This is, by far the best, and most easily "digestible," charging analysis of the Bolt EV. Thank you Tom! I definitely concur that the Bolt is a practical and suitable car, for the majority of consumer's use cases (it's the Toyota Corolla of EVs). I average +40k milew annually, and the Bolt is a pleasure to do it in. I Cannonballed my 2019 Bolt EV in 2019, which was probably the slowest Cannonball Run ever @ 78hrs and 59min ( ua-cam.com/video/O8hyzmS5GM4/v-deo.html ), but I proved: the CCS network worked cross country: the Bolt is capable for REALLY long, albeit a little bit slower road trips (4,000 miles in 5 days, 8,000 miles in 3 weeks); and I don't believe anyone has done a faster solo Cannonball Run in an EV (eat that Kyle Conner! 😁😜).
My God, man! You stood there for over 2 hours and pressed the reset button over 130 times? That's dedication! You deserve some sort of medal. Or maybe nighthood or something. 😉 I think I would have imploded after about an hour!
I’m fine with this. 99+% of my driving is under 100 miles a day, and 99% of the driving above that is less than 200 miles one-way with plugs at either end. Frankly, I only have ONE trip every few years that would even require fast charging. I could just as easily fly and rent a car with the money I’d save on gas and maintenance alone over the years with a Bolt. I have a garage, I live 20 miles from work, less than 100 miles from most family and 180 miles to my in-laws who live on a lake so that’s our “vacation” spot. I get that this car won’t work for everyone, but for me? It’s almost ideal.
Actually, I think your situation is the norm for the majority of buyers. GM just announced they are going to double production of the bolt based on the strong demand from buyers. So apparently, people see strong value in spite of its lower DC charging rate. Really glad to hear this because for awhile the Bolt was rumored to be on its deathbed.
I bought a 2022 Bolt about a month ago and I love it! Fits my life very well. I hardly ever do road trips, but I would still be fine doing a few if I had to. I would probably charge at like 25 or 30% though if I could. Never done an EV road trip, but seems simple enough if you plan [and in the case of the Bolt] have patience].
GM has said they had to limit the DC charge rate of the Bolt because the conductors between the charging port and battery pack are not thick enough to handle more power. However, that doesn’t make sense. If that was the case, it should pin to 55KW until 80% or more. That would make sense if it was a current limit, as 55KW at 80% is manageable for a large pack. They throttled the charging for another reason. If it was really the conductors, they could delay tapering until much deeper into the pack.
The peak rate may be limited by the particular CCS connector and the wiring they used, but the overall charging speed is limited by the battery. Look at the original Kona EV battery packs. They are a very, very similar design and chemistry as the 2020+ Bolt battery. They’re also made by LG, they’re about the same capacity and they had the same fire issues for the same reason. The Kona charges at a peak speed of about 75kw, but still has to taper charge rate fairly early. LG also accused them of charging the battery too fast when they started catching fire, and apparently one of the software updates they did slowed down the DCFC rate. I sold my Kona before then. The Bolt is also limited by the internal resistance of the battery. The cooling has to work pretty hard to keep the battery comfortable even at the slow charging speeds when it is hot outside (100+ F). The battery will also heat up when there is a significant load on it, such as high speed (80mph+) driving or long hill climbs (like climbing a mountain pass).
During regen, the Bolt is actually capable of charging well beyond 50 kW. With use of the regen paddle, I can get charging speeds of up to 70 kW, and at battery levels just shy of 95%. My guess that the battery is, in fact, able to tolerate charging speeds beyond 50 kW, so long as it's very brief (full regen doesn't normally last more than a couple of seconds). Sustained charging generates more heat, and probably requires slower speeds. The CCS connector cable may also be a limitation.
We have put 5500 miles on our 22 Bolt EV. We have done a couple of 250 mile round trips and one 500 mile roundtrip. The difference from our usage and what most of you folks do is, first, we charge at home 99% of the time. When we road trip, we never get below 30% and just put enough charge into the Bolt to either get home or get to another dcfc station. We never charge over 80% at a dcfc. We charge to 100% at home before a long trip but then only do 80% unless we are going to take a long trip. This ev ( previously we had a Volt and put less than $100 worth of gas in it in 20,000 miles). That should tell folks that most of us really dont need a warp speed dcfc vehicle Based on current pricing and taking into account the unneeded tax rebate next year, one can buy a Bolt L1 for under $20K. About half the cost of most base evs except for a Kona For 20-25k less cost I can live with slow dcfc times no more than we use them
GM should, and will improve their charging rate in the upcoming Acadia. That said, if you want to get a new EV for 30k today, there is still no competition for the Bolt. It has 259 mile range, a thermally managed pack, and CCS, not CHAEDEMO. What is Bolt's competition, a Leaf? Now get 45k together, you have options.
Nice! You're actually following the Kyle Conner from Out of Spec charging strategy. Just charge for what you need during a trip and hop to the next DC station. It's a very different mindset for EV's vs the old "fill er up" days from combustion engines. I've got a 2015 Tesla Model S and follow the same strategy. 80% daily, 100% starting charge on trips, hop from dc to dc and only stay between 20-30 minutes max.
We just picked up our 2022 Bolt EUV less than two weeks ago and it has been great so far. We signed the papers at the dealership on Friday morning and I sent Qmerit my install photos that same day, via the very simple website process they walk you through. By Sunday we had an electrician assigned and it was installed Tuesday. We found some local pay DC charge stations and tested the apps over the weekend so we could get in plenty of drive time in the new ride, but having the home charging installed in less than 5 days from purchase was pretty impressive and went very smoothly. Chevrolet including the charger and home install of the 240V drop really made the purchase simple and our local dealer, Sands Chevrolet was really great through the purchase process as well. The price point of our 2022 Bolt EUV with the price reduction rebates of the 2023s rolled back to the 2022s, plus a family employee discount from GM made it a real no-brainer for a new commuter car that we don't really plan to use for long trips. Thanks for the review on the DC fast charging, it definitely matches our experience with a couple local charge times with Volta, EVgo and Electrify America. I will probably keep my eye out for a 40A charger for home, since the charger Chevrolet gives you is a 30A, so 7.6kw limited at home and the Bolt will do up to 11kw on Level 2. Figure if I'm going to buy a spare charger i might as well get a higher rate model that it can use for even a little faster home charging.
Bolt EUV and former 2019 Bolt EV owner here. The fast charging for long trips isn’t great. The Bolt can still do long trips, I’ve done many between my 2 Bolts, but it will be slower than many other modern EVs. That said, our daily use for our Bolt is a 90 mile/day commute. For that, the Bolt works brilliantly. We charge it at home daily, and it’s relatively efficient compared to many other EVs available today. So, you really have to be realistic about your needs. If the majority of your usage of a vehicle is just daily commuting, even if your commute is pretty long, the Bolt EV/EUV will work great for you. If you long road trips (over 300 miles) at least once a month, you’ll want a faster charging EV. If you only do a few road trips per year, the Bolt will still work fine for you.
An heroic effort, Tom! A few years back, I considered going with a Bolt, but I’m counting my blessings that I held off for another model. The charging shortcomings remind me of the long string of GM duds in the Roger Smith era. Fortunately, the Bolt is still a solid value for those just drive locally.
Tom, thanks for your hard work, The new Bolt has a 65 kWh battery , not 66. You're 100% right though, if you don't need a car to constantly take long trips the Bolt is a great option. The other thing I find is that the Bolt is available, trying to get a Kona in my area is next to impossible, most dealers don't want to sell you one. I called Toyota about the BZ4 and they are getting $10k over sticker for it and they are selling maxed out cars at $52k which is well over the low 30's the loaded Bolt Premier is going for. Now add $10k to that, taxes and, unless you're going to put $62k down, loan interest. Now you're talking a $70k plus car. I'll take the lower charging rates and save to $20k to $30k extra for a Subie, Toyota, Kia EV6 or Hyundai 5.
I regularly got between 52 and 54kW maximum a week ago on my first big road trip from the Midwest to the East Coast in my Bolt EUV at both EA and EVgo stations that were labeled 150kW+. Still slow but a bit better than what you experienced when filming. Fully agree with your final analysis!
As a senior citizen who drives a Bolt, I don't need an EV that charges in 15 minutes when I'm on a road trip. I appreciate having the 45 minutes it may take to get out, stretch, walk around, go to the bathroom, and sometimes even have lunch or a snack. My legs and hips just cannot sit in any car for more than about 90 minutes before I start cramping up. It's absolutely GREAT to have to get out of the car so I can add some electricity. The days of 900 miles/day road trips are way behind me. I do not agree with this guy's analysis.
