD, anyway). As a 2nd car, a Bolt is pretty near perfect for us. My wife and both prefer to drive it over the Subaru by a mile and we'll replace the Subaru with an electric SUV when it dies (and get faster charging for those road trips).
I'm an Uber driver that lives in Durham North Carolina and I live in an apartment with no home charging facilities available and I've noticed that basic 50 to 55 kilowatt fast charging more than meets my needs for local travel and road trips all it meant was me sacrificing a little bit more of my time than usual and planning my day around it and it didn't take that much effort. My most regular road trip is from Durham to Eastern Shore Maryland which is a round trip of 800 miles and I found through A Better Route Planner that the most efficient way to charge is to charge around every 100 miles or so usually on road trips that takes no more than 35 to 40 minutes and normally is when I would have been tired I wanted to take a break anyway. Not everyone needs to do a Cannonball Run I actually like to enjoy my road trip and take my time if you're in a rush to get somewhere more than 400 miles away take a plane but if you want to enjoy the experience of taking a trip on the road then it's not that big a deal.
Hey I’m a fellow EV owner in Durham as well 👋
Durham has a few level 2 (free) chargers around. Probably a great fit for gig work.
@@User.Joshua we do but it's too slow for full time rideshare driving. However several dealerships in the area offer free 50 to 60 kw DC fast charging. So it's the best of both worlds.
@@agett12 oh wow, I didn’t know that! When I visit family, I’ll be sure to look those up.
"When I finally parked it(Bolt) at my home charging station, it had gone 322 miles on a single charge. Not bad for a car rated at 238 miles per charge. Even more impressive was the fact that I didn't really try very hard to get that many miles out of it. I spent plenty of time in traffic, which helped, but there were a few sections that I was moving along at 65-70 mph as well. No matter how you look at it, 322 miles out of a Bolt is pretty impressive." - Ed Hellwig Edmund's
average speed ?
@@MatteoComensoli you'll have yo ask Edmunds reviewer. But owners are reporting +300!
Great car for those who can charge at home and those who dont take lots of trips beyond twice the range. Even if you go a long way, if you are not a type A person its not too bad, relax on a trip.
Type A personality is a myth created by Mad Men & Big Tobacco lawyers to discredit the smoking-causes-lung-cancer science. The Big Lie worked. Folks (not psychologists) still believe the myth en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_A_and_Type_B_personality_theory
It's a wonder some clever engineer doesn't come up with an internal DC fast charging cable aftermarket upgrade.
Use case is key. I have a Tesla 22 M3 LR that has been charged at home (peak hours only) with the mobile connector using 110v. So many have suggested (insisted) that I had to have 220 circuits to charge and that I would be sorry if I didn't. On a daily basis it works for me. On trips superchargers are out there.
You started out saying 0-100% is something you never do in the real world. That needs to be heavily emphasized. We take our 2020 Bolt on road trips all the time and have never done more than 20-80% and never sat more than a half hour. But usually we do 30-60% and 20 minutes.
I'm still considering a bolt euv as I rarely road trip. Still I like the looks and charging speed of the Ioniq 5. I just don't like the price and "market adjustments."
I bought a 2017 Bolt Dec. 2017. As a road tripper, it is not the best choice, but, for everyday driving it was very good. I did do a MSRP return, only because I couldn’t get a reasonable estimate when GM could replace the battery pack ( 3rd recall ). So, now I have a Tesla Model 3 with LFP battery pack. With Tesla’s supercharging network, I can go where I might need to go, but, as with the Bolt, 95%+ of my driving will be local.
Ha, Kyle agrees with my comments in the range test video... the charging rate is unacceptable overall in 2022, and will hamper throughput on fast chargers. Cue "I love my Bolt, haven't driven more than 250 miles in 20 years!"/"GM did a survey, and all Bolt drivers use them for their heinous commutes!"/"You can't buy one of them Teslerz for double the price I payed!"
I love my Bolt. Love it even more post battery replacement. It’s a great city car, day tripper
The 2022 and 2023 Bolt EUV have faster AC charging, bumping up from I think 7.7 kw level 2 charging to 11.7 (48 amp) charging. So, while they are no DC charging champs, they will charge in your garage just as fast as any [current] Tesla or eGMP platform car.
My Tesla has 60 Amp charging currently and can take 80 amps. Just FYI as you didn't post correct info.
