Note that this video is only to share areas where the Bolt EV still shines compared to a modern competitor, not to say the Bolt is better overall. We have a laundry list of things we love about the IONIQ 5 but that's for a future video!
One more thing. While the Ioniq 5 is yet to find its fans, the Bolt has already won the hearts and unconditional loyalty of many of its owners. The Bolt is an absolutely loveable car.
Very true, thanks. If GM can take that Bolt loyalty and translate it to bring people into the Equinox and Blazer EVs, Ultium will get off to a great start.
I still hold that the Bolt EV and EUV are the best EVs on the used market today. They all have new batteries due to the recall and have shown to be good vehicles in general. Seriously considering buying one in the near future.
Couldn't agree more. It was an outstanding EV deal before the recall and, strangely, there's a good chance that the whole debacle will end up making Bolts an even better used option.
@@kylenorthrop2398 Good point. For someone like me that will very rarely need to fast charge, I don't mind the wait, but I have to say that 55kw would be painfully slow.
I still Own my original Bolt I bought back in 2017 they put a new Battery and got extra Range,I already put 155,000 miles on it and so far they only major maintenance I done is Tires,Cabin Filter tire Rotation,and I'm looking into maybe replacing my shocks but other than that it's a great car I will never go back to gas Car ever again.
A couple weeks ago we swapped our 2020 Bolt EV LT for our Brand New, November 2021 built 2022 Bolt EUV Premiere. I absolutely Love the EUV, particularly in regards to its ride quality... That extra 6" makes a big difference! Plus the equipment upgrades... Premiere vs LT are wonderful. Love the sunroof, Bose Stereo, Leather Heated, & Cooled Seats, and Adaptive Cruise. I really don't think Chevy should have discontinued the Volt, I traded one in on our first Bolt... Additionally, I think they will make a mistake if they discontinue the Bolt, as mentioned below by several of our fellow Bolt owners... with just a few tweaks it could be the viable "Affordable" option for the masses! Chevrolet's President said last week that only their Corvette owners are more loyal to their cars than their Bolt owners. I found that interesting and as a fellow owner very believable!
Great to hear, congrats Terry! It will be interesting to see if GM tries to reinvent the Bolt for its Ultium era, but the story of the Volt does show they don't mind retiring a model that owners swear by if it doesn't fit the bigger picture plan. With the Equinox EV intended to come in around the $30K mark, it becomes tough to see where the Bolt lives unless they're willing to drop MSRP below $25K. Time will tell but I hope the Bolt survives in some form, of course.
Thanks Steve. I often comment on how reviewers focus on things that aren't especially important to a lot of EV drivers, at least in my age group, glad you do. We want a dependable car with high efficiency. Because the Bolt is so efficient we have been able to keep it charged and remain off grid, that's a big plus for us. The other thing many people don't realize is that as cars get heavier tires don't last as long. Also the heavier the car the bigger the tires and more costly when it does come to change them. We have a set of snows on rims and never have had a problem in our Catskill Mountain winters so we don't need all wheel drive either. I would say that 90% of our driving is within 150 miles range and the Bolt does it beautifully. We just got over 600 pounds of potting soil and wood chips for my wife's garden and got it all in the Bolt, it's a strong car and I remember when it first came out the engineers talking about six or seven different metals in the chassis. If you look under the car you can see how much aluminum is used along with the doors, hatch and hood. Our lease is up in January, with all the new EV's out it will be a tough choice replacing it. I think Eric has over 150k on his Bolt, I don't know if he got his new battery yet but he'll essentially have a new car with longer range. It's really good to see you guys taking long trips, I think range anxiety is from people who don't own EV's, we've never had in the Bolt.
Thanks, always appreciate the feedback on what people like to see and other use cases. Being in a metro area, we don't even look at range any more in local use. Efficiency is of interest for comparison purposes, but we top up a lot on free public L2 chargers and just plug in at home when either car gets down to 20-30%, so it's interesting to hear of cases where maximizing local efficiency is important. Eric hasn't had his pack replacement yet (that I've seen) and I'm sure he's fine waiting. Getting his 2017 close to 200k miles on the original, assessing degradation, then getting a fresh pack with greater capacity would be great to see!
7:00 I've found that relying on the Min estimate under 50% battery typically results in arriving with about 10% more than what was displayed. So if my Min reads "100 miles" and I'm about 100 miles out from the charger, I most often arrive with around 10 miles of range left. It's even more conservative over 50% battery, and it's easy to see as much as a 30% difference between actual and projected range.
I'm glad I got sucked into the nuances of the Enhanced display in this video, because it seems like it's not acknowledged as a feather in the Bolt's cap as widely as I'd thought. And it teases out useful observations like this from veteran Bolters that I can now put to the test in the 2020 :-) We typically just go by the "charge to a 20-mile buffer" rule of thumb based on the main GOM estimate, so I haven't observed the min quite that carefully.
@@plugandplayEV Back when I didn't know better, I got burned once using the GOM to charge to a 20-mile buffer. The GOM was overly optimistic because I had just driven on back roads, and was about to get on the interstate. On top of this, the interstate stretch had multiple mountain passes to deal with. Nowadays, I mostly ignore the GOM and look at the actual battery level. For highway driving, I want at least 5% battery per 10 miles remaining to the next charger, plus an additional 15% battery as a cushion, plus more if I have to deal with big hills or very cold temperatures. (For back road driving, efficiency is better, but chargers tend to be more limited if anything goes wrong, so you need to be more cautious).
Great presentation and you are spot on. And I always prefer the opinions of a person who knows what he’s talking about because he has hands on experience with the two cars rather those persons who talk about what they read/listened on UA-cam.
Thanks! They're very different EVs in many ways but it's what we know and the comparisons will show how far we've come, as well as what Hyundai still needs to work on.
Thanks for the overview, Steve! I definitely see the Bolt EV/EUV as still viable, and surprisingly, I think there are some very basic, simple changes GM could do that would make it viable for years to come. Two basic changes that could be made on the existing chassis: 200 A CCS harness and an LFP battery. While I know that people would poo-poo that as the charging being "too slow" for a modern EV, I disagree. It would easily get the Bolt EV's cost down to about $20,000 to $25,000 MSRP, but LFP has some hidden benefits, too. Even with higher energy LFP cells, the battery can charge at 1 C all the way to 80%, and they can often charge to full in ~1 hour. So a 60+ kWh LFP Bolt EV would still have about 250 miles of real-world range, and it could charge to near full during the average meal stop. That's 7 to 8 hours of driving with a single 1 hour stop, that can be done on a majority of public chargers (i.e., 150+ kW not required). Not bad for a $25,000 car.
NewsCoulomb! If anyone knows Bolt's its you. The LFP battery would be awesome in the Bolt, but it would desperately need a pre-condition for fast charging though.
@@user-oo3uj5ku9r Thanks, and definitely! Based on what we've seen with the HUMMER EV, GM might be looking at a offering a driver-controlled preconditioning button moving forward, which would go a long way.
For sure, there's really nothing else at that price point that can check so many boxes. Whether or not we'll see improvements with so much focus on Ultium models, I'm skeptical, but the Bolt has a role to play for many years to come either way. As a used option once the packs are replaced, nothing will match it. Thanks for the thoughts!
Eric, thanks and thanks for your excellent channel, as a Bolt owner for the last 5 plus years it has been a great help. Not sure about the LPF batteries though. I use them in our off grid system and they are very good but their charging can be tricky, especially when you approach full charge. Also they don't like low temps so you have to condition them especially in my cold winter climate. There are trade offs. I think the greater charge cycles is certainly a plus but look how little degradation you got on your 2017 batteries.
@@mosfet500 Thanks! Yes, it's true that LFP is a little more temperature sensitive, but overall, the cells and chemistry has advanced a lot. I'm using LFP in my first Ford Ranger EV battery rebuild, so we'll see how that goes. I'm also planning on integrating DCFC, so this should be a good test for those cells.
As a local runabout or daily commuter, the Bolt EV is arguably the best car out there. Zippy acceleration, nimble handling, and small footprint makes it perfect around town. For patient people, it'll road trip just fine. It always shocks me to see Bolt EVs in remote locations.
I like the kick of having the Bolt in a place it shouldn't be, according to naysayers... punting around the midwest with MA plates at a time when cross-country DCFC didn't exist was always fun, for example. Looking forward to having both cars on a road trip together this summer. It will be interesting to see where the IONIQ 5's charging speed really makes a difference, and where it's just an additional chore to move the car because it's ready to leave before we are.
At the moment, supply is likely still a bit constrained, so any that have a battery replacement and are under 40-50,000 miles would be a great find. As supply increases and lease returns continue, look for 2017-'19 models that have had the pack replacement. Mileage won't matter much as long as the pack is relatively new (mid-late 2022 replacement would be a steal). There are a few advantages to the 2020+ models, including slightly better cameras, but the new pack basically resets the clock on key factors like battery capacity, warranty, and degradation.
@@anirbano from a battery and motor perspective, any used Bolt EV 2017-2020 is practically the same since they all had their batteries swapped to the new 66kWh (65kWh usable). If you can afford it, just get a new base Bolt EV for the new car warranty.
@@anirbano you can get a 2023 for $27800 base model. Or you can get $6000 off a new 2022 at dealerships right now. If you get from dealership the battery has been replaced.
I just got got back yesterday from a 4200 mi road trip in my '21 Bolt. (Ohio to Las Vegas and back in 7 days). GM got so many things right with the car, my only complaints would be the cruise control buttons could have been designed better. I can't distinguish which button I'm pushing without glancing down at them. Also, I wish I could leave the ambient light strip around the dash illuminated when the dash lights are turned down to their lowest position.
And other reviews say you can't road trip a bolt. Steve and Eric from newscolumb prove that wrong and I am glad you did the trip from Ohio to show there is more than Elon musk and tesla
Amazing trip, especially with the time window, nice work! Obviously the DCFC rate would be my primary wish for upgrade on any Bolt and has been for a few years. Beyond that, they got so many of the EV fundamentals right that I really have nothing to complain about. For the money they were going for before the expanded recall, you get a whole lot of EV.
@@markfitzpatrick6692 Speaking of Tesla, when I was charging in Cedar City, Utah, people were showing up at Electrify America and trying to figure out how to plug their Teslas into the CCS charging stations. Apparently, the Tesla routing was sending them to the Supercharger in Cedar City, but the entire charging station was under construction, and completely fenced off. I was trying to help a frantic woman who arrived there with only 8 miles of range left. After exhausting all of the reasonable possibilities (nobody had a Chademo adapter), I told her the best option was to call a tow truck, and have it put on a flatbed and towed to the nearest supercharger. Tesla had some very unhappy owners that day.
I see so many comments about how wonderful Tesla's charging network is and it's true, however I see them in L2 spots near work all the time, some just hogging the spot others charging, I think it's cheaper than the superchargers.
@@plugandplayEV My top ask would also be faster DCFC charging. But, I would also like a more accurate indicator of battery level, independent of the GOM. This is especially important when the battery is low - 6% vs. 10% is a big difference. Yes, you can get it with TorquePro, but this is something that really should be just built in.
Thanks. You answered a bunch of questions I had comparing the two cars. I own a Bolt and very interested in moving up to the Ioniq 5. I can't believe the Ioniq 5 doesn't have rear heated seats.