Question - in a Chevy bolt Facebook group it was stated that the 50, 150, and 350 charging stations all charge a bolt in the same amount of time. I had no idea.
This video reminds me of a 300-mile trip I made recently to a trailhead over 100 miles from the nearest DC fast charger. ABRP was telling I would need to leave home with 100% and DC fast charge just 40 miles into the trip, back to 100%. Then, hit the same charger on the way back for a much quicker charger from 10% to 20%. I knew the "fast" charge to 100% in a Bolt would be painfully slow, so I ignored ABRP and put together an alternate charging plan that replaced the 88%-100% "fast" charge on the way out with 30 minutes plugged into an L2 on the way back (The fast charge on the way back was still necessary, of the L2 would have taken unreasonably long, but doing it this way meant hitting the fast charger low down in the battery pack, greatly increasing the charging speed). At least on paper, a DC charge from 88% to 100% is still at least slightly faster than a Level 2. However, a road trip is not a race, and using an L2 means shifting the charging from when you're full of energy to when you're tired, a few extra minutes is well worth it. Bottom line, ABRP is not a god, and it is ok to deviate from it if it makes your trip better, as long as you plan for contingencies and avoid single-points of failure where just one broken charger means calling for a tow truck.
Thanks for the great video! This is one of the two reasons holding me back and waiting for the Equinox EV. The second reason is how small the truck cargo area is.
The BOLT DCFC is definitely not for someone doing frequent road trips and pressed by time, BUT, a positive is that the battery pack should last as it isn't being fried by high power being shoved in it. Also, the majority of chargers are 50 kwh anyway. Therefore the Taycan's 350 isn't worth that much.
I charge my bolt to 80% on Monday and when I get home from work on Friday I’m at 10%. I have a NEMA 14-50 in my garage so I charge back to 80% and Friday and that gets me through the weekend. I used my Model Y down payment to pay cash for this car. It’s not a Tesla but it really good for what it is. I’m saving again for a Model Y to replace my gas car. Great video Tom!
If you have an EVSE there is no reason not to keep it plugged in at home all the time. If you think you are protecting the battery be only charging it once a week, you aren't. Just set your charge limit to 75% and charge it every night.
Actually, this new Bolt is pretty darn close to the Y for what you need, less the charging rates. For commuters, it has strong regen braking for 1 pedal drive, supercruise for lane centering on long highway commutes, and has Apple Carplay with a really nice display. Best bang for the buck IMO.
Love the bolt ev I charge from 20-80 in about 45 minutes at electrify America . At home I charge at 9kw and it's more then fast enough. Qmerit installed my 240v nema 14-50 for free (paid by Chevy )
@@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney and that's pretty consistent as well . Maybe I'm starting at 24 percent of something like that which could be accounting for the difference .
I’m about to buy a 2023 Bolt EUV as we’re not exactly long trippers. While your point is well made that its big battery and charging capability offers slow charging comparatively speaking, I’d like you to state examples of other EV’s that can come near its price point; because I think you also said one to do better spending their money on a different EV. With my New Jersey $4000 instant EV rebate at the dealer, I’m going to be spending about $30,000 for a Premier Bolt EUV model that does not include moonroof or nav (always use google anyway), nor Super Cruise (not ready for THAT). Where else can I spend that little on a 2023 EV that gets nearly 250 miles in range?
At last, a brave YTer dared to say the truth. Nobody should care about how many kW is your EV able to draw during charging, but how many miles can you charge in a minute or how long does it take to charge enough energy to reach the next stop. 🤷♂️
There are other EV's that charge faster but nothing in the Bolt EV or EUV price range. We have a Model Y and a Bolt EUV for all the around town runs. Fantastic and $31K out the door for a 2023 top trim in Oregon with a $2500 state credit is impossible to beat.
Yup- it's actually a great little EV, especially the recent refresh and fixed battery, just... WHY stuck w/ such horrible Nissan Leaf-level 50KW DCFC?!? Just put in a bigger cable or something, ... well, just don't use for roadtrips..
That's exactly the type of combination my family is going for. We already have an EUV, but we have a reservation in for the Blazer (likely the RS) to complete the duo next summer.
11:05 You look almost giddy proclaiming that the Chevy Bolt EV "isn't a great road tripping car" here, but I don't think that's accurate. As I've stated in the past, there's a difference between "road tripping" and "cannonball running." Considering the Bolt EV can hit close to EPA rated range at 70 mph, you're talking about 3 hours of driving before you even need to think about stopping for the first time. And under real-world conditions, the Bolt EV will add about 50% in about 30 minutes, meaning an average lunch stop will get you back on the road with another hour and a half of driving. Throw in a couple more 15- to 20-minute bathroom/coffee/rest/shopping stops, and you've just traveled 400 to 500 miles in a day of relaxed driving. For a lot of people, that is "road tripping." And for them, "road tripping" is not blasting down the road at 80+ mph, stopping for 10 minutes, and getting back on the road for another hour before stopping again for 10 minutes. There are other factors to consider and improvements that GM needs to make, of course, but the Bolt EV is definitely not "just a city car."
The bolt is excellent for every day driving. The road trip I use gas powered vehicle. A lot of people like me that are just now getting into EVs still have gas vehicles that don't do anything anymore much. Perfect timing for the bolt to be out.
Or, instead of maintaining the extreme expense of having a second vehicle for long trips, which, for most people are infrequent, you could just rent a car for road trips. A much cheaper solution for people who only do long trips a few times a year.
Depends if you're an individual or a family. For an individual, multiple cars is a waste of money. But, families often need multiple cars anyway so that the two adults can commute to different jobs in different places at the same time. If a family already has two gas cars, then decides to replace one of the gas cars with an EV, then they will already have that gas car in the driveway alongside the EV, whether the EV is a Leaf or a Lucid. And, when your driveway already has a gas car in it, paying tens of thousands more on the EV for faster road trips especially doesn't make sense.
@@ab-tf5fl Totally agree. A Bolt along with a minivan or truck would complement each other real nice in the driveway in terms of maximum utility and cost savings. Use the Bolt for the daily town runs, and the minivan/truck for the hauling, towing, family trips.
I've had a Bolt for about 2 weeks and will augment it with an 08 extended Chrysler T&C. When I want to take a couch up to our cottage (109 miles one way), grab 20 bags of mulch from HD, or take a couple of friends and our dogs across Michigan I'm in great shape. If I want to go to work and visit several buildings in my county I'm in great shape with the Bolt.
And my 2022 bolt charges every day on a fast charger up to 55 kW it takes a belt 30 to 45 minutes to get to 80% and then from 80% to 100% takes another 45 minutes to an hour I hope this helps
I think the issue is either the low percentage you started with or possibly the battery pack temperature at the time you started the charge. I noticed the same issue with the 2022 Bolt EV when I would start a charge session under 5%, but even stopping the charging and restarting it between 10% and 20% would "reset" the charge profile and it would almost immediately start drawing over 50 kW between 15% and 55%.
Until I watched this I didn't think the Bolts were that slow to recharge, however, I think there is a Bolt EUV in my future unless the upcoming Equinox EV makes more sense. Having said the preceeding I think the Bolt makes a perfect 2nd car for family use or as primary and only vehicle for most retired folks. Besides we all know if you need to take that occasional long road trip renting a vehicle is still a great solution.
Our 2020 Bolt with original battery has achieved a real world DC max fast charge of 54 kWh on several occasions when starting charge at 20+ SOC. A recent 750 mile trip to Denver from mid Missouri on I70 was no trouble at all. We are due to get a new battery soon perhaps next week. Tom’s data suggest next trip to Colorado will be slower 😢
We just had the battery replaced on our 2020 Bolt LT. Having viewed Tom's video previously, I felt it important to check out fast charging for this car with the replacement battery. I went to an EV Connect 350kW charger with 12% SOC and constructed a charge curve (took data every 5 minutes) from 12-80% SOC. The first 2 minutes started at 52 kW and afterwards for the next 80 miserable minutes was at a nearly constant 32kW charging speed. The car was warmed up and the temps outside were between 65 and 70 degrees. To get 100 miles of range took 45 minutes. This is in contrast to what GM on their website that the car will take on 100 miles of range in 30 minutes. I've contacted GM but am skeptical that they will make any adjustments to speed up the charging curve to what it was on the original battery (see comment above).