@@TheAndrwwJohnson lol. How many homes, not owned by the super rich, can afford to install an 80A outlet (or 100A for the 80A charge) in their house?
@@TheAndrwwJohnson My partner has an older Tesla model S with 80 amp charging - but according to him Tesla doesn't sell that charger anymore. At least he couldn't replace it when his current one was giving him trouble. I had thought the current models were all 48 amp charging like the current wall charger supports. Sorry if I was wrong... but I did put in [current] =)
I would be interested in a road trip video with the EUV and a video on the BMS and how to achieve the most reliable and accurate battery percentages with this vehicle.
If you want accurate battery percentages in the Bolt EV/EUV, you unfortunately need to use an OBD2 reader with an app like TorquePro. GM won't give a range estimate below ~5%, which I think is correct because the Bolt specifically dies at 0% (technically -0.9%, IIRC). Essentially, if you don't already have your destination mapped and range dialed in at 5% battery, you'll either make it or you won't.
I can't wait to get my BoltEUV and hog all those DC fast chargers!
We recently purchased a ‘22 EUV and really like it. I wonder if GM offered an “upgrade” package to improve the cabling from the DC fast charger to the HV battery, how many would pony up the dough. I know i would, depending on price!
I definitely would!
*I have a 2017 Bolt and I certainly drive more than the average owner. I live in close proximity to several DCFC but I only occasionally use them. Not to me mention 0 home charging as well. When I upgrade to my 3rd EV in the coming year(s) it won’t be another Bolt, but for my current lifestyle it’s not a regrettable purchase at all.*
That’s commitment right there 😅⚡️ Thanks for the test 👍
The Bolt EUV is perfect for my needs. Being retired and only driving locally, the charging speed isn't an issue. Currently, you can't beat Bolt for the value. I bought the EUV Premier with the S and S package for 35,000. A friend of mine bought an EV6 for 60,000!
9:23 I can't disagree with this more, Kyle. I understand where you're coming from, but it's misguided thinking. The only thing that actually matters is time on the charger. Based on what I've seen, I can guarantee that you would rather be in line behind my Bolt EV at a fast charger than the average EV owner I've observed. Would you rather spend 15 to 30 minutes waiting for a Bolt EV charging to 60%, or 30 minutes to an hour for an ID.4 charging to 100%?
Now, to be fair, I have been prioritizing non-Electrify America chargers more, but it's mostly been due to overcrowding at EA sites. When I was low on range coming back from a long shopping trip and needed to charge, there were six EVs trying to use the four EA chargers at our local Walmart. I let my passenger out at Walmart, drove across the street to the 50 kW EVgo chargers, topped up for about 20 minutes, and when I returned to Walmart, three of the four "faster charging EVs" hadn't even moved from their stalls.
Eric, I still remember the bad old days where Maven and Gig Bolts would completely fill local charging sites going to 80-90% (Maven) or 100% (Gig). The Uber drivers and the Gig employees who charge the cars completely lack the benefit of your Bolt efficiency regimen. Waiting for Bolts to finish charging IS a thing; waiting for Eric is not.
@@mikecarter2737 I would say that that is a completely different circumstance, and it was more of an illustration of the problems with free charging. Tesla had the same issues with rideshare drivers on their Superchargers. Waiting an hour for anyone to charge to full is a problem.
Luckily, that isn't as much of an issue for EA. I once had to wait 20 minutes at a 50 kW EVgo charger for an Uber LEAF driver to go from 99% to 100% before I could activate the CCS head. The LEAF driver was still sitting there, plugged in and not charging when I left.
The Team @ Transport Evolved have been all over the country in their Bolt. Some folks are okay with sightly extended charging sessions. With the eventual overcrowding of EV chargers it would be nice if cars were fitted with fast charging batteries.
@@BillB33525 Keep in mind that there are thousands of "slower" DCFC already deployed, and for efficient, smaller battery EVs like the Bolt, there's no reason to avoid them (like there is in 75 to 100+ kWh EVs, regardless of charging speed). For instance, on that recent ~800 mile run Kyle and friends did from Fort Collins to Las Vegas, I could have tagged along in my Bolt EV, shared at most one charging site in common, and still made it to Vegas within 10 to 15 minutes of the Bolt EV's fastest potential time.