Glad it helped. I don't think lack of rear heated seats will impact our regular use much, but it's a notable difference for sure. The addition of ventilated seats in the front of the I5 and air vents for rear passengers, which the Bolt lacks, sort of offsets that miss, at least for the summer months.
Thanks Steve. Well thought out and presented. I get questions from people who want an EV about my recommendation for the "best" one. I'll be sure to point them to this comparison (and maybe the positives of the Hyundai in a future video). Just as an aside, people I talk to want a Tesla because they've heard so much about them, but when they see the price and delivery times, they're looking for alternatives.
Thanks Tom, help to share is always appreciated! And yes, plenty of content coming soon on the positives of the I5. It's hard to predict where the market is going right now, but gas prices and increased media exposure are definitely turning heads towards all-electric models. It's no surprise that often starts with Tesla, but for the moment they have little to offer entry-level customers. Older EVs are going to be crucial for establishing a thriving used market and OEMs really need to ramp production of models like the base ID4, EV6, and IONIQ 5 to give new buyers an affordable option while the tax credit and state incentives are still available.
As a 17,000 mile owner of a dual motor Ioniq5 and a 17 bolt premier, I have lots of thoughts on this subject. So glad I kept the bolt when I picked up the Ioniq 5 in December. I still like both alot. The ioniq 5 is so smooth and quiet and faster than the bolt. The value of the bolt as a city car is fantastic. The bolt used is half the price with about the same range and a brand new battery. The seats are much better and I scan sit much lower then in the bolt. The charging speed is a game changer on road trips. 4 times faster! And free EA charging for two years.
Neat summary of our feelings as well, thanks! This one was important to get out first because clearly there are several key areas where the IONIQ 5 is a far better EV. Wanted to start by sharing why we still love the Bolt and how its design holds up, even against the latest and greatest OEM electrics.
I am curious about the seats. My 60 000 mile 2017 Premier still has two big negatives for me: 1) The driver seat (all front for that matter) is horrible and to date still causes lots of back pain and overall discomfort on 1 hr trips. I saw a UA-cam review of iOniq 5 and the guy (from UK) said the seats are not comfortable at all and couldn't see himself driving/sitting on it on a trip. 2) 3 trips to dealer for service on radio and after TSB updates applied still blasts "welcome" or "startup" chime sound when I turn on the car. (Yes even when volume all the way down or radio off) It is annoying a real pain (in the ear) to start the car and embarrassing as it can be heard from 50 ft away with door closed and all the Windows up... I am not kidding. I am excited about Hyundai iOniq 5 and was thinking on trading in my 2017 Bolt, but iOniq 5 also has some shortcomings. I can't believe that there is no Andriod wireless on a futuristic 2022 EV. The space used by the sound amplifier/ subwoofer is ridiculous, does it really sound better than the Bose system on the Bolt? Dur to iOniq size the trunk space might be equal or greater than Bolt but the Bolt seems more practical and I love the deep trunk of Bolt and that it can have a removable cover, both floor and top Covers do fit in the floor of the trunk. (Good luck storing the heavy solid retractable trunk visibility cover of iOniq5 inside the car) So, if they can fix my 2 annoying issues I will save some $ and keep my Bolt, it is an otherwise perfect commuter for me.
Thanks Steve...really enjoyed the review...we are super excited about our Bolt EUV, Premiere, Sun n Sound package, on order. Still not sure when it will hit our doorstep but I think we made a good choice. One of the reasons we settled on the Bolt and not a Tesla is I want a car built by a car company. Yes the Tesla is an amazing techno marvel and they have done more to beat the EV drum than anyone. I salute them for this...however I am turned off by the computer screen I just am not thrilled with screwing with a touch screen for everything. And the price... We looked at the Ioniq, love the styling but also the display to me is a turn off...And the price and availability... Also looked at the Vw ID...liked it a lot...good luck getting one until late 2023 in Canada...at best! Also looked at the Nissan Leaf, is a great looking car and I am sure it is great but Chademo Charger was a bit of a concern and less range than the Bolt - also, the charging port is directly in the front grill which will not work in our smaller garage (small thing I know...but) The Bolt checks all the boxes, the EUV looks great, price was decent, probably will still receive it this year! We also met a bunch of Bolt owners at a local EV Car Show and they all had something in common - they ALL loved their cars. The more I see and research the more I am comfortable with our choice. Thank you Steve and Eric for all your great work! Mike 🇨🇦 🍁 👍
Thanks Mike, we miss EV trips to Canada a lot! Did tons of driving around Quebec and Ontario in our 2017 Bolt but the 2020 has been with us during border closures until now, so I doubt it will head north of the border... will save that for the I5 I guess. The Bolt line continues to check a lot of boxes in all-around value EV terms. The Achilles heel of 55kW DCFC is always present, but that's a non-issue for local/regional use and can be fine on longer trips that are leisurely, or for people who enjoy their stops. Excited to hear how you like your EUV and to see more of those on the roads now that new sales have resumed.
Very interesting video and I look forward to seeing more about the Ioniq 5. We have a 2022 Bolt EV and I am very impressed with it. We have the 2LT trim which is the highest level for the 2022 and it does not offer rear heated seats or the rear view mirror camera. I think the EUV has some more options than the EV but I’m not sure. We do love our Bolt.
Thanks, lots more to come! GM definitely rejigged a lot for the 2022 refresh, so the Bolt EUV is probably the most accurate comparison point for a new vehicle now that it's available again. Hoping to talk to an owner soon who exchanged his older Bolt for a new EUV in the recall process. Should be a good opportunity to explore and compare to the I5.
9:15 This has been an absolute lifesaver for me, working from home in a region with no high-speed ISP. Also, it's worth noting how much more powerful the antenna in the Bolt EV is compared to a cell phone. So not only does it provide more diverse coverage if your phone doesn't use AT&T, the Bolt EV can often still get a signal in areas where an AT&T mobile device can't. FWIW, I believe the KIA EV6 does have a Verizon powered wi-fi hotspot, so I'm not sure whether it could also be an option on the Hyundai Ioniq 5 (if not now, later).
Not quite to that level for us but definitely a convenience. And for the couple of times we've hit the family's cabin over in the Allegheny Mountains, the Bolt hotspot was the only one getting a signal... not sure that's what you want on a rural getaway but it's there all the same! Didn't know that about the Kia so thanks for the heads up. Wouldn't have swayed our decision overall but I'm connecting with an EV6 owner soon to compare the cars, so that's a check in the Kia's column.
@@plugandplayEV Yeah, I just assumed that the Ioniq 5 had it too, but because the EV6 was the E-GMP platform I preferred more anyway, I didn't really check.
Nice vid. Happy to see the Bolt get a little love. I graduated from a 2019 Bolt to an Ioniq 5 AWD Limited. The HI5 is a much better car, but the Bolt still has it's strengths. In fact, I kind of wish I'd sold my van and kept the Bolt as my second car. You are spot on with the instrument cluster. The driver info on the Bolt is presented much better than the HI5. Those use bars on the HI5 are pretty much useless and you have to hunt for data. On the other hand, the heads up display on the HI5 is awesome. As to efficiency, my ordinary use on the Bolt was 4.1m/kW. The same use in the HI5 is 3.5m/kW. I'm not disappointed because it is a bigger car, but it is a fact. You did miss a Bolt advantage that my wife likes to remind me about. It's a lot easier to maneuver in parking lots than the looong wheelbase HI5. I love the Ioniq 5, but if I were to go out and buy a second car for use around town the Bolt would be the first thing I would look at.
That's funny, because my wife was the first one to experiment with the Ioniq 5's parking assist features (which the Bolt lacks) and I don't think I've touched them yet, other than the remote pull in and out! But the Bolt is definitely more nimble around town and in tight spaces. I can mostly squeeze through spots when I need to but it's certainly more of a cautious process than when we zip through in the Bolt.
Steve you and I may be the only Brits in the US who've had both a 2017 Bolt and a 2020 Bolt! I'm in LA. I would add that I find the "bird's eye view" on the screen when backing up a really useful feature. I took my Bolt to Death Valley from here just to prove it was possible which it easily was. That trip takes in an epic long hill which is used by car companies to test how their products do in the heat. When there are signs that tell you turn turn off AC to prevent overheating you know it's going to be long....
It's a unique and prestigious club, to be sure! Our version of the Ioniq 5 also has the 360 overhead view and it works well, much like the Bolt's. Parking in both is easier because of that, although the Bolt being smaller is obviously helps it out in that department. Death Valley sounds like a trip... think I'm more at home in cooler mountain air than arid desert, though!
When I post polite critical comments on other Chevy EV videos, they are typically deleted, so hopefully you are not on their payroll. Bought a 2018 new, was denied a buy-back, so we paid Chevy more $ for 2021 to get out of the scary 2017-2019 battery issues. Within WEEKS learned ALL Bolts would need battery replacement. Both the 18 and 21 make the jet engine fan noise when charging in hot weather, which is very disconcerting. Have waited 1.5 yrs for new battery and dealer that took our 2018 has, too. Can't do the 90% range cap and not go below 70 mls due to long commute in winter temps. After a bunch of critical posts I recently made, Chevy miraculously has a battery for me now so will get that in 10 days. Today is cold and hearing popcorn/percolator sounds if plugged in - dealer can't say by phone if it's safe to charge, would have to drive an hour there. Also just learned of a new fire-related recall on Bolts related to seatbelt pretensioner in wrecks igniting the carpet, but dealer doesn't know when part will be avail. We're stuck with the car since resale has tanked. The early adopter tax has not been enjoyable. I believe their Ultium is LG, too, so...
I'm barely on UA-cam's payroll at this point, let alone that of General Motors, so your critical experience is welcome here and will remain! Sorry the experience hasn't been positive in any way. There have been examples of GM winning customers back to their newer Bolts, as we've covered recently, but the company's communication is clearly poor and some owners have really been left out in the cold with the recall effort.
My first electric car was a 2013 Chevy Volt, it was one of the best cars I've ever owned. My 2017 Chevy Bolt is a great car and I just received the new battery replacement. I love this car more than the Chevy Volt I had years ago. My only complaint are the narrow seats compared to the new 2022 Chevy Bolt EUV seats. The Bolt EUV definitely has perfected any flaws in the Bolt. My only complaint is the Bolt EUV has a smaller truck area than the Bolt. You can't go wrong buying a used Chevy Bolt especially if you want to stay under 30k to for an electric car.
Thanks for the perspective. I definitely need to spend more time with the EUV. We did a brief test drive and didn't feel like it would be a huge upgrade over the regular Bolts we've had, but I don't think we took enough time to poke around the car as most folks report the EUV has many improvements. Sticking with 55kW DCFC would be a deal-breaker for us in any case, but it would be great to try things like SuperCruise and poke around the new cabin comforts. As you say though, for the basic use case of an affordable EV that does 90% of the essentials extremely well, any used Bolt with the pack replaced will be hard to beat.
@@arthurmilholland9502 Allot smaller, if your putting several bags of groceries in the trunk you’ll definitely have to lay down the rear seat. I can get allot groceries in my 2017 Bolt with room to spare. So far I haven’t had to lay down the rear seat to haul large quantities of items. The 0-60 time acceleration of the Bolt is also faster than the EUV. The EUV is a longer and heavier car by a few pounds. Both cars are still fantastic for the price and underrated.
@@postont Thank you. May I ask further: If the seats are down, as to carry a bicycle, for example, does the EV still have more room, or do you think the extra length of the EUV gives more carry space (with seats down)?