Tom says GM pays for installation of your "charging equipment." This is only partially correct. GM, through Qmerit, only pays for installation of a 240 V outlet and a breaker for your electrical panel. A 240 V outlet is required for Level 2 charging, but you can do Level 2 charging using only the 240 V outlet and the charging unit with cable that comes with your Bolt. GM's Qmerit program DOES NOT INCLUDE installation of a charging unit (such as those made by ChargePoint, JuiceBox, etc.), even if you buy the charger--unless you pay extra. You work this out with the electrician. Qmerit basically just connects you with an electrician and pays the bill, again, for the outlet, wiring and breaker only. Note: There are reasons why you might want to add a charger on your wall made by companies such as those named above, but as noted above, you don't need a wall-type charger for Level 2 charging. A good video nonetheless.
Thanks for the video. My '23 Bolt ev LT1 will be my commuter, and my '05 vw jetta diesel wagon will be my travelling car. If this slower charging makes the battery last longer, I'll take it.
Note: 75 minutes to accomplish 200 miles of range was his experience in this video-demonstration (see minute 13:20) however it appears this was done under near perfect outdoor temperatures, as evidenced by his shorts and shirt casual wear: It could take easily 20 to 30% longer I suspect if the outdoors temperatures were above 85 degrees, from May to September which is often the case day and night in the SouthWest, so decide accordingly:
I've charged the Bolt a few times now. Every session is slightly different, but the overall results were all very similar, within ~5% of each charging session.
good job keeping a (mostly) straight face for this video! I wonder if the waiting for a tow allowed the battery to cool more than usual for your 0-100% charge session right after the 70mph range test. One other point to make about the practicality of EVs like the Bolt is that in a 2 or more car household, one can be only for around town while the other (gas, hybrid, plug-in hybrid or fancier EV) handles road trips or big towing. We usually take our Mustang Mach E on 300-400 mile trips, but when doing a 500 mile trip into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Northern Wisconsin where DCFC is very limited, we took the Cmax Energi plug-in and made our way using gas. I can see two truck households doing similar vehicle combos.
You said that there "other EVs" [by which I presume you meant long range EVs] "that are similarly priced but can charge much faster". Could you name them? The only ones I can think of are the Kona/Niro, which are only "similarly priced" because Congress has blessed them with a tax break and not Chevy -- and not for long. Are there any others?
Basically, an hour of charging for every 3 hours or driving, approximately. My last long trip into the Sierras, approximately 210 miles each way (it was an out and back), I charged for 30 minutes during a stop on the way out, and we stopped for lunch and charged for about 65 minutes on the way back, so so approximately 1.5 hours of charging for those 400 miles out on the road. I obviously started with a full charge at the beginning, so those charging minutes were not counted against the trip, which personally, I don't think they should be. Personally, if you are keeping your round trip distances under 500 miles, or if you have charging at your destination (I didn't, as our campground in Kings Cyn did not have electric hookups), then charging on the road is not a big deal, even for the Bolt. Do I want faster? sure. Do I need it? Is it REALLY an inconvenience? Only because I don't have a lot of charging choices along most of my trips. As infrastructure grows, this will become a non-issue, even for cars like the Bolt.
I charge at $0.06 per kwh at home at 10kw. So I can fully charge at home overnight on my $160 level 2 charger. I had the same experience on a recent 500 road trip. I stopped 3 times and waited 2 1/2 hours to charge overall to charge 105 kwh at an average of 42kw. The trick is to charge between 20% and 80%.
That miles per min stat on the 0-80% SOC is a great metric, do you have that in a comparison chart for all the models you have tested. Would be interesting to see them stacked next to each other.
My understanding is that GM engineered the charging process for the Bolt to maximize battery life. This supposedly allows customers to recharge to 100% on a regular basis without being detrimental to the battery pack. This also allows them to offer the battery warranty without too much financial exposure over the long run
Other EVs "similarly priced" that can DC fast charge faster? I got my 2020 Bolt for $24.5K in 2020, and after an accident got my 2022 for $32K in 2022. In mid-America, the only EV with similar range and near price is the ID.4, and that's $42K+ -- if you can find one, or you have to wait a year+ for a reservation.
I don't understand why this never when above 50kW. My 2017 with a new battery (so in theory the same BMS software) will very reliably hit ~53kW until about 50%. Though that changes if the battery is heat soaked to over ~100°F (I live in Phoenix) or if the battery is overly cold. Do you by chance remember what the outside temperature was when you did this charge? I'm trying to figure out if the 2022s just have a lower peak, or if the battery was outside its (admittedly narrow) preferres temperature range.
I'm not sure, but I have a feeling there was something going on such as low ambient temperature as well. My 2022 Launch Edition EUV holds 53-54kW from 13% until about 55% as well it then starts a very gradual taper until 72ish %. My last 3 Electrify America charges were 25.87kWh in 31 mins, car started at 30% finished at 68%, second one was 24.65kWh in 28 mins, car started at 13%, finished at 51% and the 3rd was 45kWh in 61 mins, car started at 13% and finished at 76% this charger was also limited to 50kW DC max.
So, you mentioned there were several alternative "large battery" EVs at a similar price point that are a better choice for a long trip vehicle. Which EVs were you think about? ID4 from Tennessee may be comparable. But Its a lot more expensive for the 250 mile+ version. Equinox is not out yet. Kia and Hyundai not available many places and not eligible for 7500 tax rebate. MME and Tesla are much more expensive. Leaf is junque. So where are these (mythical) competitors? The only thing keeping me from a Bolt is the DCFC slow rate.
Good point. I'm looking at the ID.4 and the Bolt EUV. I like the size of the Bolt better, but its slow DCFC charge rate is keeping me from deciding on one or the other. The base Bolt EUV is at least $10,000 cheaper than the base ID.4. And on the trims I'd get, there's a $15,000 price difference. The ID.4 is a better car, but $15,000 better?
On 2023 Bolt EUV you need a DC fast charger that can provide over 150 amps to see charge rates of 55 kWh. Pack voltage is around 360 volts not 400. Under ideal conditions you can charge over 50 kWh from 1% to 50%. I use EVGO 200 amp chargers. Also you will never see rates close to this when outside temps are below 45 degrees.
Hi Tom, with all your video reviews of EVSEs would you be able to do a video investigating nuisance tripping? How significant of a problem it is and whether or not any brands have more issues than others? I know Qmerit and I believe you now recommend hard wiring generally, but how much of an issue is it really?
From what I've heard, the only bottle neck in the Bolt's DCFC rate is the cable going from the CCS port to the battery pack is too thin. If that's true, then why isn't GM spending the extra $50 to increase the gauge of the wires? We know the battery pack can handle it. Hyundai/Kia use the same exact battery cells in the Kona EV and Niro EV and they can do 80kW. Also, my Bolt has never reached peak charging rates. Highest I've seen it is 51kW at ~20%.
I'm not sure that's 100% correct. I know GM has given that explanation, but as you said, if it really were that easy, they would have done it already because it would definitely sell more Bolts.
@@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney Yeah, that's why I've kind of been doubtful of it. I sort of hope it's just a software limit, because then it means the Bolt could receive an update to increase the charging limit. Right now it's limited to 150 amps, but rarely seems to even reach that limit. At least not since the battery fire updates and swaps. Hyundai/Kia goes up to the full 200 amps.
I’m a newbie and watched several videos before I found yours. You’ve confused me. The term “DC Fast charge” is used elsewhere as apart and above Level 2 charging, most commonly with Teslas, and not with the Bolt. Can you explain?
What's crazy is there were 2017-2020 models that didn't even have DCFC capabilities, as it was an option that you had to add on. I hope Ford updated the the Mach-e, as when I rented one, DCFC above 80% was even slower than with the Bolt.
GM made DCFC an "option" so marketing could say it costs less than $30,000 ($29,995 with then Federal Tax Credit). I consider it criminal each time I read about a newbie EV driver buying a DCFC-less used Bolt EV with no disclosure of its being missing and the regret they feel after such a large expenditure!
Thanks for the analysis!! 10-80% still abt 75 min…… as you said, seems way conservative. Wonder if they’ve got enough cooling to enable higher rates (if they put in higher rated cabling too). PAINFULLY conservative charging rate. It’s the one thing that has kept me looking at other EV’s. Thanks again Tom!
If they could just bump up the charge rate to 65kW (to match the battery) and hold it to 80% SOC, it would be a much more tolerable result. That would get about 200 miles of (Summertime) range back in about 48 minutes (the duration of a lazy lunch). I wonder if they could do something like that purely with software updates? Are they being too cautious and needlessly harming the marketability of their car? I want the Bolt to succeed because it seems to be the only one trying to be affordable right now.