So while it's easy to say that slower charging EVs will contribute to public fast charger crowding, there's no data I know of to support that. All of the crowding I see at this point is at EA and Tesla sites specifically, but meanwhile, most of the 50 kW to 100 kW ChargePoint, EVgo, etc. sites are sitting completely empty.
EA usage must vary greatly by region. I don’t think I’ve seen more than two cars at an EA site more than once. Usually they are empty. For me it’s always been: how many are broken and how long is it going to take me to get a charger to work? -failure is not an option on a road trip.
I’ve owned my Bolt for 3+ years, I haven’t needed to Fast Charge yet. Don’t even have a level 2 at home. With the great range, you can drive it all week and charge it on the weekends. I definitely fall into the “dont need fast charging” camp, but we don’t take it on long trips, that would be uncomfortable. Chevy needs to solve that problem.
Coming up on 1 year in my 2017, new battery, charging always on 110v. On the occasional road trip, the charging speed was adequate. Ate and stretched our legs while we waited.
Yeah I have had my Bolt EUV for a year. Most charging is at home. I could get by with even 120v charging at home. I did actually use 120v charging at home for a year with my 2011 Leaf because I was too lazy to install the 240v charging. I think walking around while the car charges is healthier and better for one's circulation than sitting in the car seat after having sat in the car seat already for hours while driving. To each their own on that though.
Outliers. The masses will say otherwise
@@williamerazo3921 I’m not sure that’s true. I thought that going in as well. I think most people don’t outstrip the mileage and charging of the Bolt on a weekly basis. I think there are a great many people who put under 20,000 miles a year on their vehicles and won’t notice or need DCFC much. Out of Spec pushes the limits on EVs, and they’re awesome for that, but I think they are more the outliers.
re: "Chevy needs to solve that problem." they have, GM does this by now asking you to put down a deposit on a "loaded up" Blazer, Lyriq, Silverado, or even a 9000lb Hummer EV (just think you can "crab walk" and impress the cool kids). so which model are you going with...? 😎 laymen to the Auto Industry still haven't figured out what the Bolt's true "role" and "purpose" is in the grand scheme, in that the paradigm shift to BEV's presents an opportunity to generate the coveted "Conquest Sales" and bring new GM customers into the fold (which is exactly what the Bolt has been doing). consumers overlook how GM's been building cars for more than 100 years, and in that length time you learn a few things BESIDES how to just build cars. #CONQUESTSALES
We just got a used 2022 premier sound and sun package. No supercruise, tho. Beautiful little car, nice heavy doors and a terrific price @ 19,000. I’m fine without the supercruise and so far quite happy with the vehicle.
I like the bolt reviews,good to get information on it
Kyle, it would really be nice if you could interview a GM spokesperson and hear their reasoning as to why they have limited charge times. Just about all you hear when it concerns EV's is destination charging. Deal breaker for most people. Why would GM decide to go this route when cost wise, it would not be that much more. Unless there is something about their battery chemistry that would compromise the warranty. I don't know how much of a financial hit they took on the recalls but part of the news was that LG Chem absorbed most of the liability.
@Kyle Conner yes please do a vid on calibrating BMS. I need to know how to do it
I find the upgrade to the level 2 charging speed significant. The onboard inverter now does 11.5 kW. My town has free 11.5 kW charger downtown - I can go for a walk in the day and get caught up on the battery during the day - NO NEED TO LEVEL 2 CHARGE OVERNIGHT. Yes I have done the road trip on my Bolt EV. It is tedious to sit there for an hour. BUT... In a world with limited Level 3 charging (2023? 2024?), you can get useful Level 2 power.
I've owned a 2017 Bolt since new 60 months ago. I have yet to see an EA DCFC setup fully utilized at once. Ever. Yes, one day it will happen but in 2022 I have not experienced that. More often than not, no one else is charging when I pull up.
Nailed it... Great car with one major issue, that may not be an issue at all for many people.
Small car, big interior, has a great dash cluster with good and useable information.
Great regen capabilities and one pedal driving..
I've heard they make fantastic Rideshare cars for this reason.. You can get a lot of range back in that sort of stop and go driving.. I have heard over 300 miles is not uncommon.
the car CAN roadtrip.. its just not great at it.
Maybe they eventually put the Ultium battery design in it and it would be kick ass.
The VW.. has some drawbacks also..