@@arthurmilholland9502 After driving the brand new 2022 EUV loaner for several months during the initial first recall, I’m pretty sure with the rear seats laid down you would have more space to carry a regular bike. I purchased my first foldable electric bike in May of this year and I knew it would be small enough to fit into the trunk of my 2017 Bolt before I made the purchase. GM is also running the biggest discounts and lease down payments on the Bolt and the EUV than any other car manufacturer right now. Hopefully this helps with your decision making. Or wait for the new Blazer EV and Equinox to comes out, they’ll both be on the new GM Ultium EV battery platform. www.motor1.com/news/599244/2024-chevrolet-equinox-ev-chevy-website/
I have a Bolt EUV on order. From what I hear, I think the Bolt can also precondition the batteries for charging. The early IONIQ 5 did not have that option. Be interested in seeing the comparison of the data each car gives you as well. I know the Bolt can tell you the amount of power the accessories are using as well as the battery preconditoning. The Bolt also allows you to shut off a/c and heat separately from the temperature control. Thx for the comparison. I do really like the style of the IONIQ 5 and 6.
Thanks for the suggestions, will try to get to as many as we can. To the best of my knowledge, the Bolt line doesn't have any kind of pre-conditioning en route to fast chargers. There are certain scenarios in which the battery heater will go to work, but it's not especially powerful (around 2-2.5kW max) and doesn't do much to improve the car's charging in cold weather. I haven't personally tested the EUV, so take all this with that caveat, but I don't recall any significant winter improvements for that model either. Either way, it's a great step up from the previous model years and I'm sure you'll love it!
I just bought a used 2020 bolt LT trim last week. So I'm still learning it. I was under the impression that the hotspot was part of the OnStar subscription. After watching this video it appears that it might be separate. Can you clarify? I doubt that I'll subscribe to OnStar when the trial ends.
Unless they've changed the deal since we were using it (we cancelled late 2022), the wifi hotspot fee is separate. I believe it was $20/month when we had it, solely for the hotspot feature.
Yep, we really enjoy that feature on long trips. Oddly, we didn't seem to miss it much on this first Ioniq 5 trip but that's probably because we know the route so well and have plenty of charging options along the way.
As you, I own both models. For 4 years I still have a Opel Ampera E, which is a rebranded Chevy Bolt in Europe and for 9 months I now drive a Ioniq 5, AWD, 73 kwh battery, top trim level. I agree with you that the Bolt is a very good, maybe even underrated, car. The differences between both models are also dependend on the trim level: Efficency: The Bolt indeed is slightly more efficient compared at speeds up to 65 miles/h, wich is the max speed limit in the Netherlands. Above that speed the Ioniq gets significantly more thursty. But even if my Ioniq has een 4 kwh smaller battery than in the USA, my average driving range is a bit further than in the Bolt. Rear visibility: Is definitely better in de Bolt thanks to the wiper. But my Bolt has no rear view camera in the mirror and my Ioniq does have that feature. Rear seat heating: my Ioniq also has rear seat heating. Wifi: my Bolt had a hotspot, but after a year Opel ended it for all owners. I expirienced 2 more advantages of the Bolt, you didn't mention: Because of the smaller overall dimensions en and wheelbase, the Bolt is easier to manoeuver and park (in European cities). When one exits the Bolt with the key in one's pocket, alle the doors automaticly lock. The Ioniq hasn't got that feature, although the doors do automaticly unlock on approach.
Right, we're really going for the fully-loaded version of the comparison... there are certainly features one loses heading down the trims (or gains, in the case of no sub-woofer yielding a larger lower trunk space!) Re. size, I guess I felt that's kind of a given based on the different segments the two cars occupy. The IONIQ 5 certainly straddles car categories with its looks, but essentially it's a CUV while the Bolt is more of a compact hatchback. That said, it's the Bolt I would want when navigating Boston's tighter streets for sure.
I drove the BOLT when it first came out in the USA and I found that the driver’s seat jabbed me in my right shoulder and it just didn’t fit my body. I understand that the seats were much improved in later models, but I had already purchased a competitor’s EV sedan.
The Bolt seats have proved to be such a divisive issue that I always urge people considering the model to take an extended drive in one before buying. Our 2020 seats don't seem significantly improved compared to the 2017, perhaps just a little better padding, but then we had no problems with either of them. In this case, I think it comes down to ergonomics and personal preference. For many Bolt drivers the seats feel just fine, while for plenty of potential buyers the discomfort was a deal-breaker. That holds true for at least the 2017-'21 models... haven't spent enough time with the '22s personally to feel if there's a major improvement with the refresh.
I thought the seats were typical for a car in this class, though the seats in the 2019 and later seemed to be improved. The Ioniq 5 seats are quite nice.
I want a used bolt in a couple of years, I don't think I'll let seat stop me, they're a lot of articles on modifying the seats, it sounds less crazy on a USED Bolt. I think most seating curves in top to bottom and side to side too much anyway.
Really interesting. Thanks for sharing the video! As someone who I has gone Nissan Leaf to Kia EV6 I can relate to a lot. Curiously, a couple items are backwards. The Leaf (top trim) doesn’t have a Wi-Fi hotspot, but the EV6 does. And, so far, finding it much easier in the EV6 to get higher efficiency numbers. I don’t have a road trip yet, just around town gettin 3.9-4 rather than 3.6-3.8 in the Leaf. Also, the Leaf doesn’t have the rear view tech nor the camera cleaner, so in winter even the parking cameras were muddy/salty. Seems like the Bolt has a lot of great tech, especially for it’s generation.
It's interesting to hear, because the Leaf is typically thought of as the nicer interior of the two, when compared to the Bolt. Probably true because of the seats and driver assist features, but there's a lot of subtle tech lying around the Bolt's otherwise simply functional cabin.
@@plugandplayEV That's also interesting. The Leaf does have decent drive assistance -- similar to the Accord we had before it. But I've been watching your videos since we got it and have noticed how much more detailed EV data the Bolt gives. The Leaf just has some dial-like displays to guess what sort of regen or consumption is going in or out of the battery, and the trip stuff is more like a normal car. The EV6, though, seems to go even further away -- unless I just haven't found where the data is displayed yet. Comfort of the seats in the Leaf is one reason we moved away from it. Initially, it seemed fine. But after a while I realized something about the design was very uncomfortable for all but the shortest drives. 🤷. I hope the EV6 remains as comfortable as it is today for me. :)
We have two bolt EVs. 2019 with the new battery pack in both of them. No way am I giving them up. I was thinking about buying the Ioniq 5 but the price for it is way too high for what you get. And with the big discount of over $6,000 on the bolts now it's a no-brainer. With two bolts in almost 2 years we saved over $8,000 in gas My bank account shows it because we put that money separately what we used to spend and take out for the electricity. It's crazy. Go bolt.
I think there's potentially a case to be made to compare the lowest range Ioniq 5 (when it eventually comes out) to the Bolt EUV, but even after the tax credit the Chevy is still going to come out slightly cheaper. But the Bolt is now officially becoming what early buyers have always known it is: the true entry-level EV with solid range. 2019 and 2020s were often available at around $25k after discounts and GM is now, finally, reducing the MSRP to reflect where the Bolt sits in the market. It's a no-frills EV that checks almost every box for those who want to cut out gas costs without signing up for all the latest bells and whistles. On top of which, it's still fun to drive after 5+ years in the saddle!
That was a great video I learnt about the trending bar on the side I never knew about. I don't know how people are getting 300 miles on their bolts. The most I have ever seen is 300km and that's summer time. I drive mostly highway at 100 kmhr so maybe that's why. I got the new battery installed but still no noticeable range improvement.
Thanks for the feedback! It's such a familiar feature to us now and good to be reminded that others might not yet have stumbled across all the car's features. 300 miles on a charge requires around 5 mi/kWh, so it's only really doable at low speeds (40 mph and below) and minimal HVAC use. We have that locally between April thru November, but hit the highway or freezing temps and we're back to EPA or below.
Sounds like GM will be putting all the fast charging eggs in the Ultium basket, so the Bolt is likely to remain at its current capabilities until the model line is retired. Equinox EV at $30k is likely to be the first model to compete at the Bolt's level with 100kW+ charging.
Great summary, but you missed my fav unique feature of the Bolt, the regen paddle! I may be mistaken, but I think a Bolt in L with this paddle pressed will stop far faster than an Ioniq in max regen with foot off the pedal (maybe a test for another video for you). The ability to drop out of cruise control and quickly decelerate with the push of your finger is great too. I wish every car had a paddle like this. Finger controlled braking (and even accelerating) should be in all cars standard and very heavy regen should be possible in all EVs.
It's a great feature for sure, but the IONIQ 5 (and actually all recent Kia-Hyundai EVs, I think) does match it with regen paddles and instant regen available via the left paddle in most modes. It's not quite as responsive as the Bolt but it's there and the extra levels of regen available in the I5 essentially made it a wash for me.
@@plugandplayEV I've been curious how those paddles work on the 5. If you're in cruise control and you hit the one of the left does it pop you out of cruise? How does the max regen of the 5 compare to the max of the Bolt in both kW and stopping distance. It'd be great to see a video comparing them in detail. Given the 5's amazing charge rates I would think that it could regen a huge amount of Watts back into the battery, but I haven't seen any review that quantifies just how much it can do and compares it to the Bolt. I also wonder if regen will work better in the AWD 5 because it can apply the heavy regen brake force to the front tires and not just the rear ones, but that's probably beyond your current capability to test (unless you have a friend who owns a different version Ioniq).
I have a Bolt and use it for food delivery. It is spectacular as a city/suburbs car, easy to drive and park and I barely use the brakes with Regen. It's reasonably comfy for four and shorter road trips are fine. The ioniq is more of a family vehicle, too big and heavy for my needs.
Yep, pretty much spot on and how we're using them now: Bolt for a lot of local runs and errands, IONIQ 5 for the longer trips and comfortable cruising with everyone on board. Happy to use the Hyundai around the suburbs too but the thought of navigating it around Boston's tight streets is less appealing than the more nimble, nippy Bolt.
Thanks for the informative video! I’m also considering the i5 (I currently have a 2019 Bolt), but I’ve decided to wait for the 2023 i5 since I couldn’t live without a rear view camera mirror now that I’m so used to it! Another question - I absolutely love the regen paddle on the Bolts steering wheel and I don’t think I could live without that either! Does the i5 have the same functionality with its paddles?
**EDIT: Initial response below is not correct. Regen on demand DOES work in the I5 by holding down the left paddle. Just not in iPedal mode as far as I can tell. More on this in a future video!*** Not quite. The paddles move regen levels between 0 to iPedal, with three other levels in-between. So from a coast mode like "D" in the Bolt to true one-pedal driving, like "L". But no real-time "press and hold" button for an instantly variable amount of regen. However, we've found that the various levels offer enough customization to work at least as well as the regen on demand in most scenarios. At this point, I think waiting for the 2023 is a good move. Supply is limited and they should be able to fix most of the complaints from the 2022, if Euro specs for the '23 are applied here.
@@hallerd Yep, mea culpa, tried again today in level 3 regen and it worked. I was trying before in iPedal, which is how we normally use it, and it doesn't seem to have that function...presumably because it's already on the maximum regen it can offer. In any case, played some more today and will edit the reply above, thank you!