The new Bolt battery packs have a very narrow window of temperature. If it is too cold OR too hot it will de-rate your charging speed. You have to be in a very narrow "goldilocks zone" to hit 55 KW of charging... if ambient temperature is above 80 it will be too hot. With the old pack you got good charging speeds unless the pack was extremely hot... now with the new pack it is very rare to hit the theoretical peak charging speed.
@@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney Yup, and the problem for anyone doing a real world road trip is that it will almost always be either too hot or too cold, never "just right". Chevy has abandoned this battery technology and moved on to Ultium. Their goal isn't to optimize charging, the goal is to avoid warranty repair or another recall so they went ultra conservative on charging profile.
I would like to know which EV has the same price and better charge providing the range is not shorter. However having a very conservative charging might prove positive for folks wanting to run about this EV for as many years as possible with minimal battery degradation. As a run about ALL Bolt owner love the car for years.This might be ok for owners like me keeping cars for 20 years with no considerable degradation of battery.
None. Right now Chevy is offering not only a $6300 reduction in price, the installation of the home charger, some other discounts (such as Costco membership or military vet), plus the tax credit of some sort comes back into play January 1, 2023. Nothing can touch it. That's why I'm "lumping it" when it comes to road trips. This car is affordable.
@@pearlsnollie Just picked up my Bolt 2LT yesterday. $33,000 including taxes, minus $4700 state/utility rebates, $6000 trade-in, with the $7500 tax credit later... A brand new EV for around $15,000. Max one way road trip of 250 miles. Plan to stop for a bite to eat. Truly, cannot be beat.
I don’t see the Bolt carrying on with the current battery as it would be the only GM EV using this older battery. I predict a new Bolt will come out soon based on the Ultium technology. Probably 53 kWh with a FWD 280 kw Ultium motor. This battery should support 150 kw charging.
I love my Bolt (2020 with no battery recall notice in sight, still waiting to hear from Chevy and deciding what to do when lease ends in 2-3 months) but we take trips that are less than 100 miles or we take the (horrendous gas mileage, 12-14mpg) FJ Cruiser. Feel like I’m in between a rock and a hard place. Now they want $10,000 over MSRP for anything coming on the market. What to do?
I wouldn't fret for too much longer. I've been following the Tesla forums and everyone is saying that Carmax, Vroom, Carvana are now lowering their buy offers to those wanting to off load their Tesla. Seems to be between $5-7k less from 6 months ago. We may see an increase in used EV inventory in the next 6 months, which will put pressure on sellers.
I need a low cost work-car. But after driving two Tesla mS for 5+ years, don’t think I could tolerate such slow charging. Is level 2 charging slow too and will it accept 11kW? What other EV charges faster in this price category?
I often feel that the dangers of electricity are quite over stated. Use proper wiring, remove as little insulation at possible, and you can quite easily and reasonably install a home EVSE.
BFD, if I had that range I'd probably go from DC charging once or twice a year to every 2 yr. Compared to a vehicle +$10k ? I'm glad he pointed out DC fast is more expensive, it's also less reliable.
And I thought my 2019 Niro was kind of slow charging. Wow! I can road trip the Niro ok. Funny thing is my Lightning charges twice as fast as my Niro, but it's got double the battery pack, so it's still the same amount of time to charge, but of course the Lightning has more range.
GM does not cover the cost of your charging equipment (unless it's an EUV); you have to pay for the 240V charger for the EV. They do pay for the hookup though to include the circuit breaker/GFI, wiring, and junction box for your charger or an Electrical NEMA 14-50R Receptacle and housing.
I do explain the Bolt comes with complimentary insulation, not the equipment itself. They will install the NEMA 14-50 outlet or hardwire the EVSE (if you have one) and prefer it permanently mounted.
Note: I think this same Bolt used for these testing UA-cam demonstration, might not be typical of Bolts that have received the latest software updates of 2023 and 2024: I'm hoping that's really the case, because technically ''under ideal conditions'' the 2022 Chevy Bolt should be capable of returning back 100 miles of range in the first 30 minutes not 36 minutes according to GM's technical specifications and sales literature.
Definitely slower than I got with my 2020 Bolt, which almost always goes above 50kW almost immediately. I did a 7700 mile road trip and never spent 2 hours at a charger. Typically I spent 45-75 minutes to go from around 10% (or lower) up to 60-75%. I just got my battery replaced last week. I’ll be interested to see if the charging curve has changed.
Why can't the Bolt keep a 50kw speed up to 80% or 85% or 90%.? I get that it has a top speed of 55kw. THe ID4 keeps 50kw to 80%. Just weird that the Bolt drops EVEN slower at 70%.
It's like you are comparing the iPhone 14 to the iPhone 10! Chevy made that decision in 2016; when your ID4 wasn't even a twinkle in VW's eye! Newer battery technology.
I have been renting ICEs on Uber. Wanted to try a EV. Got a Bolt. Had no idea this was only 55kw capable. Why would they offer these to someone who will drive the wheels off? It's infuriating!
This is the tourist trap EV, no doubt about it. Your on a family road trip, and you need to charge? Said town also has, say, the world's biggest X statue? Guess what you and the family are doing for the next hour! :D
The thermal management is a little underpowered (especially when charging in over 100°F ambient temperatures) but also the battery cells are cheap, and are only rated to charge at ~1C.
A different and older chemistry, basically unchanged from when they came out in 2017, although at that time it was pretty good. But making everything faster also makes a car cost a lot more. Same reason the Corolla sold well. Basic transport and most people can't afford $40K+ vehicles.
Do you know why the limit is 55 kW? Wire size in car? Poor battery chemistry that can’t take higher c rate? Poor battery cooling system to maintain temp at higher charging power? Something else?
The thing is, GM doesn't want to sell too many Bolts. They aren't going to give us super fast charging at that price. It's a quasi-compliance car subsidized by their gas guzzlers and it allows GM to sell more profitable gas vehicles in more regulated markets. Not a bad car, but GM would rather you buy something else in their portfolio.
GM has sold a lot of them, other than it's hard to get any car right now and probably will be for another 18 months. It's their low cost option but it doesn't pay for them to re-engineer it when the Ultium models are about to arrive.
Thanks for sharing. Yours were very low torque about 50% to were they should have been and in danger of the wheel coming off which could be tragic. This is terrible for Rivian.... its s brand new EV and not a ford pinto...
This is, by far the best, and most easily "digestible," charging analysis of the Bolt EV. Thank you Tom!
I definitely concur that the Bolt is a practical and suitable car, for the majority of consumer's use cases (it's the Toyota Corolla of EVs). I average +40k milew annually, and the Bolt is a pleasure to do it in. I Cannonballed my 2019 Bolt EV in 2019, which was probably the slowest Cannonball Run ever @ 78hrs and 59min ( ua-cam.com/video/O8hyzmS5GM4/v-deo.html ), but I proved: the CCS network worked cross country: the Bolt is capable for REALLY long, albeit a little bit slower road trips (4,000 miles in 5 days, 8,000 miles in 3 weeks); and I don't believe anyone has done a faster solo Cannonball Run in an EV (eat that Kyle Conner! 😁😜).
😊😊
My God, man! You stood there for over 2 hours and pressed the reset button over 130 times? That's dedication! You deserve some sort of medal. Or maybe nighthood or something. 😉 I think I would have imploded after about an hour!
So he wasted 1 hours to get 1% more? Just go home
I’m fine with this. 99+% of my driving is under 100 miles a day, and 99% of the driving above that is less than 200 miles one-way with plugs at either end. Frankly, I only have ONE trip every few years that would even require fast charging. I could just as easily fly and rent a car with the money I’d save on gas and maintenance alone over the years with a Bolt. I have a garage, I live 20 miles from work, less than 100 miles from most family and 180 miles to my in-laws who live on a lake so that’s our “vacation” spot. I get that this car won’t work for everyone, but for me? It’s almost ideal.
Actually, I think your situation is the norm for the majority of buyers. GM just announced they are going to double production of the bolt based on the strong demand from buyers. So apparently, people see strong value in spite of its lower DC charging rate. Really glad to hear this because for awhile the Bolt was rumored to be on its deathbed.
Still a great local/regional car for many people, especially at the price.
Yes, definitely.
I might buy a used one for a teenage driver in a couple of years.
@@appleiphone69 I'm afraid the Bolt is a bit too fast for a teenage driver.
I bought a 2022 Bolt about a month ago and I love it! Fits my life very well. I hardly ever do road trips, but I would still be fine doing a few if I had to. I would probably charge at like 25 or 30% though if I could. Never done an EV road trip, but seems simple enough if you plan [and in the case of the Bolt] have patience].