Kyle, thank you another great review. My wife and I have a 2017 Bolt EV and we have the had the battery replaced. I agree with all you said. We mostly charge at home using our home solar system, driving on sunshine! Done three long trips (800 to 2000 miles) and as you said it takes time to recharge but it has not been a major issue for us. Thank you for all your informative videos.
This is great information. Please plot it out! I have a '17 that with a swapped (refurb) pack. Recently I charged to 97% and I noticed it was still in the high teens kW! I am guessing the system has the "fix" applied to make it only charge to 90% in reality, while the screen shows that it's going to 100%. If that is the case, I will start charging to 100% routinely. But I want to be sure.
wondering if we can modify upgrade our EVs so it can accept higher currents
A: no. best to go car shopping and put the idea out of your head.
@@phillyphil1513 yeah but if it is cheaper than buying a new EV....
I can’t agree more.👍. I got the 2023 Chevy bolt and on highway speed at 70 and driving during winter I loose about 60 miles of range . A2z Tesla adapter already preordered, and can’t wait to use Tesla superchargers, if Tesla owners are able use ccs chargers , now soon ccs vehicles be able use Tesla’s.
Kyle, there is another reason road tripping in an EV is not such a good idea: the cost of charging at a commercial charger. The commercial chargers Jack up the price of the electricity to the point where is is at parity or even more expensive than gasoline. In our area EA charges 31 cents per KWh if you’re on their monthly $4 plan. The cost of electricity from our utility to our house is 10 cents per KWh. EA is charging at least 3X what they pay the utility, and probably more since commercial customers usually pay less than residential customers. A gallon of gas contains 33.7 KWh of energy. At $4/gallon, that’s 11.9 cents per kWh. Assuming an ICE vehicle is 33% efficient, then the cost per KWh for an ICE vehicle at $4/gallon of gas is 35.7 cents. Almost par with EA and you don’t have range anxiety, fueling stations that don’t work or 30 minutes (at least) to refuel. I own a Bolt, but after one road-trip in it where it took at least 50 minutes to hit 80% at every charging station, we now take our minivan on road-trips.
re: "The commercial chargers Jack up the price of the electricity to the point where is is at parity or even more expensive than gasoline." DCFC's are giving all new meaning to the classic term "Highway Robbery".
Considering least expensive Bolt EV for a town car. Will drive it San Diego to Phoenix in an extreme situation. Compared the Bolt to my 2021 Tesla Y on ABRP. Tesla takes 5:41 with 0:28 charging. The Bolt takes 7:12 with 1:33 spent charging. I also compared a recent trip I took to St Paul from Phoenix. The Tesla took 29:04 with 4:09 charging. The Bolt would take 38:26 with 12:48 charging. Still doable, but not ideal. I think I will be happy with the Bolt as a second car.
Love my 2017 Bolt EV, the only issue is charging. At first, I was not able to charge at home, so sitting at EA all the time in the winter sucked. But now that I can charge at home, it's not so bad. Basically charge overnight once a week and that's all I need.
Would still love to see faster charging, even if its only 100-150kw, with a 66kWh battery, that's plenty fast.
Why not just charge every night?
To bad the stupid car reports and send everything to the Insurances companies and in return the insurance goes up. NYTs had a report on a guy driving one of this only to have his insurance go up like crazyyyyyyy. Hope Auto spects can address this issue now
Gosh, if the Bolt did 100KW FAST charging it could be the Corolla of thd EV world. (bargain car for the masses)
I don't think you'll see the Bolt allow much higher charging until they redesign the battery cooling structure. I believe the Bolt still uses the Prismatic cells cooled via a cold plate which is not nearly as effective as Tesla's method of cooling cylindrical cells. It is my belief the Bolt will struggle to get rid of the heat created when charging at anything much higher than 55kW. But the Bolt is intended more for commuter purposes which makes public charging unnecessary for those who can charge at home. For those able to charge at home and have daily commuting distances of less than 200 miles (like nearly every commuter on this planet), there is simply no need to ever use a public or HVDC charger. To the vast majority of owners charging speed is meaningless. One second to plug it in before going to bed and one second to unplug it in the morning. A full tank every morning, warmed and defrosted before opening the garage door.
Lets get it straight about the Volt it a dirt cheap, basic transport EV, that doesn't suck! Everything else is secondary. Just to make this sink in, a Lucid Dream is 180k! Does it have 9 times longer range than a Bolt or charge 9 times faster? You can buy a Bolt by showing up at a dealer! No need to wait 3 years (if the company lasts that long). We need more Bolts!