Yes and more. I moved from a 2019 Bolt to an Ioniq 5. As others said, the left paddle works the same as the Bolt, except in iPedal plus you have other levels of regen to choose. I got used to one pedal driving in the Bolt so I am in iPedal most of the time, but at highway speeds I'm typically in Level 2 regen. I liked the paddle function on the HI5 immediately.
@@alanpeterson6768 It's a shame holding the paddle in iPedal mode doesn't create extra regen like the Bolt does even when in L - then it would match the Bolt exactly!
How's the one pedal driving in the Ioniq? Is it similar to the Bolt, better/worse? I love my 2017 Bolt Premier's OPD, something much softer where I'd have to use the brake pedal a lot would feel like a step down. My first two cars were manual transmission Subarus and I hated driving my family's automatic transmission cars, but the first time I test drove the Bolt I fell in love with OPD. Over the winter here in CO when it was 20f or lower I had to drive from Denver to Pueblo several times and I averaged 2.5 kWh. Now that it's warm I get 3.5 on that trip driving with traffic. In the city I'm at 4.5mi/kWh average now that it's warm and was at ~3 when it was really cold. If the Ioniq natively does .5-1.5mi/kWh less than the Bolt that's gonna suck even harder in winter. Unless it has a heat pump... just googled it and the AWD version does. That could make up a lot of the difference.
Very similar one pedal driving, to the point where we don't even think about jumping out of one and into the other. We pop the IONIQ 5 into iPedal mode before leaving just the same as we slide the Bolt into L and it's seamless.
I bought the Kia EV6 Wind RWD 3 weeks ago after researching it and then test driving it. I like it a lot especially the quiet and smooth ride compared to the Bolt. But it's definitely not perfect. You have shown the strengths of the Bolt very well. It still is a very efficient EV compared to most.
Yeah, I don't think there's any question that any one of the modern crop of crossover EVs would beat the Bolt on many fronts: charging, comfort, design, you name it. But it seems fair to point out the positives a Bolt (or Kona Electric, or Niro EV) still has and I'm glad you're one of the folks who can see that duality, thanks!
Love this video! Newer isn't always better. Like you say I. The pinned note, the IONIQ 5 is better in some other ways. Looking forward to that video too
Cheers Derek! Yes, it's always amusing to see how a video lands... seems pretty clear that the IONIQ 5 is stronger in many other categories, which is why these are really nitpicky differences. Offer me the choice of a rear wiper or 800V charging and I know which one I'm picking!
How many times did you achieve 4 miles/kW in your Bolt EV? Because I very rarely achieved 4.0 miles/kW in my 2017 Bolt EV and I'm a very conservative driver in southern Nevada. I noticed that a little later on your display shows 3.6 miles/kW average over 1549 miles which is more in line with what I was getting. That is a range of 216-mile range at 100% charge.
Around town, it's always above 4 mi/kWh outside of winter. As I recorded this, it was at 4.3 over the 900 miles or so we've done through spring. Some of the summer trips on this channel (Canada 2018 springs to mind) also achieved same. Summers are pretty mild and A/C use is minimal. It's winter that really drags our efficiency down.
How well does the Bolt work in the New England winters? I have been looking at both cars and wonder if the Ioniq 5 is worth the extra money for all wheel drive.
For light snow and roads that get quickly cleared, the Bolt will do just fine, even on stock tires. We did a short vid on that here in 2020: ua-cam.com/video/5Eie8tTkrQ0/v-deo.html For anything more, you'll need a good set of winter tires... that combined with the low center of gravity and weight of the pack make it a pretty good winter EV. Haven't had a chance to use the HI5 in winter or snow yet, so assessment there will have to wait!
I think that's the key, Sarah; almost all of the upsides of an EV with only a couple of limiting factors that might not even matter to some owners. Excellent place to start the transition to all-electric transport without breaking the bank.
For some reason I'm drawn towards the Bolt. Considering a new EUV for MSRP, not 100% yet though. Prices seem better on the east coast for EVs than in CA as far as I can tell. I mean I'd definitely take an Ioniq if I could find one not marked up $5000.
Seems to be true. We're seeing I5 buyers do business with dealers over here and drive back to places as far as Texas. With the free charging, I guess it's just the time investment and out-of-state costs incurred, but it's also a great way to get to know the car! The Bolt lines will be supply constrained for a while but GM seems to be willing to offer light discounts to get sales momentum back. Hopefully you can find something reasonable, even in today's crazy market.
@@plugandplayEV Cross country road trip would be a pretty sick way to get to know the car for sure. We're going to hold out for another month and see if EUV prices come down at all. Our local dealer has 15 of them getting batteries replaced plus 5 more new ones in transit. What part of England you hail from? (definitely not Wales or Scotland if my ear is any judge, possibly somewhere oop north?) I lived in Bath for two years, amazing country to explore.
I just bought a base model small battery RWD Kia EV6 but before that I sat in a primier edition of the Bolt EUV and it was VERY nice! However, the Chevy dealer had added so many markups to that EUV that it was $9000 more than Ricart Kia’s MSRP ask for the EV6 which decided things for me.
@@skyemalcolm Nuts! As much as I'm glad the Bolt EUV exists, I can't imagine it compares to the EV6 when the latter ends up less expensive. Congratulations on landing the Kia, especially at MSRP.
@@plugandplayEV honestly I think especially the interior quality, finish, software of the EUV holds up nicely in comparison, this is just my personal perspective, other’s may have a different opinion. However where the car falls down is the 50 kW charging peak. For some this may pose no impediment, especially if road trips aren’t a priority. However that was in fact my main goal for this purchase. I was looking at the 2022 Bolt EV and EUV in the hopes it might be a more budget-conscious alternative to the id.4, EV6, Mach-e and Polestar 2 which I was also considering. In the end price was a big factor in my decision but not in the way I expected as now I can enjoy a fast-charging car at a non stratospheric price point. I won’t say it’s affordable, of course. I think nothing really is in 2022. But with gas at $4/gal this purchase will be equivalent in cost for the first year vs gasoline alternatives. The only really cheap deal right now would be if someone found a Nissan LEAF new and got the $7500 tax credit. However we already have an older LEAF in the garage we bought used last year so we didn’t need a second city only EV incapable of reliable fast charging.
In the Ioniq 5SE there is no "sub-woofer" that fills up the bottom compartment under the rear cargo area. Not ever having a sub-woofer we don't miss it.
Yes, it's the Bose premium sound system on the Limited only, but I'm not feeling it's worth the loss of space. The Bolt Premier here also has a Bose system but doesn't lose that space in the trunk and sounds very similar to our ears.
I want that Ioniq 5 Limited RWD, just not the markup. But the Chevy Bolt Euv is very good for its price. Honestly might as well get them both for their different use cases.
Right, both work really well for their respective jobs. We'll find out how much we miss the Bolt next year... thinking it's going to be a lot, given how practical and easy-to-use it has been.
I'm still waiting for a new battery in my 2020 Bolt EV LT. The software update hampers the charging. It will fast charge to 75% and then, even on a DCFC, the charge rate goes down to about 8 kW until 80%. Very slow. Does anyone know where GM is on these battery swaps and when we might expect it to happen in our 2020 models?
New update video coming soon, as GM just reported Q122 progress to NHTSA. Long story short: only a handful of 2020-'22 MY packs have been replaced and early signs aren't promising that any major acceleration is underway for that group. Having the software update done is in your favor, though, as those of us without it will probably be at the very end of the queue.
This is why I declined the software update. When I'm just driving around in town, I can set the target charge level to 80% myself, without a software update to force it. But, I want the full range of the battery when I occasionally go on longer trips. On the occasions where I do charge to 100%, I use departure charging, so the battery does not sit at 100% for more than a few minutes. I have done this multiple times and nothing bad has happened. Also, the number of fires on models 2020+ currently sits at 1, which is simply not enough for me to get overly concerned about. I will still take the car in for the battery replacement, eventually, when the opportunity comes. But, for the time being, I'm going to stick with basic mitigation measures that I can do myself, which don't impact the car's range when I really need it. The root "need" to charge to 100% stems from the fact that virtually all DCFC stations outside of urban areas are along interstate highways, and if you want to get to a hiking trail that's 80+ miles away from the nearest charging station, charging to only 80% is simply not going to cut it (remember, just getting there is not enough; you have to also get back!). Even some very popular national parks, such as Mt. Rainier, do not have any DCFC whatsoever near the park; once you leave the highway, there's a couple of L2's for emergencies and that's basically it.
I can relate. Although I do occasionally miss the (enforced) opportunity to linger that the Bolt required, there were many more times when we've been ready to go and waiting on the car. EGMP definitely remedies that.
Yep, I think there's an underappreciated quality to the Bolt EV's driving dynamics, in that it's just fun to zip around in. Not lightning fast, not whisper quiet, but nimble in short bursts and firmly planted in corners. For the price and with its unassuming looks, those qualities make owners very happy. The Bolt has definitely taken a hit in reputation from the recall, but probe a little and you'll find owners are mostly frustrated with GM's handling of it, rather than any major complaints with the car itself.
@@plugandplayEV "Unassuming looks" is actually one of the things that make the Bolt unique! I love how my Bolt eats for breakfast those fancy-schmancy BMWs, Audis and other arrogant fossil crap at street lights! In a way, the "unassuming looks" of my Bolt remind me of that humble-looking racing car named Karl in Erich Maria Remarque's legendary book Three Comrades: "Karl had an educative effect; he taught folk a proper respect for creative talent, that always lurks under an unprepossessing exterior. He had only to show himself on the road for someone to want to take a rise out of him. To other cars he was as a lame crow to a pack of hungry cats. Even the most peace-loving family coach felt incited to pass him; at the sight of such an old rattletrap dancing now before, now behind them, even the most staid of middle-aged beavers would be seized with racing-fever. For who was to know that within that ridiculous body pulsed the great heart of a racer?" :)))
@@samusaran7317 My wheels don't struggle for traction. An EV is a vehicle of the future that does not have to follow the old pedal-to-the-metal rule. It did not take me too long to learn how to leave those ever-flatulent fossil gas-guzzlers far behind without spinning my wheels.
I see some butt hurt Ioniq 5 owners not happy you called out this old $35,000 Bolt is still more efficient than the $60,000 Ioniq 5. Must be a bitter pill to swallow paying all that money only to be bested by an old Chevy.
I mean, I'm an owner of an Ioniq 5 too now, just don't have blinkers on that there are no areas that other EVs best it. The same would apply comparing it to a Kona Electric, Niro EV etc. In future videos, I'll share all we love about the I5 and how the crazy quick fast charging more than offsets the lower efficiency on road trips. But I see no harm in also highlighting the benefits of an older EV that will hopefully soon be a great affordable option in the used market again.
That and the well-balanced suspension, yes. The I5 ride can feel a *little* floaty, but it's like night and day on our pothole-heavy roads compared to the Bolt's torsion beam.
For now, parts for ioniq 5 hard to come by. I kind of like the “simple” way Bolt gets the job done. My 2020 would get mist on rear window. But my 2016 Elantra GT did not get most while driving, not sure why but hardly used the rear wiper on it.
Yep, really hoping we have no need for parts in the first 12-18 months! Not much supply of anything to go around just now. The simplicity of the Bolt is one of its charms, I think. Utilitarian, unassuming, but gets the job done in almost every way that matters.