GM has said they had to limit the DC charge rate of the Bolt because the conductors between the charging port and battery pack are not thick enough to handle more power. However, that doesn’t make sense. If that was the case, it should pin to 55KW until 80% or more. That would make sense if it was a current limit, as 55KW at 80% is manageable for a large pack. They throttled the charging for another reason. If it was really the conductors, they could delay tapering until much deeper into the pack.
The peak rate may be limited by the particular CCS connector and the wiring they used, but the overall charging speed is limited by the battery. Look at the original Kona EV battery packs. They are a very, very similar design and chemistry as the 2020+ Bolt battery. They’re also made by LG, they’re about the same capacity and they had the same fire issues for the same reason. The Kona charges at a peak speed of about 75kw, but still has to taper charge rate fairly early. LG also accused them of charging the battery too fast when they started catching fire, and apparently one of the software updates they did slowed down the DCFC rate. I sold my Kona before then.
The Bolt is also limited by the internal resistance of the battery. The cooling has to work pretty hard to keep the battery comfortable even at the slow charging speeds when it is hot outside (100+ F). The battery will also heat up when there is a significant load on it, such as high speed (80mph+) driving or long hill climbs (like climbing a mountain pass).
Maybe they knew about potential issues all along or just for general battery health.
The positive side of this curve is that the conservative DC fast charging should make this battery last for many years with negligible degradation.
If it can discharge at 150kw it should be able to charge at 150kw.
During regen, the Bolt is actually capable of charging well beyond 50 kW. With use of the regen paddle, I can get charging speeds of up to 70 kW, and at battery levels just shy of 95%.
My guess that the battery is, in fact, able to tolerate charging speeds beyond 50 kW, so long as it's very brief (full regen doesn't normally last more than a couple of seconds). Sustained charging generates more heat, and probably requires slower speeds. The CCS connector cable may also be a limitation.
We have put 5500 miles on our 22 Bolt EV. We have done a couple of 250 mile round trips and one 500 mile roundtrip. The difference from our usage and what most of you folks do is, first, we charge at home 99% of the time. When we road trip, we never get below 30% and just put enough charge into the Bolt to either get home or get to another dcfc station. We never charge over 80% at a dcfc. We charge to 100% at home before a long trip but then only do 80% unless we are going to take a long trip. This ev ( previously we had a Volt and put less than $100 worth of gas in it in 20,000 miles). That should tell folks that most of us really dont need a warp speed dcfc vehicle Based on current pricing and taking into account the unneeded tax rebate next year, one can buy a Bolt L1 for under $20K. About half the cost of most base evs except for a Kona For 20-25k less cost I can live with slow dcfc times no more than we use them
GM should, and will improve their charging rate in the upcoming Acadia. That said, if you want to get a new EV for 30k today, there is still no competition for the Bolt. It has 259 mile range, a thermally managed pack, and CCS, not CHAEDEMO. What is Bolt's competition, a Leaf? Now get 45k together, you have options.
This is the way^
Nice! You're actually following the Kyle Conner from Out of Spec charging strategy. Just charge for what you need during a trip and hop to the next DC station. It's a very different mindset for EV's vs the old "fill er up" days from combustion engines.
I've got a 2015 Tesla Model S and follow the same strategy. 80% daily, 100% starting charge on trips, hop from dc to dc and only stay between 20-30 minutes max.
We just picked up our 2022 Bolt EUV less than two weeks ago and it has been great so far. We signed the papers at the dealership on Friday morning and I sent Qmerit my install photos that same day, via the very simple website process they walk you through. By Sunday we had an electrician assigned and it was installed Tuesday. We found some local pay DC charge stations and tested the apps over the weekend so we could get in plenty of drive time in the new ride, but having the home charging installed in less than 5 days from purchase was pretty impressive and went very smoothly. Chevrolet including the charger and home install of the 240V drop really made the purchase simple and our local dealer, Sands Chevrolet was really great through the purchase process as well. The price point of our 2022 Bolt EUV with the price reduction rebates of the 2023s rolled back to the 2022s, plus a family employee discount from GM made it a real no-brainer for a new commuter car that we don't really plan to use for long trips. Thanks for the review on the DC fast charging, it definitely matches our experience with a couple local charge times with Volta, EVgo and Electrify America. I will probably keep my eye out for a 40A charger for home, since the charger Chevrolet gives you is a 30A, so 7.6kw limited at home and the Bolt will do up to 11kw on Level 2. Figure if I'm going to buy a spare charger i might as well get a higher rate model that it can use for even a little faster home charging.
Bolt EUV and former 2019 Bolt EV owner here.
The fast charging for long trips isn’t great. The Bolt can still do long trips, I’ve done many between my 2 Bolts, but it will be slower than many other modern EVs.
That said, our daily use for our Bolt is a 90 mile/day commute. For that, the Bolt works brilliantly. We charge it at home daily, and it’s relatively efficient compared to many other EVs available today.
So, you really have to be realistic about your needs. If the majority of your usage of a vehicle is just daily commuting, even if your commute is pretty long, the Bolt EV/EUV will work great for you. If you long road trips (over 300 miles) at least once a month, you’ll want a faster charging EV. If you only do a few road trips per year, the Bolt will still work fine for you.
i just bought a bolt for a commute, so when i work 6 days a week driving 52 miles a day, its so worth the change,
An heroic effort, Tom! A few years back, I considered going with a Bolt, but I’m counting my blessings that I held off for another model. The charging shortcomings remind me of the long string of GM duds in the Roger Smith era. Fortunately, the Bolt is still a solid value for those just drive locally.
What did you buy?
What did you buy?
Tom, thanks for your hard work,
The new Bolt has a 65 kWh battery , not 66.
You're 100% right though, if you don't need a car to constantly take long trips the Bolt is a great option. The other thing I find is that the Bolt is available, trying to get a Kona in my area is next to impossible, most dealers don't want to sell you one. I called Toyota about the BZ4 and they are getting $10k over sticker for it and they are selling maxed out cars at $52k which is well over the low 30's the loaded Bolt Premier is going for. Now add $10k to that, taxes and, unless you're going to put $62k down, loan interest. Now you're talking a $70k plus car. I'll take the lower charging rates and save to $20k to $30k extra for a Subie, Toyota, Kia EV6 or Hyundai 5.
I regularly got between 52 and 54kW maximum a week ago on my first big road trip from the Midwest to the East Coast in my Bolt EUV at both EA and EVgo stations that were labeled 150kW+. Still slow but a bit better than what you experienced when filming. Fully agree with your final analysis!
As a senior citizen who drives a Bolt, I don't need an EV that charges in 15 minutes when I'm on a road trip. I appreciate having the 45 minutes it may take to get out, stretch, walk around, go to the bathroom, and sometimes even have lunch or a snack. My legs and hips just cannot sit in any car for more than about 90 minutes before I start cramping up. It's absolutely GREAT to have to get out of the car so I can add some electricity. The days of 900 miles/day road trips are way behind me. I do not agree with this guy's analysis.
Question - in a Chevy bolt Facebook group it was stated that the 50, 150, and 350 charging stations all charge a bolt in the same amount of time. I had no idea.
This video reminds me of a 300-mile trip I made recently to a trailhead over 100 miles from the nearest DC fast charger. ABRP was telling I would need to leave home with 100% and DC fast charge just 40 miles into the trip, back to 100%. Then, hit the same charger on the way back for a much quicker charger from 10% to 20%.
I knew the "fast" charge to 100% in a Bolt would be painfully slow, so I ignored ABRP and put together an alternate charging plan that replaced the 88%-100% "fast" charge on the way out with 30 minutes plugged into an L2 on the way back (The fast charge on the way back was still necessary, of the L2 would have taken unreasonably long, but doing it this way meant hitting the fast charger low down in the battery pack, greatly increasing the charging speed).
At least on paper, a DC charge from 88% to 100% is still at least slightly faster than a Level 2. However, a road trip is not a race, and using an L2 means shifting the charging from when you're full of energy to when you're tired, a few extra minutes is well worth it. Bottom line, ABRP is not a god, and it is ok to deviate from it if it makes your trip better, as long as you plan for contingencies and avoid single-points of failure where just one broken charger means calling for a tow truck.
Thanks for the great video! This is one of the two reasons holding me back and waiting for the Equinox EV. The second reason is how small the truck cargo area is.
The BOLT DCFC is definitely not for someone doing frequent road trips and pressed by time, BUT, a positive is that the battery pack should last as it isn't being fried by high power being shoved in it. Also, the majority of chargers are 50 kwh anyway. Therefore the Taycan's 350 isn't worth that much.