At least when I buy a used bolt I'll know the battery wasn't abused as hard as it could be from super fast charging.
With the large battery there's less need for fast charging, less need to run it low, more room for degradation.
It's great as a first car, or an only car.
As an EUV owner, I just wish they'd open up the curve to actually charge at 50kw for way longer.. The 20kw bs over 65% is BS.
I wouldn’t quite say they fixed the fire issue. We’re well in to the back half of 2022 now and still no replacement battery in sight for me yet. Got a 2020 Bolt. Otherwise we’ve been content with it though, we just understand a road trip over about 400 miles will be a pain.
Ahh, but if you went from a LEAF to this, it's AMAZING to get a consistent charging speed around 45-50 kW. 🤣🤣
I use my first year Tesla m3 for work only about 140 miles round trip I do not use supercharging since I charge at work or home. I used it a few times to see how it is but that's it. If I had a bolt I'd use it for the same. I do want to use ev for road trips. But current do not.
It was a budget car for me since I couldn't find one in my price range therefore I went with the used 2017 bolt ev. Bought it at Pomona plug in auto dealer. With just 14500miles and just $24000 out the door. I mean there is no other ev that is used with that price range in 2019 I only made 29k a year as a machine operator. Payment was $400 a month.
I just got home from my Florida to Tennessee to Florida road trip, 1500 miles.. no it doesn't charge fast but.. since we have our dogs with us, we burned time taking them out and grabbing some food etc.. so was it horrible? Not really.. charge 100-140 miles and take off. Overall loved the car
Sounds like a pretty stupid oversight to not have DC fast charging in the current EV car environment nowadays... Decisions like these are what makes more people hesitant to adopt EVs because they point to cars like the Chevy Bolt as a car that doesn't charge fast, instead of the majority of the EV lineup where fast charging is almost standard in most EV cars.
Love my 2022 bolt euv. Don’t plan on “fast charging “ much but really like that I can utilize if needed in a pinch. The value and comfort you get with these vehicles is unmatched and the sunroof opens unlike most modern cars
premier?
Yeah
Yes absolutely no one likes adding days because of Charging times when otherwise we could have visited family or had a mini vacation on a 3 day weekend
Sold my Diesel and bought a Bolt EUV LT, great commuter and around town car! It's a great EUV for the price. Under 30K out the door! Buy a Model 3 or Y and you expect to pay double for the same range.
7:50 That's the thing. "If most of your charging is done at home" is *basically everybody* who's looked at an EV and said "I can accommodate this in my life." At-home charging of a Bolt, even from a Level 1, will put 100+ miles into the battery every night, for half or a third the cost of a DCFC session adding the same number of miles. The only people who NEED need to DCFC at all are either on road trips longer than 200 miles, or have no home charging option AT ALL, in which case that means a 45 minute grocery run (while charging) instead of a 30 minute grocery run. I can't seem to get a week's shopping done in less than an hour anyway.
As I understand it, Bolt designers were very concerned with battery life. Everyone knows the effect of fast charging on battery life. One needs to match their EV purchase to their lifestyle.
Renting a larger vehicle two or three times a year is not a financial burden. When I add everything up, costs, efficiency, range etc. our '18 Bolt works fine for us.
re: "Everyone knows the effect of fast charging on battery life." exactly the GLASS IS HALF FULL. the benefit of a max charge rate of only 50Kw is that it should translate (over time) into a nice long battery life. in 8-10 years while everyone else's GREED has them crying about needing an expensive pack replacement (if they can get one at all) Bolt owners can point at them and laugh like Nelson Muntz "HA HA"... ruclips.net/video/eOifa1WrOnQ/видео.html
re: "Renting a larger vehicle two or three times a year is not a financial burden." yup, and if one is so NEUROTIC and DYSFUNCTIONAL that they can't figure out how to do this, then they have a DEEPER problem (and it has little to do with the Bolt's charging speed).
Well said! Too many people want the Bolt to be something it's not. However for its price, its an amazing value!
Just test drove the bolt ev and really enjoyed it. Plan to order the ev in the fall. DC charging doesn't bother me. If we do a long road trip we'll use our ice car for now. You can't beat the price for this ev, the metallic ice blue is the one I want.