Forgive my ignorance, but I’ve owned a 2017 Chevy Bolt for two years now and never knew I could use it as a WiFi hotspot. So I immediately went out to check the settings and there did appear to be one. However, when I drove away from my house that does have WiFi, and tried to link my iPad to that WiFi and passcode displayed in the settings, it wouldn’t work. I mean, the iPad showed all bars, but I couldn’t bring anything up in my browser. So I’m wondering if this WiFi hotspot was something the previous owner had set up and I have to set up another for myself. If so, how do I do this, and what does it cost. BTW, I am a Verizon customer. I appreciate any help you can give!
No problem, happy to help. It's a subscription service that can be activated via the MyChevrolet app or website portal. You can probably call OnStar to do so as well but we tend to prefer online set up. In the app, there's a section called Wi-Fi Hotspot where you can find all the info. The plan was $14.99/month for unlimited data via AT&T when we signed up. Nothing has changed for our plan since then but I couldn't say if they've changed pricing for new customers since then.
@@plugandplayEV Thanks for this. I did check it out, but decided I really can’t justify the monthly subscription for as little as I would benefit to it’s use. Perhaps on a long road trip it would be great and do better than using my phone as a hot spot. Until then, I’ll have to skip this convenience. Glad you like it though.
The kW reading on the instrument cluster is a damned requirement to me. It also allows you to see the charge rate right where the regen is shown. Simple.
Agreed, I'm not so much a fan of the vague power bar on its own, fluctuating back and forth. That's fine at a glance but the exact number/gauge here is multi-functional, as it gives both regen/acceleration power while in motion, then idle power use at a standstill or charge rate when plugged in.
Yes, and we do sometimes set that up, but it's quite an effort for the regular user to get all that together and dedicate a device to it on every drive.
Some cars such as the Ford Mach-e have no regen energy gauge at all. This is a terrible omission as it makes it impossible to maximize range by keeping the energy kinetic.
Hi Great Video I’m watching again. I have a Bolt on order and only had one very brief test drive. I noticed when I tried to use the rear view mirror in camera mode that I had a very hard time focusing and switched right back to the mirror. I wondered if that was just me or did you notice having any adjustment issues when you first used it?
Thanks. Not just you, no... in fact, it's everybody who uses it (at least in our Bolts!) Out of a sample of six or seven folks, all had to adjust but five loved the digital rearview cam once they got used to it. We also now have an Ioniq 5, which has regular mirrors only, and it takes a few minutes to acclimatize to one after we've driven the other. Not a big deal, but something to keep in mind if you have multiple vehicles in the driveway.
I went from a lovely Bolt to a Polestar 2. The Polestar 2 seats are just A+, plus that Öhlins suspension is sweet. But! I could have bought three used Bolts for the price of the Polestar 2. I heavily respect the Bolt, but it was time to move on.
Totally understand. New tech doesn't suddenly make the Bolt a bad option, it just means its place in the market has shifted. As an entry-level EV or an affordable used option once the packs are replaced, it's still very hard to beat.
@@plugandplayEV Absolutely, I prefer the Bolt display to the Kia EV6. I like to have the numbers showing as to how much energy I'm using and how much is going back into the battery and differentiating which way the energy is going. However, what I love about the Kia display that the Bolt does not have is it visually shows me a red colored area in the right or left rear of a representation of the car when there is a car in my blind spot (I don't have the GT just the Wind RWD so no blind spot camera). I find that to be extremely helpful when changing lanes. Since you own a Ioniq 5 maybe you could test the recharge going downhill when Adaptive Cruise Control is on. While in i-pedal mode I noticed that the EV6 does maintain the speed going downhill, but no regen appears on the display. However, when I turn Adaptive Cruise Control off, the regen appears on the display. That seems like a bug in the display, so I'm wondering if you have noticed that quirk too on your Ioniq 5?
Bolt's have always been hard to get in Utah. With limited inventory you essentially had to settle for whatever color was available. It's even worse today.
We didn't actually get first choice color on either of our Bolts, but I can imagine it's far worse with the current limited supply. Hoping a flood of them push back into the market, both new and used, as GM ramps up production and completes most battery swaps this year.
I agree with most your points, except for the instrument cluster. I prefer Ioniq 5 as it looks more advanced with more info (stats) in the display. Bolt EV display seems too simplistic, even though it does have the basic info you need. Also, I dont think it shows battery % anywhere in the car display itself (I think you have to look at its app to view battery %)...
I might need to dig into the Ioniq 5's options further, as I'm mostly seeing less info than the Bolt's Enhanced dash. The trip meters in the Ioniq 5 are better, though, and the % SOC is definitely an improvement. With ABRP running via Android Auto, it will show the live % SOC on the Bolt's center cluster, but obviously that's not a Bolt-specific feature and locks you into the ABRP environment for the mapping.
@@rastakins For sure, it's easy enough to gauge the approximate % SOC from the Bolt's green bars. Although the exact % doesn't matter too much in the upper portion of the pack, I think many owners like to see the exact number when they get down into the lower levels. To be fair, even Tesla doesn't give you that as a primary piece of data so perhaps it's not as widely used as some of us think.
@@plugandplayEV I would like to see the Bolt display the remaining miles left once one gets below 10% of the battery. At the bottom of the battery, one would want to count EVERY mile, yet the miles disappear and LOW is displayed. GM does not trust their math.
Thanks! And nice... would the Model 3 also be for rideshare though? Seems like a Y would serve you better for that, although availability could be an issue.
I have a 2017 bolt premier love it - the rear view mirror , heated seats 4 of them, it’s really comfortable I get around 4.5kw per mile , just wish Gm or third party had a charging upgrade for at least 100kw or 150kw would be amazing . I been next to vw id4 and ionic 5 charging and wow they charge fast - not tesla fast but 3x faster than bolt 😞 besides that everything is 💯
Yeah, the Bolt doesn't need too many updates to be the perfect all-rounder entry EV. Anything close to triple digit fast charging would be enough for a 66kWh pack (10-80% in 30-35 minutes would be competitive) and the efficiency makes it all the better in terms of miles gained per session.
All it needs is a battery temperature readout and an upgrade to 150 KW charging. When I get the new battery, I will be happy. Would like a 75 Kwhr battery though.
Pretty happy with the battery size as it is, although obviously chemistry improvements upping the capacity in the same size and shape would be appealing. It's definitely the DCFC power that needs some work, but GM seems to be saving all that tech for the Ultium models so we may never know.
Thanks for the fair comparison. I had a 2018 Bolt EV and really enjoyed it. Really it was only the slow charging speed that was an issue for road trips. Replaced with a Taycan, which has certain advantages; however, I still think the Bolt is a solid vehicle.
We have a 2020 Bolt and a 2021 Taycan. . Even with a Taycan, I still find the Bolt fun to drive. The Taycan doesn’t have 1 pedal driving. The Bolt is limited to 93mph, the Porsche limit is more than I will ever drive.
I would love to have an I5; but the dealer just told me that I was #64 on the waiting list, and their allocation is 2 per month; thus I would get delivery around July 2025. Im old enough I dont buy green bananas, 3 years for a car..? nope. Bolt, here I come. Not that theyre quick. Good thing Americans dont want electric cars, otherwise the waits would be HUGE.
Yep, wait times are still nuts. Supply chains take a long time to reinvent and get back up to capacity, which combined with the need to build domestically means we probably won't see a significant leveling off until 2024/25. Probably for the best right now, as the US charging infrastructure isn't going to be ready in the next 12-18 months to handle a major spike in EV adoption.
I have a 2017 Bolt LT so it doesn't have some of the features of your 2020 Premire like the rear heated seats or mirror camera view. Unfortunately I think the mirror camera view isn't offered on the new EV or EUV models, although the EUV you can get super cruise so that's something extra there.
Yeah, a few things are specific to the Premier trim we've always had, but the efficiency, display, and trunk depth hold up across all trims. There are also several features that would be missing if we weren't on the Limited trim of the Ioniq 5, so it's essentially comparing the upper trim of both vehicles. Unfortunately the 2022 models quickly got caught up in the expanded recall, so it's been tough to get much seat time in them to compare.
it's going to be interesting to see how the lightning fast charging impacts battery life. The irony with the Bolt line is that every pack is getting replaced, so it really doesn't matter how much owners have fast charged the original.
The regen paddle aka regen on demand is also an amazing feature on the bolt. Are there any other EV's which allows use of regen paddle to slow down the car to a stop?
A great feature that I just recently discovered on my 2020 Bolt is that when you have it in D (not L) and you come to a stop light, you can just hit the regen paddle quickly once and the car will not move until you hit the accelerator pedal again. You do not need to sit there with your foot on the brake.
The Kia-Hyundai system uses paddles to control levels of regen, of which there are four: 0-3 and iPedal. The latter will bring the car to a full stop, like "L" in the Bolt, while 0 is more like "D". But none of them (at least in my use thus far) deliver the "on demand" functionality of the Bolt... i.e. they switch modes but don't provide max regen with a single hold. That said, I do use the regen paddle on the Bolt but not as a primary option. It's helpful in a pinch when traffic slows quicker than expected, but I tend to prefer well-timed stops via one-pedal driving. It's also tough to hit the paddle button in a corner when the steering wheel is in motion!
@@billybeemus3929 yes, that's true, but the brake lights is not on after coming to a complete stop with the Regen paddle. So it's just safer to press the brakes while at stop
Bolt has advantages and potentials cuz 70% are made of lg, king of display, telematics and home applianeces. I'm sure bolt will be one of the most iconic evs like tesla and ioniq.
I think the Bolt sits with the Nissan LEAF as a milestone model that quietly made a difference to the EV transition. Certainly the likes of the Tesla Model 3 and Ford F150 Lightning will take more plaudits, but these smaller, sort of affordable EVs helped bring hundreds of thousands more along for the ride.
Nice comparison. Unfortunately I have very little trust in GM at this time as several of my families cars didn't make it to 100k, recall plagued and often not fixed correctly. If they can't make a reliable ICE car doubtful they will make a electric one. Plus there cars are ugly. The Ioniq 5 is beautiful.
Thanks for the perspective. It's hard for an automaker to recover customer trust once they've been burned, so I understand your antipathy to GM in that sense. I would just note that our two Bolts have been rock solid in terms of reliability, even with the recall (which is really in LG Energy's court), and hopefully GM can stay on track with their Ultium EVs, regardless of its ICE history. Time will tell.
I hope that the transition from gas to electric cars doesn't cause automakers to lose sight of the consumer's wallet. For example, I can imagine bigger and bigger cars getting worse and worse miles/kWh efficiency (compensated by bigger battery packs and faster DCFC charging), until by 2035, every car made is the size of a Suburban, getting around 1.5 miles/kWh, leaving consumers charging at home with energy bills not much less than filling up a Prius at the gas pump. Similarly, while batteries are constantly getting cheaper in terms of $/kwh, they will never be free, and there will always be money to be saved by "right-sizing" the battery based on the vehicle's intended use. I can easily imagine a future world where, for consumer taste/mass production reasons, every single car sold is getting 400+ miles of range, in spite of numerous cases where a vehicle only needs a small fraction of that. For example, the 2nd car in a multicar household in an urban area can probably get away with 100 miles of range, or even less (especially if it can charge at 150kW on CCS, rather than requiring Chadamo). Similar for company vehicles that run short, fixed routes. The worst are the full-sized gas powered SUV's used for parking lot patrols, which spend far more time idling their engine than actually moving. But, almost nobody thinks this way. Instead, vehicle choice is driven by emotion, and an insistence that every car be able to do everything, whether needed or not, and automakers must respond to this or their vehicles won't sell.