Thank you for going through the hassle of doing this and transferring it all into a graph. Great job😀
I charge my bolt to 80% on Monday and when I get home from work on Friday I’m at 10%. I have a NEMA 14-50 in my garage so I charge back to 80% and Friday and that gets me through the weekend. I used my Model Y down payment to pay cash for this car. It’s not a Tesla but it really good for what it is. I’m saving again for a Model Y to replace my gas car. Great video Tom!
I forgot to add that after watching Tom’s review of the ChargePoint Homeflex charger I purchased one and could not be happier!! Thanks Tom! 👍🏻
If you have an EVSE there is no reason not to keep it plugged in at home all the time. If you think you are protecting the battery be only charging it once a week, you aren't. Just set your charge limit to 75% and charge it every night.
Actually, this new Bolt is pretty darn close to the Y for what you need, less the charging rates. For commuters, it has strong regen braking for 1 pedal drive, supercruise for lane centering on long highway commutes, and has Apple Carplay with a really nice display. Best bang for the buck IMO.
Love the bolt ev I charge from 20-80 in about 45 minutes at electrify America . At home I charge at 9kw and it's more then fast enough. Qmerit installed my 240v nema 14-50 for free (paid by Chevy )
It took us 60 minutes - that's considerably faster, I've charged quite a few Bolts, but never added back 60% in 45 minutes. Very interesting.
@@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney and that's pretty consistent as well . Maybe I'm starting at 24 percent of something like that which could be accounting for the difference .
Thanks.
I’m about to buy a 2023 Bolt EUV as we’re not exactly long trippers. While your point is well made that its big battery and charging capability offers slow charging comparatively speaking, I’d like you to state examples of other EV’s that can come near its price point; because I think you also said one to do better spending their money on a different EV.
With my New Jersey $4000 instant EV rebate at the dealer, I’m going to be spending about $30,000 for a Premier Bolt EUV model that does not include moonroof or nav (always use google anyway), nor Super Cruise (not ready for THAT). Where else can I spend that little on a 2023 EV that gets nearly 250 miles in range?
At last, a brave YTer dared to say the truth. Nobody should care about how many kW is your EV able to draw during charging, but how many miles can you charge in a minute or how long does it take to charge enough energy to reach the next stop. 🤷♂️
There are other EV's that charge faster but nothing in the Bolt EV or EUV price range.
We have a Model Y and a Bolt EUV for all the around town runs. Fantastic and $31K out the door for a 2023 top trim in Oregon with a $2500 state credit is impossible to beat.
Yup- it's actually a great little EV, especially the recent refresh and fixed battery, just... WHY stuck w/ such horrible Nissan Leaf-level 50KW DCFC?!? Just put in a bigger cable or something, ... well, just don't use for roadtrips..
That's exactly the type of combination my family is going for. We already have an EUV, but we have a reservation in for the Blazer (likely the RS) to complete the duo next summer.
11:05 You look almost giddy proclaiming that the Chevy Bolt EV "isn't a great road tripping car" here, but I don't think that's accurate. As I've stated in the past, there's a difference between "road tripping" and "cannonball running." Considering the Bolt EV can hit close to EPA rated range at 70 mph, you're talking about 3 hours of driving before you even need to think about stopping for the first time. And under real-world conditions, the Bolt EV will add about 50% in about 30 minutes, meaning an average lunch stop will get you back on the road with another hour and a half of driving. Throw in a couple more 15- to 20-minute bathroom/coffee/rest/shopping stops, and you've just traveled 400 to 500 miles in a day of relaxed driving.
For a lot of people, that is "road tripping." And for them, "road tripping" is not blasting down the road at 80+ mph, stopping for 10 minutes, and getting back on the road for another hour before stopping again for 10 minutes. There are other factors to consider and improvements that GM needs to make, of course, but the Bolt EV is definitely not "just a city car."
Excellent point sir ^
The bolt is excellent for every day driving. The road trip I use gas powered vehicle. A lot of people like me that are just now getting into EVs still have gas vehicles that don't do anything anymore much. Perfect timing for the bolt to be out.
Or, instead of maintaining the extreme expense of having a second vehicle for long trips, which, for most people are infrequent, you could just rent a car for road trips. A much cheaper solution for people who only do long trips a few times a year.
Depends if you're an individual or a family. For an individual, multiple cars is a waste of money. But, families often need multiple cars anyway so that the two adults can commute to different jobs in different places at the same time. If a family already has two gas cars, then decides to replace one of the gas cars with an EV, then they will already have that gas car in the driveway alongside the EV, whether the EV is a Leaf or a Lucid. And, when your driveway already has a gas car in it, paying tens of thousands more on the EV for faster road trips especially doesn't make sense.
@@ab-tf5fl Totally agree. A Bolt along with a minivan or truck would complement each other real nice in the driveway in terms of maximum utility and cost savings. Use the Bolt for the daily town runs, and the minivan/truck for the hauling, towing, family trips.
I've had a Bolt for about 2 weeks and will augment it with an 08 extended Chrysler T&C. When I want to take a couch up to our cottage (109 miles one way), grab 20 bags of mulch from HD, or take a couple of friends and our dogs across Michigan I'm in great shape. If I want to go to work and visit several buildings in my county I'm in great shape with the Bolt.
Have a Model YLR & a Bolt Euv, has made a great combo for us.
And my 2022 bolt charges every day on a fast charger up to 55 kW it takes a belt 30 to 45 minutes to get to 80% and then from 80% to 100% takes another 45 minutes to an hour I hope this helps
I think the issue is either the low percentage you started with or possibly the battery pack temperature at the time you started the charge. I noticed the same issue with the 2022 Bolt EV when I would start a charge session under 5%, but even stopping the charging and restarting it between 10% and 20% would "reset" the charge profile and it would almost immediately start drawing over 50 kW between 15% and 55%.
Until I watched this I didn't think the Bolts were that slow to recharge, however, I think there is a Bolt EUV in my future unless the upcoming Equinox EV makes more sense. Having said the preceeding I think the Bolt makes a perfect 2nd car for family use or as primary and only vehicle for most retired folks. Besides we all know if you need to take that occasional long road trip renting a vehicle is still a great solution.
The Equinox EV is at least a year plus away. That said, it will have the new Ultium battery technology.
Our 2020 Bolt with original battery has achieved a real world DC max fast charge of 54 kWh on several occasions when starting charge at 20+ SOC. A recent 750 mile trip to Denver from mid Missouri on I70 was no trouble at all. We are due to get a new battery soon perhaps next week. Tom’s data suggest next trip to Colorado will be slower 😢
We just had the battery replaced on our 2020 Bolt LT. Having viewed Tom's video previously, I felt it important to check out fast charging for this car with the replacement battery. I went to an EV Connect 350kW charger with 12% SOC and constructed a charge curve (took data every 5 minutes) from 12-80% SOC. The first 2 minutes started at 52 kW and afterwards for the next 80 miserable minutes was at a nearly constant 32kW charging speed. The car was warmed up and the temps outside were between 65 and 70 degrees. To get 100 miles of range took 45 minutes. This is in contrast to what GM on their website that the car will take on 100 miles of range in 30 minutes. I've contacted GM but am skeptical that they will make any adjustments to speed up the charging curve to what it was on the original battery (see comment above).
Just wow. You are committed. ❤
Thank you!
Tom says GM pays for installation of your "charging equipment." This is only partially correct. GM, through Qmerit, only pays for installation of a 240 V outlet and a breaker for your electrical panel. A 240 V outlet is required for Level 2 charging, but you can do Level 2 charging using only the 240 V outlet and the charging unit with cable that comes with your Bolt.
GM's Qmerit program DOES NOT INCLUDE installation of a charging unit (such as those made by ChargePoint, JuiceBox, etc.), even if you buy the charger--unless you pay extra. You work this out with the electrician. Qmerit basically just connects you with an electrician and pays the bill, again, for the outlet, wiring and breaker only.
Note: There are reasons why you might want to add a charger on your wall made by companies such as those named above, but as noted above, you don't need a wall-type charger for Level 2 charging.
A good video nonetheless.
Thanks for the video.
My '23 Bolt ev LT1 will be my commuter, and my '05 vw jetta diesel wagon will be my travelling car.
If this slower charging makes the battery last longer, I'll take it.
Great job on this anylisis.
Thanks Tom, for continuing doing videos on the bolt, hope to get mine this year.