Thank you for doing this video! My 2022 Bolt EUV takes me to work and back (90 to 120 miles) each day. Roughly 50% of battery capacity. I then nightly recharge up to 89%. Is this the best way to make my battery last longer, or should I be only charging it to 80% and bringing the SOC lower to say 40% before recharging? Also how often should I charge up to 100%? What about the BMS keeping things in balance?
I'd say 75-80%
Q: should I be only charging it to 80% A: dial it back, only charge to 80%. you won't miss that 9%.
I think the key is that most of us won't drain it that far so we won't be sitting there that long.
Looking forward to you reviewing the '23 Bolt. Quite nice for the price, but yeah it really needs faster charging. There is literally no reason it can't do that.
Recently did a moderate-length trip (just over 500 miles round trip) in our 2021 Bolt. Used A Better Route Planner to space out the charges. At no point did I spend more than 45 minutes at a charger, and most were 20-25 minutes. Got home with about 50 miles range. Now, I stayed around 65mph for cruising speed, and used climate control (AC) as necessary. Yes, could have been less charge time if DC fast charge was quicker, but overall the trip took no longer than a train on the same route (which I've done plenty of times).
Not sure I'd want to take this car all the way across the country, but so long as you plan and aren't in a major hurry, it works fine.
The peak current is one issue, but a separate issue is how soon it starts tapering off. That has nothing to do with cabling, and I think it's inexcusable.
There's another elephant in the room that makes it all somewhat irrelevant for me, because it affects every EV equally: fast charging is ludicrously expensive. It's ten times the price of home charging where I am. At fast charging prices, my Bolt would actually cost more to drive than a gas car.
I'd like to see a Cannonball EV Run event where only Free Public Charging Stations are used.
In many cases I find Level 2 Chargers more appealing on road trips as they allow more time for a relaxing nap or tour of the area.
I think we now know GM not redesigning the charge system. They are completely redoing the Bolt to use GM'S battery platform system. Can't wait to see what develops. And...yes I so have a 2022 Bolt premier and really like it. Maybe even trade it in for the new Bolt when it comes out.
Love my Bolt here in the Midwest. It can go roundtrip to most of the key cities here (1hr 30min one way). Road tripping around 600 miles is still perfect. Choose one stop to have a meal, choose the other at a touristy place or getting supplies. Charge overnight at your destination. Lots of small towns around here are offering free fast charging. I didn't pay for ANY fast charging all summer, as gas almost hit $5/gal. At that price point my gas savings were almost paying my 0% monthly loan payment. I bought my fully loaded 2020 LT, pre-chip shortage fiasco, with a $3k Costco deal for $23k. KBB now has it at $28-$30k now. If you didn't get that deal. Chevy is handing out $5000+ checks to those that purchased the car pre-MSRP cut. Crazy.
That's awesome. I'm about the same in the southeast but we need more available fast charging options. The seats are a bit harsh for a road trip though. I bought my 17 Bolt pre chip shortage too but where the increased value gets annoying is when I need to pay my car tag renewal. The state valued all cars by last October's value so every car is much higher assessed value to pay the tag then for me it's another $200 EV fee.
Coming from owning 2 80 mi EVS, living off 110v for one year, if I buy a bolt 3 years from now, I will appreciate it so much. That range is massive, the complaints make me laugh!
Update - bought a new 23 Bolt , I'm so glad GM went the economy route instead of trying to out -Tesla Tesla
The Bolt is about $10,000 cheaper than the new base VW ID4. That easily offsets the slower charging speed. The Bolt also has 4 real window switches on the driver's door, and it's buttons are all backlit at night, unlike the VW. Yes, I I was a long distance road warrior, I'd never have bought a Bolt. But for the 150-200 miles of daily driving I do, it works perfectly. As always, know your needs before you buy.
150-200 miles of daily driving?!
I agree about the ID4, but there's now a $10,000 difference between base models. You have to pay a 37% premium to get an ID4 instead of a Bolt. $27k vs $37k.
$27K is for a base small body Bolt; not an EUV.
Yup, and for the $10k premium, the ID4 has worse range than the Bolt, which means some trips the ID4 needs to stop to charge, the Bolt doesn't need to charge at all. As people drive 200 mile trips far more often than they drive 800 mile trips, this is not an edge case.