The drive to larger packs and faster charging certainly does seem to be coming at the cost of efficiency, at least for the most recent crop of new EVs. I do think that there will be a swing back to focus on efficiency, however, as tech like Lucid's extremely small and light drive motors trickle down to OEM models. It is a shame to see the likes of Hyundai failing to deliver on efficiency, however, given their track record of outperforming EPA numbers (and, in the case of the original Ioniq sedan, beating Tesla at their own game for many years). I think the focus at the moment is on creating EVs that offer almost as much as their gasoline counterparts in terms of size and range, in a bid to get away from the mainstream belief that all-electric means small, oddly-shaped city car. Once we get past the first wave of "ground-up" EVs for the OEMs now showing an interest, I do expect them to focus on more efficient motors and lighter cars as a way to maintain range, rather than the current approach of throwing more batteries at the challenge.
@@plugandplayEV I hope so. However, I wrote my comment thinking about trends in the efficiency of gas cars over the past 30 years. Technology has allowed gas cars to become more efficient, yet those efficiency gains have all been erased by consumers demanding bigger and bigger cars. One thing that would help is if every car - gas or electric - came with an annual energy cost, in dollars, printed on the sticker, just like we see for refrigerators and dishwashers. Dollars per year is much more comprehensible than something like MPGe, which almost nobody knows what that means.
I really do not understand why gm killed the bolt... it was way ahead of other cars and would still be very good if they would have done a facelift with 100kwh charging.
The Bolt isn't officially dead, GM just has a whole lot in the pipeline that could potentially replace it. A $30k Equinox on Ultium makes the Bolt at current MSRP untenable, for example, but perhaps the price comes down to under $25k and they find a place for it as a commuter option? In any case, the steadfast refusal to budge on the DCFC power even after a midcycle refresh seems to indicate that the Bolt EV/EUV line is what it is until GM decides an Ultium model can refresh/replace it. And as they're advertising 2022 Bolts again right now, that would seem to be at least a couple of years off.
@@plugandplayEV The Situation in Germany ist qiet different. The Chevrolet bolt and the Opel ampera-e where only build for arround four years (from 2016-2020).
As in the cost? It varies by area and network. Anything from free to around 40-45 cents per kWh for faster chargers. We can usually fill out Bolt for $10-12 around Boston.
I had a 21 Bolt EV and now a 22 Bolt EUV. The EUV may be a little slower though i can’t feel it.. the suspension and ride are noticeably better, interior is nice (though I do wish for the cloth there was some gray to help break apart all the black like the 21s)… the look of the center screen is nice but never had an issue with the last gen. These Bolts are the best value in an EV for sure and because of that I don’t see myself getting into any other EV currently on the market. Hoping the Equinox keeps the price point down but ups the charging speed and range to entice me to look into that.
Thanks for the comparison. At the end of the market they serve, the Bolt line has provided the best value EV for several years now. Like you, I hope that continues into the Equinox EV if the Bolt models are retired.
It’s not just the technology that makes the Bolt undesirable, it’s the styling. Legacy auto makers seem to go out of their way to make sure EVs are not attractive. I don’t understand that. If you don’t want to sell many just don’t make many, you don’t have to make them ugly.
Pretty subjective area though... in the EV family crossover category, for example, I'd put many of the OEM offerings far ahead of the industry leader in terms of looks. Model Y is really just a bloated 3 but it hasn't stopped it selling millions, thanks to Tesla's overall EV package.
Yeah, it's never going to be a fair comparison between the two but this is what we're living with, so it's interesting to see where the tech has landed. A mid-range I5 is about the MSRP as a Bolt EV Premier was a couple of years ago, but the wider market is also very different and EV capabilities advance every year.
not sure if anyone commented but dang C19 sure has messed with my calendar. A 2020 Bolt is 5 years older than a 2022 Ionic 5? All those classes learning arithmetic -- what a waste of time eh lol. Maybe let us know exactly what year Bolt you do have? Has it been recalled? As said, it is too small. Further in the review It does appear that the 2017 Bolt was mentioned but just not at the beginning. It also seems that between the 2015 & 17 the vehicles were basically the same. I have a couple of nephews in Vancouver BC with Bolts but I have not driven or ridden in one as I am on the other side of the country. I like the Ionic 5 but still need something larger along the line of my current ICE car -- Lincoln MKX due to needing to carry things like a battery operated scooter, groceries etc. Hopefully by next year there will be vehicles on dealers lots that can actually be seen.
Unfortunately not, GM seems to have discontinued that particular feature. But it is proving excellent at recycling stale humor from the creatively bereft! 👍
It's more the dated technology and impending arrival of a $30k Equinox EV. Like the Nissan LEAF (which has no record of fires but does have aging EV tech), the Bolt isn't going to be price competitive at $30k or above.
As a Bolt Owner who traded the Bolt up for the Ioniq 5, there isn’t one place the Bolt beats the Ioniq 5, period. Not one. Only fanboys will hold on to the Bolt acceding over any other car.
Thanks for the video. We have a 2017 Bolt with the upgraded 66 KWH battery pack. We just drove it from California to Louisiana and back, 4200 miles. The Bolt averaged 3.9 miles per KW, cruising around 65 mph and the air conditioner on for the entire trip. Our biggest problem with the Bolt on the trip was the slow charging speed. Two hours driving and an hour charging was the routine. Other than that the only real problem we had was the lack of chargers along I-10 in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Electrify America has stations about every 100 miles along that route but often one or two of the dispensers aren't working. And there's always a bit of uncertainty as to whether a dispenser marked "available" will actually connect to the car. The Bolt's slow charging speed is usually not a problem for me, I plug it in at night at home and in the morning it's charged. It's a great little car for us, and we just happened to buy it at the right time to get a super deal compared to today's prices. Our plan is to drive it until it dies. And for our next trip to Louisiana, we'll probably fly :)
Sounds like a great trip... not fast, but great! Thanks for sharing it. Flying or a rental car were always our back up thoughts for our 2017 Bolt but it never came to that. We found that with two kids, most stops are at least 30-45 minutes and we could ride out any extra after that with exploration or exercise. Not always ideal - and we're glad to have the choice to move on more quickly in the Ioniq 5 - but it can make for more interesting trips, given the right charge locations.
*Bolt range on highway is often high 3s, we couldn't push low 3s on our first I5 trip. It may improve with summer temps but the weight and extra motor aren't going anywhere, so we'll have to see. In any case, it's to be expected in a heavier, better-specced EV that it won't deliver quite as much in the way of efficiency. The fair comparison would certainly be Bolt vs Kona Electric or Ioniq 5 vs ID4, but that's not what this video aims to achieve. But future vids will!
Note that this video is only to share areas where the Bolt EV still shines compared to a modern competitor, not to say the Bolt is better overall. We have a laundry list of things we love about the IONIQ 5 but that's for a future video!
even brand new they're hard to beat in that price range
One more thing. While the Ioniq 5 is yet to find its fans, the Bolt has already won the hearts and unconditional loyalty of many of its owners. The Bolt is an absolutely loveable car.
Very true, thanks. If GM can take that Bolt loyalty and translate it to bring people into the Equinox and Blazer EVs, Ultium will get off to a great start.
@@plugandplayEV Couldn't agree more. I can't wait to see and test drive the real Equinox EV.
I still hold that the Bolt EV and EUV are the best EVs on the used market today. They all have new batteries due to the recall and have shown to be good vehicles in general. Seriously considering buying one in the near future.
Couldn't agree more. It was an outstanding EV deal before the recall and, strangely, there's a good chance that the whole debacle will end up making Bolts an even better used option.
There downside is slow DC charging
@@kylenorthrop2398 Good point. For someone like me that will very rarely need to fast charge, I don't mind the wait, but I have to say that 55kw would be painfully slow.
I still Own my original Bolt I bought back in 2017 they put a new Battery and got extra Range,I already put 155,000 miles on it and so far they only major maintenance I done is Tires,Cabin Filter tire Rotation,and I'm looking into maybe replacing my shocks but other than that it's a great car I will never go back to gas Car ever again.
A couple weeks ago we swapped our 2020 Bolt EV LT for our Brand New, November 2021 built 2022 Bolt EUV Premiere. I absolutely Love the EUV, particularly in regards to its ride quality... That extra 6" makes a big difference! Plus the equipment upgrades... Premiere vs LT are wonderful. Love the sunroof, Bose Stereo, Leather Heated, & Cooled Seats, and Adaptive Cruise. I really don't think Chevy should have discontinued the Volt, I traded one in on our first Bolt... Additionally, I think they will make a mistake if they discontinue the Bolt, as mentioned below by several of our fellow Bolt owners... with just a few tweaks it could be the viable "Affordable" option for the masses! Chevrolet's President said last week that only their Corvette owners are more loyal to their cars than their Bolt owners. I found that interesting and as a fellow owner very believable!
Great to hear, congrats Terry! It will be interesting to see if GM tries to reinvent the Bolt for its Ultium era, but the story of the Volt does show they don't mind retiring a model that owners swear by if it doesn't fit the bigger picture plan. With the Equinox EV intended to come in around the $30K mark, it becomes tough to see where the Bolt lives unless they're willing to drop MSRP below $25K. Time will tell but I hope the Bolt survives in some form, of course.
I’m considering to get the Euv, I read the rear suspension is too soft and bumpy, is that correct?
Thanks
Thanks Steve.
I often comment on how reviewers focus on things that aren't especially important to a lot of EV drivers, at least in my age group, glad you do. We want a dependable car with high efficiency. Because the Bolt is so efficient we have been able to keep it charged and remain off grid, that's a big plus for us. The other thing many people don't realize is that as cars get heavier tires don't last as long. Also the heavier the car the bigger the tires and more costly when it does come to change them. We have a set of snows on rims and never have had a problem in our Catskill Mountain winters so we don't need all wheel drive either.
I would say that 90% of our driving is within 150 miles range and the Bolt does it beautifully.
We just got over 600 pounds of potting soil and wood chips for my wife's garden and got it all in the Bolt, it's a strong car and I remember when it first came out the engineers talking about six or seven different metals in the chassis. If you look under the car you can see how much aluminum is used along with the doors, hatch and hood.
Our lease is up in January, with all the new EV's out it will be a tough choice replacing it. I think Eric has over 150k on his Bolt, I don't know if he got his new battery yet but he'll essentially have a new car with longer range. It's really good to see you guys taking long trips, I think range anxiety is from people who don't own EV's, we've never had in the Bolt.
Thanks, always appreciate the feedback on what people like to see and other use cases. Being in a metro area, we don't even look at range any more in local use. Efficiency is of interest for comparison purposes, but we top up a lot on free public L2 chargers and just plug in at home when either car gets down to 20-30%, so it's interesting to hear of cases where maximizing local efficiency is important.
Eric hasn't had his pack replacement yet (that I've seen) and I'm sure he's fine waiting. Getting his 2017 close to 200k miles on the original, assessing degradation, then getting a fresh pack with greater capacity would be great to see!
7:00 I've found that relying on the Min estimate under 50% battery typically results in arriving with about 10% more than what was displayed. So if my Min reads "100 miles" and I'm about 100 miles out from the charger, I most often arrive with around 10 miles of range left. It's even more conservative over 50% battery, and it's easy to see as much as a 30% difference between actual and projected range.