Note: 75 minutes to accomplish 200 miles of range was his experience in this video-demonstration (see minute 13:20) however it appears this was done under
near perfect outdoor temperatures, as evidenced by his shorts and shirt casual wear: It could take easily 20 to 30% longer I suspect if the outdoors temperatures were above
85 degrees, from May to September which is often the case day and night in the SouthWest, so decide accordingly:
Great job Tom, glad you had the patience to last the hours to do the charging! Would a second charge demo result in the same time?
I've charged the Bolt a few times now. Every session is slightly different, but the overall results were all very similar, within ~5% of each charging session.
Машина огонь!
Поаккуратнее катайтесь на них, нам потом на них ещё езить. :)
good job keeping a (mostly) straight face for this video! I wonder if the waiting for a tow allowed the battery to cool more than usual for your 0-100% charge session right after the 70mph range test.
One other point to make about the practicality of EVs like the Bolt is that in a 2 or more car household, one can be only for around town while the other (gas, hybrid, plug-in hybrid or fancier EV) handles road trips or big towing. We usually take our Mustang Mach E on 300-400 mile trips, but when doing a 500 mile trip into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Northern Wisconsin where DCFC is very limited, we took the Cmax Energi plug-in and made our way using gas. I can see two truck households doing similar vehicle combos.
It was nearly 90F out, so the battery was certainly warm
You said that there "other EVs" [by which I presume you meant long range EVs] "that are similarly priced but can charge much faster". Could you name them? The only ones I can think of are the Kona/Niro, which are only "similarly priced" because Congress has blessed them with a tax break and not Chevy -- and not for long. Are there any others?
Basically, an hour of charging for every 3 hours or driving, approximately.
My last long trip into the Sierras, approximately 210 miles each way (it was an out and back), I charged for 30 minutes during a stop on the way out, and we stopped for lunch and charged for about 65 minutes on the way back, so so approximately 1.5 hours of charging for those 400 miles out on the road. I obviously started with a full charge at the beginning, so those charging minutes were not counted against the trip, which personally, I don't think they should be.
Personally, if you are keeping your round trip distances under 500 miles, or if you have charging at your destination (I didn't, as our campground in Kings Cyn did not have electric hookups), then charging on the road is not a big deal, even for the Bolt. Do I want faster? sure. Do I need it? Is it REALLY an inconvenience? Only because I don't have a lot of charging choices along most of my trips. As infrastructure grows, this will become a non-issue, even for cars like the Bolt.
What is similarly priced?
I charge at $0.06 per kwh at home at 10kw. So I can fully charge at home overnight on my $160 level 2 charger. I had the same experience on a recent 500 road trip. I stopped 3 times and waited 2 1/2 hours to charge overall to charge 105 kwh at an average of 42kw. The trick is to charge between 20% and 80%.
My understanding is the hard limit for the Bolt is a 150a limit on the charging system/cables.
There is a handshake between the Bolt and the charging station. Do we know how much of the limit is caused by the charger versus the Bolt?
That miles per min stat on the 0-80% SOC is a great metric, do you have that in a comparison chart for all the models you have tested. Would be interesting to see them stacked next to each other.
My understanding is that GM engineered the charging process for the Bolt to maximize battery life. This supposedly allows customers to recharge to 100% on a regular basis without being detrimental to the battery pack. This also allows them to offer the battery warranty without too much financial exposure over the long run
How you done also the 2023 Hyundai Kona Electric SEL?
Hope you can recommend me one of the two . Thanks you
Great video Tom. I liked how you mentioned the miles of range for every minute charging from 0% - 80% and 80 - 100.
Can you do a review on Autel Maxicharger
Can you do the EV6 light charge test? That would be awesome
Other EVs "similarly priced" that can DC fast charge faster? I got my 2020 Bolt for $24.5K in 2020, and after an accident got my 2022 for $32K in 2022. In mid-America, the only EV with similar range and near price is the ID.4, and that's $42K+ -- if you can find one, or you have to wait a year+ for a reservation.
Exactly! If you want/need faster DCFC charging, in today's market, you must pay more for that feature.
I don't understand why this never when above 50kW. My 2017 with a new battery (so in theory the same BMS software) will very reliably hit ~53kW until about 50%. Though that changes if the battery is heat soaked to over ~100°F (I live in Phoenix) or if the battery is overly cold.
Do you by chance remember what the outside temperature was when you did this charge? I'm trying to figure out if the 2022s just have a lower peak, or if the battery was outside its (admittedly narrow) preferres temperature range.
It was about 88. I think GM adjusted the charging rate a little after the recall fiasco.
@@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney Oh weird, that's basically the perfect temperature 🤔
I'm not sure, but I have a feeling there was something going on such as low ambient temperature as well. My 2022 Launch Edition EUV holds 53-54kW from 13% until about 55% as well it then starts a very gradual taper until 72ish %. My last 3 Electrify America charges were 25.87kWh in 31 mins, car started at 30% finished at 68%, second one was 24.65kWh in 28 mins, car started at 13%, finished at 51% and the 3rd was 45kWh in 61 mins, car started at 13% and finished at 76% this charger was also limited to 50kW DC max.
Tom... great work... but dont block the highway ever again! 🤣😎🤓
So, you mentioned there were several alternative "large battery" EVs at a similar price point that are a better choice for a long trip vehicle. Which EVs were you think about? ID4 from Tennessee may be comparable. But Its a lot more expensive for the 250 mile+ version. Equinox is not out yet. Kia and Hyundai not available many places and not eligible for 7500 tax rebate. MME and Tesla are much more expensive. Leaf is junque. So where are these (mythical) competitors? The only thing keeping me from a Bolt is the DCFC slow rate.
Good point. I'm looking at the ID.4 and the Bolt EUV. I like the size of the Bolt better, but its slow DCFC charge rate is keeping me from deciding on one or the other. The base Bolt EUV is at least $10,000 cheaper than the base ID.4. And on the trims I'd get, there's a $15,000 price difference. The ID.4 is a better car, but $15,000 better?
On 2023 Bolt EUV you need a DC fast charger that can provide over 150 amps to see charge rates of 55 kWh. Pack voltage is around 360 volts not 400. Under ideal conditions you can charge over 50 kWh from 1% to 50%. I use EVGO 200 amp chargers. Also you will never see rates close to this when outside temps are below 45 degrees.
Ooof, that's brutal. Bolt EV was slow before but now it's basically punishment to DC charge on a road trip.
Good part is, these batteries will last much longer than ones in cars that charge a LOT faster.
Hi Tom, with all your video reviews of EVSEs would you be able to do a video investigating nuisance tripping? How significant of a problem it is and whether or not any brands have more issues than others? I know Qmerit and I believe you now recommend hard wiring generally, but how much of an issue is it really?
From what I've heard, the only bottle neck in the Bolt's DCFC rate is the cable going from the CCS port to the battery pack is too thin. If that's true, then why isn't GM spending the extra $50 to increase the gauge of the wires? We know the battery pack can handle it. Hyundai/Kia use the same exact battery cells in the Kona EV and Niro EV and they can do 80kW.
Also, my Bolt has never reached peak charging rates. Highest I've seen it is 51kW at ~20%.
I'm not sure that's 100% correct. I know GM has given that explanation, but as you said, if it really were that easy, they would have done it already because it would definitely sell more Bolts.
@@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney Yeah, that's why I've kind of been doubtful of it. I sort of hope it's just a software limit, because then it means the Bolt could receive an update to increase the charging limit. Right now it's limited to 150 amps, but rarely seems to even reach that limit. At least not since the battery fire updates and swaps. Hyundai/Kia goes up to the full 200 amps.
I’m a newbie and watched several videos before I found yours. You’ve confused me. The term “DC Fast charge” is used elsewhere as apart and above Level 2 charging, most commonly with Teslas, and not with the Bolt. Can you explain?
So what's the fast charge sweet spot, 10% to 75 or 80%?
What's crazy is there were 2017-2020 models that didn't even have DCFC capabilities, as it was an option that you had to add on.
I hope Ford updated the the Mach-e, as when I rented one, DCFC above 80% was even slower than with the Bolt.
Yeah, Ford did improve the charging rate from 80% to 90%
2021 Mach-Es and newer have been updated to charge from 80% to 90% in 15 minutes. It holds between 38-43kW all the way to ~93%.
GM made DCFC an "option" so marketing could say it costs less than $30,000 ($29,995 with then Federal Tax Credit). I consider it criminal each time I read about a newbie EV driver buying a DCFC-less used Bolt EV with no disclosure of its being missing and the regret they feel after such a large expenditure!