Generally speaking, I find your videos to be entertaining or informative, and quite often both. I have to say, though, that when you said (@ 8:50) "...even the cheapest ID4 will charge at 130 kw, and this Bolt which is only a couple thousand dollars less, will only charge at less than half of that, is unacceptable...", I nearly spit my coffee out. A few thousand less? Than the base ID 4 ??? I can't imagine where you could find one like that.
Forget the tax credit and just going by the base prices, comparing the base Bolt to a base ID4, you are talking about the Bolt 1LT costing (as of this date) 27,495, and the ID4 costing 38,995, or 11,500 dollars more. How is that even close? and that for a vehicle that has 50 miles less range, I imagine it is a good thing it charges faster to make up the difference in charging more often.
To my way of thinking, the ID4 is not 11k plus better than a Bolt , but for that 11k more I would expect it to at least charge faster, go longer, and be FAR more comfortable than one. A couple thousand dollars indeed 🤣
Replying to my own post to add that the next closest competitor to the Bolt is actually the Leaf, which in S format starts at 28,040, which *is* only a couple thousand more than a Bolt.
What do you get for that extra 2k? A car that can charge at 50kw (if the battery temperature isn't too high), no thermal management of the pack, and lower range.
I think in any world, the Bolt was and is an exceptional deal.
I would hope they could at least do a software update that allows a maximum charging curve for more time and deeper into the battery pack.
"NO SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR YOU...!!!" (Mary Barra/Soup Nazi voice)
I really feel like it’s their way of managing heat. The charger curve should be more flat but it’s not
Around here, these Bolt drivers clog up the 350Kw dispensers for hours, while drivers with cars capable of charging at >150Kw are stuck using the 150 Kw stations...if they're lucky and don't have to sit for extended periods waiting for a dispenser.
Every time I DCFC, there's at least one Bolt sitting at a 350Kw dispenser, and it's still there when I leave.
that is a great fail when they refreshed the vehicle 50kw in 2022 not good
I’m seriously considering an EV. My commute is 20 miles each way. I have a garage with power (not 240 but last I heard Chevy was still paying for that QMerit install on that) and my max commute to family (in-laws) is about 180 miles one way. If I had to charge on that drive there and back (if I didn’t use their garage/outlet) it’s 1 hr and 14 minutes total charge and under $30 per ABRP. So that’s my worst-case scenario. Gas is easily twice that cost (but much quicker of course.) Most of that charging time would be on the return trip. I’m ok with that.
The clincher for the Bolt is that my FIL retired from GM so, discount, and the tax credit (though waiting until 2024 is a bummer on that!) It’s like everything is lining up eerily well.
Yeah, I have about 120,000 miles (just under) on my '17 Bolt. It is my commute car (120 mile round trip), so I very rarely quick charge it. That said, I've been to the airport to drop off/pick up a few times and I QCd there. As I was waiting for people and/or getting some dinner, it didn't slow me down.
The other thing we have done a few times more recently is a trip down to visit my family. That trip requires me to QC on the way down, then charge while I am there, and then QC once on the way back.
I've been able to charge at the hotel and/or really close to the hotel while I was there, so that didn't slow me down.
The QC on the way down/back up takes about 45 minutes, but again it is when we stop for a break/lunch. When we drive the ICE car on the same trip, we also stop to eat at or about the same location. So, it didn't slow me down.
Of course, if it was a longer trip that required multiple QCs, then yeah it would be much slower.
But for our use case, it's been great.
I think you pretty much nailed it. For some users, fast “fast charging” isn’t needed. My Bolt EUV has almost 12k miles on it, and about 11k miles of that was commuting and charging at home. We have an Ioniq5 for road trips. If you need a vehicle for long road trips and you’re fine paying a lot more for something that charges faster, the Bolt isn’t the car for you. The Bolt really should only be charged to about 60% max at a DCFC and it should only ever be charged at 150kw chargers max (unless they’re all broken).
The Bolt can still be used for road trips, but it will be slow. The longest trip I’ve done in my previous 2019 Bolt is 900 miles (in the winter) and yeah, it was really slow. Especially in the winter, it was painfully slow. But, given that the car is used mainly just for commuting, it is a brilliant choice for us. The Ioniq5 is a charging monster and works great for road trips, so we use that.
With the Bolts current charging curve, it doesn't fall off a cliff after 60%, it gradually slows and at 95% it's still pulling 20kW. The average speed is around 40kw from 10% to 95%.
I didn't realize that it costs 21 dollars to charge from 0.