I'm glad I got sucked into the nuances of the Enhanced display in this video, because it seems like it's not acknowledged as a feather in the Bolt's cap as widely as I'd thought. And it teases out useful observations like this from veteran Bolters that I can now put to the test in the 2020 :-) We typically just go by the "charge to a 20-mile buffer" rule of thumb based on the main GOM estimate, so I haven't observed the min quite that carefully.
@@plugandplayEV
Back when I didn't know better, I got burned once using the GOM to charge to a 20-mile buffer. The GOM was overly optimistic because I had just driven on back roads, and was about to get on the interstate. On top of this, the interstate stretch had multiple mountain passes to deal with.
Nowadays, I mostly ignore the GOM and look at the actual battery level. For highway driving, I want at least 5% battery per 10 miles remaining to the next charger, plus an additional 15% battery as a cushion, plus more if I have to deal with big hills or very cold temperatures. (For back road driving, efficiency is better, but chargers tend to be more limited if anything goes wrong, so you need to be more cautious).
Great presentation and you are spot on. And I always prefer the opinions of a person who knows what he’s talking about because he has hands on experience with the two cars rather those persons who talk about what they read/listened on UA-cam.
Thanks! They're very different EVs in many ways but it's what we know and the comparisons will show how far we've come, as well as what Hyundai still needs to work on.
Thanks for the overview, Steve! I definitely see the Bolt EV/EUV as still viable, and surprisingly, I think there are some very basic, simple changes GM could do that would make it viable for years to come. Two basic changes that could be made on the existing chassis: 200 A CCS harness and an LFP battery. While I know that people would poo-poo that as the charging being "too slow" for a modern EV, I disagree. It would easily get the Bolt EV's cost down to about $20,000 to $25,000 MSRP, but LFP has some hidden benefits, too. Even with higher energy LFP cells, the battery can charge at 1 C all the way to 80%, and they can often charge to full in ~1 hour. So a 60+ kWh LFP Bolt EV would still have about 250 miles of real-world range, and it could charge to near full during the average meal stop. That's 7 to 8 hours of driving with a single 1 hour stop, that can be done on a majority of public chargers (i.e., 150+ kW not required). Not bad for a $25,000 car.
NewsCoulomb! If anyone knows Bolt's its you. The LFP battery would be awesome in the Bolt, but it would desperately need a pre-condition for fast charging though.
@@user-oo3uj5ku9r Thanks, and definitely! Based on what we've seen with the HUMMER EV, GM might be looking at a offering a driver-controlled preconditioning button moving forward, which would go a long way.
For sure, there's really nothing else at that price point that can check so many boxes. Whether or not we'll see improvements with so much focus on Ultium models, I'm skeptical, but the Bolt has a role to play for many years to come either way. As a used option once the packs are replaced, nothing will match it. Thanks for the thoughts!
Eric, thanks and thanks for your excellent channel, as a Bolt owner for the last 5 plus years it has been a great help.
Not sure about the LPF batteries though. I use them in our off grid system and they are very good but their charging can be tricky, especially when you approach full charge. Also they don't like low temps so you have to condition them especially in my cold winter climate.
There are trade offs. I think the greater charge cycles is certainly a plus but look how little degradation you got on your 2017 batteries.
@@mosfet500 Thanks! Yes, it's true that LFP is a little more temperature sensitive, but overall, the cells and chemistry has advanced a lot. I'm using LFP in my first Ford Ranger EV battery rebuild, so we'll see how that goes. I'm also planning on integrating DCFC, so this should be a good test for those cells.
As a local runabout or daily commuter, the Bolt EV is arguably the best car out there. Zippy acceleration, nimble handling, and small footprint makes it perfect around town. For patient people, it'll road trip just fine. It always shocks me to see Bolt EVs in remote locations.
I like the kick of having the Bolt in a place it shouldn't be, according to naysayers... punting around the midwest with MA plates at a time when cross-country DCFC didn't exist was always fun, for example. Looking forward to having both cars on a road trip together this summer. It will be interesting to see where the IONIQ 5's charging speed really makes a difference, and where it's just an additional chore to move the car because it's ready to leave before we are.
So which year Bolt EVs are good to look out for in the used market?
At the moment, supply is likely still a bit constrained, so any that have a battery replacement and are under 40-50,000 miles would be a great find.
As supply increases and lease returns continue, look for 2017-'19 models that have had the pack replacement. Mileage won't matter much as long as the pack is relatively new (mid-late 2022 replacement would be a steal). There are a few advantages to the 2020+ models, including slightly better cameras, but the new pack basically resets the clock on key factors like battery capacity, warranty, and degradation.
@@anirbano from a battery and motor perspective, any used Bolt EV 2017-2020 is practically the same since they all had their batteries swapped to the new 66kWh (65kWh usable). If you can afford it, just get a new base Bolt EV for the new car warranty.
@@anirbano you can get a 2023 for $27800 base model. Or you can get $6000 off a new 2022 at dealerships right now. If you get from dealership the battery has been replaced.
Excellent summary. We have loved our 2017 Bolt and see no reason for anything else for a while. Thanks!
It's an EV that does most of the essentials well and has plenty of unexpected extras to boot. What's not to like?!
I just got got back yesterday from a 4200 mi road trip in my '21 Bolt. (Ohio to Las Vegas and back in 7 days). GM got so many things right with the car, my only complaints would be the cruise control buttons could have been designed better. I can't distinguish which button I'm pushing without glancing down at them. Also, I wish I could leave the ambient light strip around the dash illuminated when the dash lights are turned down to their lowest position.
And other reviews say you can't road trip a bolt. Steve and Eric from newscolumb prove that wrong and I am glad you did the trip from Ohio to show there is more than Elon musk and tesla
Amazing trip, especially with the time window, nice work! Obviously the DCFC rate would be my primary wish for upgrade on any Bolt and has been for a few years. Beyond that, they got so many of the EV fundamentals right that I really have nothing to complain about. For the money they were going for before the expanded recall, you get a whole lot of EV.
@@markfitzpatrick6692 Speaking of Tesla, when I was charging in Cedar City, Utah, people were showing up at Electrify America and trying to figure out how to plug their Teslas into the CCS charging stations. Apparently, the Tesla routing was sending them to the Supercharger in Cedar City, but the entire charging station was under construction, and completely fenced off. I was trying to help a frantic woman who arrived there with only 8 miles of range left. After exhausting all of the reasonable possibilities (nobody had a Chademo adapter), I told her the best option was to call a tow truck, and have it put on a flatbed and towed to the nearest supercharger. Tesla had some very unhappy owners that day.
I see so many comments about how wonderful Tesla's charging network is and it's true, however I see them in L2 spots near work all the time, some just hogging the spot others charging, I think it's cheaper than the superchargers.
@@plugandplayEV
My top ask would also be faster DCFC charging. But, I would also like a more accurate indicator of battery level, independent of the GOM. This is especially important when the battery is low - 6% vs. 10% is a big difference. Yes, you can get it with TorquePro, but this is something that really should be just built in.
Thanks. You answered a bunch of questions I had comparing the two cars. I own a Bolt and very interested in moving up to the Ioniq 5. I can't believe the Ioniq 5 doesn't have rear heated seats.
Glad it helped. I don't think lack of rear heated seats will impact our regular use much, but it's a notable difference for sure. The addition of ventilated seats in the front of the I5 and air vents for rear passengers, which the Bolt lacks, sort of offsets that miss, at least for the summer months.
we have rear heated seats in sweden in our Ioniq 5s in sweden, so you guyz over there probably just getting fucked by trim levels in your country
Thanks Steve. Well thought out and presented. I get questions from people who want an EV about my recommendation for the "best" one. I'll be sure to point them to this comparison (and maybe the positives of the Hyundai in a future video).
Just as an aside, people I talk to want a Tesla because they've heard so much about them, but when they see the price and delivery times, they're looking for alternatives.
Thanks Tom, help to share is always appreciated! And yes, plenty of content coming soon on the positives of the I5. It's hard to predict where the market is going right now, but gas prices and increased media exposure are definitely turning heads towards all-electric models. It's no surprise that often starts with Tesla, but for the moment they have little to offer entry-level customers.
Older EVs are going to be crucial for establishing a thriving used market and OEMs really need to ramp production of models like the base ID4, EV6, and IONIQ 5 to give new buyers an affordable option while the tax credit and state incentives are still available.
As a 17,000 mile owner of a dual motor Ioniq5 and a 17 bolt premier, I have lots of thoughts on this subject. So glad I kept the bolt when I picked up the Ioniq 5 in December. I still like both alot. The ioniq 5 is so smooth and quiet and faster than the bolt. The value of the bolt as a city car is fantastic. The bolt used is half the price with about the same range and a brand new battery. The seats are much better and I scan sit much lower then in the bolt.
The charging speed is a game changer on road trips. 4 times faster! And free EA charging for two years.
Neat summary of our feelings as well, thanks! This one was important to get out first because clearly there are several key areas where the IONIQ 5 is a far better EV. Wanted to start by sharing why we still love the Bolt and how its design holds up, even against the latest and greatest OEM electrics.
I am curious about the seats. My 60 000 mile 2017 Premier still has two big negatives for me: 1) The driver seat (all front for that matter) is horrible and to date still causes lots of back pain and overall discomfort on 1 hr trips.
I saw a UA-cam review of iOniq 5 and the guy (from UK) said the seats are not comfortable at all and couldn't see himself driving/sitting on it on a trip.
2) 3 trips to dealer for service on radio and after TSB updates applied still blasts "welcome" or "startup" chime sound when I turn on the car. (Yes even when volume all the way down or radio off) It is annoying a real pain (in the ear) to start the car and embarrassing as it can be heard from 50 ft away with door closed and all the Windows up... I am not kidding.
I am excited about Hyundai iOniq 5 and was thinking on trading in my 2017 Bolt, but iOniq 5 also has some shortcomings. I can't believe that there is no Andriod wireless on a futuristic 2022 EV. The space used by the sound amplifier/ subwoofer is ridiculous, does it really sound better than the Bose system on the Bolt?
Dur to iOniq size the trunk space might be equal or greater than Bolt but the Bolt seems more practical and I love the deep trunk of Bolt and that it can have a removable cover, both floor and top Covers do fit in the floor of the trunk. (Good luck storing the heavy solid retractable trunk visibility cover of iOniq5 inside the car)
So, if they can fix my 2 annoying issues I will save some $ and keep my Bolt, it is an otherwise perfect commuter for me.
Used bolt's here in Vancouver. BC are about the same price as new
Thanks Steve...really enjoyed the review...we are super excited about our Bolt EUV, Premiere, Sun n Sound package, on order. Still not sure when it will hit our doorstep but I think we made a good choice.
One of the reasons we settled on the Bolt and not a Tesla is I want a car built by a car company. Yes the Tesla is an amazing techno marvel and they have done more to beat the EV drum than anyone. I salute them for this...however I am turned off by the computer screen I just am not thrilled with screwing with a touch screen for everything. And the price...
We looked at the Ioniq, love the styling but also the display to me is a turn off...And the price and availability...
Also looked at the Vw ID...liked it a lot...good luck getting one until late 2023 in Canada...at best!