Does only supercharging hurt the battery ?? I want to get the car but I would only be able to supercharge it because I live in a apartment
Thanks for the analysis!! 10-80% still abt 75 min…… as you said, seems way conservative. Wonder if they’ve got enough cooling to enable higher rates (if they put in higher rated cabling too). PAINFULLY conservative charging rate. It’s the one thing that has kept me looking at other EV’s. Thanks again Tom!
Why did GM build it with such slow charging time? Was there something that they saved money on that causes that? A really cheap charger/inverter?
If they could just bump up the charge rate to 65kW (to match the battery) and hold it to 80% SOC, it would be a much more tolerable result. That would get about 200 miles of (Summertime) range back in about 48 minutes (the duration of a lazy lunch). I wonder if they could do something like that purely with software updates? Are they being too cautious and needlessly harming the marketability of their car? I want the Bolt to succeed because it seems to be the only one trying to be affordable right now.
Here's hoping.
The new Bolt battery packs have a very narrow window of temperature. If it is too cold OR too hot it will de-rate your charging speed. You have to be in a very narrow "goldilocks zone" to hit 55 KW of charging... if ambient temperature is above 80 it will be too hot. With the old pack you got good charging speeds unless the pack was extremely hot... now with the new pack it is very rare to hit the theoretical peak charging speed.
That was probably it. It was 88F when I did this, probably too hot.
@@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney Yup, and the problem for anyone doing a real world road trip is that it will almost always be either too hot or too cold, never "just right". Chevy has abandoned this battery technology and moved on to Ultium. Their goal isn't to optimize charging, the goal is to avoid warranty repair or another recall so they went ultra conservative on charging profile.
I would like to know which EV has the same price and better charge providing the range is not shorter. However having a very conservative charging might prove positive for folks wanting to run about this EV for as many years as possible with minimal battery degradation. As a run about ALL Bolt owner love the car for years.This might be ok for owners like me keeping cars for 20 years with no considerable degradation of battery.
What are the other similiarly priced EVs that do better fast charging?
None. Right now Chevy is offering not only a $6300 reduction in price, the installation of the home charger, some other discounts (such as Costco membership or military vet), plus the tax credit of some sort comes back into play January 1, 2023. Nothing can touch it. That's why I'm "lumping it" when it comes to road trips. This car is affordable.
@@pearlsnollie Just picked up my Bolt 2LT yesterday. $33,000 including taxes, minus $4700 state/utility rebates, $6000 trade-in, with the $7500 tax credit later... A brand new EV for around $15,000. Max one way road trip of 250 miles. Plan to stop for a bite to eat. Truly, cannot be beat.
Better than the Leaf Plus I used to have
I don’t see the Bolt carrying on with the current battery as it would be the only GM EV using this older battery. I predict a new Bolt will come out soon based on the Ultium technology. Probably 53 kWh with a FWD 280 kw Ultium motor. This battery should support 150 kw charging.
Yes, the Equinox looks like the new Bolt.
I love my Bolt (2020 with no battery recall notice in sight, still waiting to hear from Chevy and deciding what to do when lease ends in 2-3 months) but we take trips that are less than 100 miles or we take the (horrendous gas mileage, 12-14mpg) FJ Cruiser. Feel like I’m in between a rock and a hard place. Now they want $10,000 over MSRP for anything coming on the market. What to do?
Buy it at the end of your lease; even if you only resell it!
I wouldn't fret for too much longer. I've been following the Tesla forums and everyone is saying that Carmax, Vroom, Carvana are now lowering their buy offers to those wanting to off load their Tesla. Seems to be between $5-7k less from 6 months ago.
We may see an increase in used EV inventory in the next 6 months, which will put pressure on sellers.
Yes it is best for around town. I can't see road tripping in this small a car anyhow.
I need a low cost work-car. But after driving two Tesla mS for 5+ years, don’t think I could tolerate such slow charging.
Is level 2 charging slow too and will it accept 11kW? What other EV charges faster in this price category?
Yes the Bolt EUV and the 2022+ Bolt EV's can do 11kW level 2 charging..
I often feel that the dangers of electricity are quite over stated. Use proper wiring, remove as little insulation at possible, and you can quite easily and reasonably install a home EVSE.
BFD, if I had that range I'd probably go from DC charging once or twice a year to every 2 yr.
Compared to a vehicle +$10k ?
I'm glad he pointed out DC fast is more expensive, it's also less reliable.
I now own a 2023 bolt EV and I agree with me
And I thought my 2019 Niro was kind of slow charging. Wow! I can road trip the Niro ok. Funny thing is my Lightning charges twice as fast as my Niro, but it's got double the battery pack, so it's still the same amount of time to charge, but of course the Lightning has more range.
GM does not cover the cost of your charging equipment (unless it's an EUV); you have to pay for the 240V charger for the EV. They do pay for the hookup though to include the circuit breaker/GFI, wiring, and junction box for your charger or an Electrical NEMA 14-50R Receptacle and housing.
I do explain the Bolt comes with complimentary insulation, not the equipment itself. They will install the NEMA 14-50 outlet or hardwire the EVSE (if you have one) and prefer it permanently mounted.
Note: I think this same Bolt used for these testing UA-cam demonstration, might not be typical of Bolts that have received the latest software updates of 2023 and 2024:
I'm hoping that's really the case, because technically ''under ideal conditions'' the 2022 Chevy Bolt should be capable of returning back 100 miles of range in the first 30 minutes
not 36 minutes according to GM's technical specifications and sales literature.
What about the Kona. Should be better than this. Would be a good comparison. That can hit close to 80kw/h
Definitely slower than I got with my 2020 Bolt, which almost always goes above 50kW almost immediately. I did a 7700 mile road trip and never spent 2 hours at a charger. Typically I spent 45-75 minutes to go from around 10% (or lower) up to 60-75%. I just got my battery replaced last week. I’ll be interested to see if the charging curve has changed.
It has, for the worse, by all accounts thus far, sadly.
I love this car works fine for me I’m a Uber Driver
I can always count on Chevy Bolts using the 350Kw dispensers.
With my 2023 EUV on a 150kw, i hit 52kw
Why can't the Bolt keep a 50kw speed up to 80% or 85% or 90%.? I get that it has a top speed of 55kw. THe ID4 keeps 50kw to 80%. Just weird that the Bolt drops EVEN slower at 70%.
It probably CAN, but the software GM has installed limits it. Now 100% sure why
It's like you are comparing the iPhone 14 to the iPhone 10!
Chevy made that decision in 2016; when your ID4 wasn't even a twinkle in VW's eye!
Newer battery technology.
I have been renting ICEs on Uber. Wanted to try a EV. Got a Bolt. Had no idea this was only 55kw capable. Why would they offer these to someone who will drive the wheels off? It's infuriating!
Kyle might have a panic attack if he took a Bolt on a road trip
Big battery energy
FPL chargers are nice FL
This is the tourist trap EV, no doubt about it.
Your on a family road trip, and you need to charge? Said town also has, say, the world's biggest X statue?
Guess what you and the family are doing for the next hour! :D
Is the battery in the Bolt that different than any other EV? Less cooling perhaps?
The thermal management is a little underpowered (especially when charging in over 100°F ambient temperatures) but also the battery cells are cheap, and are only rated to charge at ~1C.
A different and older chemistry, basically unchanged from when they came out in 2017, although at that time it was pretty good. But making everything faster also makes a car cost a lot more. Same reason the Corolla sold well. Basic transport and most people can't afford $40K+ vehicles.
Do you know why the limit is 55 kW? Wire size in car? Poor battery chemistry that can’t take higher c rate? Poor battery cooling system to maintain temp at higher charging power? Something else?
The thing is, GM doesn't want to sell too many Bolts. They aren't going to give us super fast charging at that price. It's a quasi-compliance car subsidized by their gas guzzlers and it allows GM to sell more profitable gas vehicles in more regulated markets. Not a bad car, but GM would rather you buy something else in their portfolio.
GM has sold a lot of them, other than it's hard to get any car right now and probably will be for another 18 months. It's their low cost option but it doesn't pay for them to re-engineer it when the Ultium models are about to arrive.
I got that impression two years ago while getting an oil change and looking at this car in the showroom.
Makes me appreciate my Kia Niro lol
As long as you are not a 6' tall Uber Driver and need legroom for 3 comfortable passengers in the back seat!
@@MikieLAX true, I’m 6’5 and the Niro front seat is great but back seats are little
I don't understand what the surprise is? This is coming from Chevy that statement alone should be enough
Is taking
Long road trips really a things still?
Thanks for sharing. Yours were very low torque about 50% to were they should have been and in danger of the wheel coming off which could be tragic. This is terrible for Rivian.... its s brand new EV and not a ford pinto...