Also looked at the Nissan Leaf, is a great looking car and I am sure it is great but Chademo Charger was a bit of a concern and less range than the Bolt - also, the charging port is directly in the front grill which will not work in our smaller garage (small thing I know...but)
The Bolt checks all the boxes, the EUV looks great, price was decent, probably will still receive it this year!
We also met a bunch of Bolt owners at a local EV Car Show and they all had something in common - they ALL loved their cars.
The more I see and research the more I am comfortable with our choice. Thank you Steve and Eric for all your great work!
Mike 🇨🇦 🍁 👍
Thanks Mike, we miss EV trips to Canada a lot! Did tons of driving around Quebec and Ontario in our 2017 Bolt but the 2020 has been with us during border closures until now, so I doubt it will head north of the border... will save that for the I5 I guess.
The Bolt line continues to check a lot of boxes in all-around value EV terms. The Achilles heel of 55kW DCFC is always present, but that's a non-issue for local/regional use and can be fine on longer trips that are leisurely, or for people who enjoy their stops. Excited to hear how you like your EUV and to see more of those on the roads now that new sales have resumed.
Very interesting video and I look forward to seeing more about the Ioniq 5. We have a 2022 Bolt EV and I am very impressed with it. We have the 2LT trim which is the highest level for the 2022 and it does not offer rear heated seats or the rear view mirror camera. I think the EUV has some more options than the EV but I’m not sure. We do love our Bolt.
Thanks, lots more to come! GM definitely rejigged a lot for the 2022 refresh, so the Bolt EUV is probably the most accurate comparison point for a new vehicle now that it's available again. Hoping to talk to an owner soon who exchanged his older Bolt for a new EUV in the recall process. Should be a good opportunity to explore and compare to the I5.
9:15 This has been an absolute lifesaver for me, working from home in a region with no high-speed ISP. Also, it's worth noting how much more powerful the antenna in the Bolt EV is compared to a cell phone. So not only does it provide more diverse coverage if your phone doesn't use AT&T, the Bolt EV can often still get a signal in areas where an AT&T mobile device can't.
FWIW, I believe the KIA EV6 does have a Verizon powered wi-fi hotspot, so I'm not sure whether it could also be an option on the Hyundai Ioniq 5 (if not now, later).
Not quite to that level for us but definitely a convenience. And for the couple of times we've hit the family's cabin over in the Allegheny Mountains, the Bolt hotspot was the only one getting a signal... not sure that's what you want on a rural getaway but it's there all the same!
Didn't know that about the Kia so thanks for the heads up. Wouldn't have swayed our decision overall but I'm connecting with an EV6 owner soon to compare the cars, so that's a check in the Kia's column.
@@plugandplayEV Yeah, I just assumed that the Ioniq 5 had it too, but because the EV6 was the E-GMP platform I preferred more anyway, I didn't really check.
Nice vid. Happy to see the Bolt get a little love. I graduated from a 2019 Bolt to an Ioniq 5 AWD Limited. The HI5 is a much better car, but the Bolt still has it's strengths. In fact, I kind of wish I'd sold my van and kept the Bolt as my second car. You are spot on with the instrument cluster. The driver info on the Bolt is presented much better than the HI5. Those use bars on the HI5 are pretty much useless and you have to hunt for data. On the other hand, the heads up display on the HI5 is awesome. As to efficiency, my ordinary use on the Bolt was 4.1m/kW. The same use in the HI5 is 3.5m/kW. I'm not disappointed because it is a bigger car, but it is a fact. You did miss a Bolt advantage that my wife likes to remind me about. It's a lot easier to maneuver in parking lots than the looong wheelbase HI5. I love the Ioniq 5, but if I were to go out and buy a second car for use around town the Bolt would be the first thing I would look at.
That's funny, because my wife was the first one to experiment with the Ioniq 5's parking assist features (which the Bolt lacks) and I don't think I've touched them yet, other than the remote pull in and out! But the Bolt is definitely more nimble around town and in tight spaces. I can mostly squeeze through spots when I need to but it's certainly more of a cautious process than when we zip through in the Bolt.
Steve you and I may be the only Brits in the US who've had both a 2017 Bolt and a 2020 Bolt! I'm in LA. I would add that I find the "bird's eye view" on the screen when backing up a really useful feature. I took my Bolt to Death Valley from here just to prove it was possible which it easily was. That trip takes in an epic long hill which is used by car companies to test how their products do in the heat. When there are signs that tell you turn turn off AC to prevent overheating you know it's going to be long....
It's a unique and prestigious club, to be sure! Our version of the Ioniq 5 also has the 360 overhead view and it works well, much like the Bolt's. Parking in both is easier because of that, although the Bolt being smaller is obviously helps it out in that department.
Death Valley sounds like a trip... think I'm more at home in cooler mountain air than arid desert, though!
When I post polite critical comments on other Chevy EV videos, they are typically deleted, so hopefully you are not on their payroll. Bought a 2018 new, was denied a buy-back, so we paid Chevy more $ for 2021 to get out of the scary 2017-2019 battery issues. Within WEEKS learned ALL Bolts would need battery replacement. Both the 18 and 21 make the jet engine fan noise when charging in hot weather, which is very disconcerting. Have waited 1.5 yrs for new battery and dealer that took our 2018 has, too. Can't do the 90% range cap and not go below 70 mls due to long commute in winter temps. After a bunch of critical posts I recently made, Chevy miraculously has a battery for me now so will get that in 10 days. Today is cold and hearing popcorn/percolator sounds if plugged in - dealer can't say by phone if it's safe to charge, would have to drive an hour there. Also just learned of a new fire-related recall on Bolts related to seatbelt pretensioner in wrecks igniting the carpet, but dealer doesn't know when part will be avail. We're stuck with the car since resale has tanked. The early adopter tax has not been enjoyable. I believe their Ultium is LG, too, so...
I'm barely on UA-cam's payroll at this point, let alone that of General Motors, so your critical experience is welcome here and will remain!
Sorry the experience hasn't been positive in any way. There have been examples of GM winning customers back to their newer Bolts, as we've covered recently, but the company's communication is clearly poor and some owners have really been left out in the cold with the recall effort.
My first electric car was a 2013 Chevy Volt, it was one of the best cars I've ever owned. My 2017 Chevy Bolt is a great car and I just received the new battery replacement. I love this car more than the Chevy Volt I had years ago. My only complaint are the narrow seats compared to the new 2022 Chevy Bolt EUV seats. The Bolt EUV definitely has perfected any flaws in the Bolt. My only complaint is the Bolt EUV has a smaller truck area than the Bolt. You can't go wrong buying a used Chevy Bolt especially if you want to stay under 30k to for an electric car.
Thanks for the perspective. I definitely need to spend more time with the EUV. We did a brief test drive and didn't feel like it would be a huge upgrade over the regular Bolts we've had, but I don't think we took enough time to poke around the car as most folks report the EUV has many improvements. Sticking with 55kW DCFC would be a deal-breaker for us in any case, but it would be great to try things like SuperCruise and poke around the new cabin comforts.
As you say though, for the basic use case of an affordable EV that does 90% of the essentials extremely well, any used Bolt with the pack replaced will be hard to beat.
How much smaller (in length and width -- approximate good enough) is the trunk area in EUV than EV?
@@arthurmilholland9502 Allot smaller, if your putting several bags of groceries in the trunk you’ll definitely have to lay down the rear seat. I can get allot groceries in my 2017 Bolt with room to spare. So far I haven’t had to lay down the rear seat to haul large quantities of items. The 0-60 time acceleration of the Bolt is also faster than the EUV. The EUV is a longer and heavier car by a few pounds. Both cars are still fantastic for the price and underrated.
@@postont Thank you. May I ask further: If the seats are down, as to carry a bicycle, for example, does the EV still have more room, or do you think the extra length of the EUV gives more carry space (with seats down)?
@@arthurmilholland9502 After driving the brand new 2022 EUV loaner for several months during the initial first recall, I’m pretty sure with the rear seats laid down you would have more space to carry a regular bike. I purchased my first foldable electric bike in May of this year and I knew it would be small enough to fit into the trunk of my 2017 Bolt before I made the purchase.
GM is also running the biggest discounts and lease down payments on the Bolt and the EUV than any other car manufacturer right now. Hopefully this helps with your decision making. Or wait for the new Blazer EV and Equinox to comes out, they’ll both be on the new GM Ultium EV battery platform.
www.motor1.com/news/599244/2024-chevrolet-equinox-ev-chevy-website/
I have a Bolt EUV on order. From what I hear, I think the Bolt can also precondition the batteries for charging. The early IONIQ 5 did not have that option. Be interested in seeing the comparison of the data each car gives you as well. I know the Bolt can tell you the amount of power the accessories are using as well as the battery preconditoning. The Bolt also allows you to shut off a/c and heat separately from the temperature control. Thx for the comparison. I do really like the style of the IONIQ 5 and 6.
Thanks for the suggestions, will try to get to as many as we can.
To the best of my knowledge, the Bolt line doesn't have any kind of pre-conditioning en route to fast chargers. There are certain scenarios in which the battery heater will go to work, but it's not especially powerful (around 2-2.5kW max) and doesn't do much to improve the car's charging in cold weather. I haven't personally tested the EUV, so take all this with that caveat, but I don't recall any significant winter improvements for that model either.
Either way, it's a great step up from the previous model years and I'm sure you'll love it!
I just bought a used 2020 bolt LT trim last week. So I'm still learning it.
I was under the impression that the hotspot was part of the OnStar subscription. After watching this video it appears that it might be separate. Can you clarify?
I doubt that I'll subscribe to OnStar when the trial ends.
Unless they've changed the deal since we were using it (we cancelled late 2022), the wifi hotspot fee is separate. I believe it was $20/month when we had it, solely for the hotspot feature.
Thanks for the reminder of our Bolt advantages!
Thanks for the support! 🙏
damn thas a good idea putting the max and min possible range. thas something they all need especially when everyone watches the power gauge.
Yep, we really enjoy that feature on long trips. Oddly, we didn't seem to miss it much on this first Ioniq 5 trip but that's probably because we know the route so well and have plenty of charging options along the way.
As you, I own both models. For 4 years I still have a Opel Ampera E, which is a rebranded Chevy Bolt in Europe and for 9 months I now drive a Ioniq 5, AWD, 73 kwh battery, top trim level.
I agree with you that the Bolt is a very good, maybe even underrated, car.
The differences between both models are also dependend on the trim level:
Efficency: The Bolt indeed is slightly more efficient compared at speeds up to 65 miles/h, wich is the max speed limit in the Netherlands. Above that speed the Ioniq gets significantly more thursty. But even if my Ioniq has een 4 kwh smaller battery than in the USA, my average driving range is a bit further than in the Bolt.
Rear visibility: Is definitely better in de Bolt thanks to the wiper. But my Bolt has no rear view camera in the mirror and my Ioniq does have that feature.
Rear seat heating: my Ioniq also has rear seat heating.
Wifi: my Bolt had a hotspot, but after a year Opel ended it for all owners.
I expirienced 2 more advantages of the Bolt, you didn't mention:
Because of the smaller overall dimensions en and wheelbase, the Bolt is easier to manoeuver and park (in European cities).
When one exits the Bolt with the key in one's pocket, alle the doors automaticly lock. The Ioniq hasn't got that feature, although the doors do automaticly unlock on approach.
Right, we're really going for the fully-loaded version of the comparison... there are certainly features one loses heading down the trims (or gains, in the case of no sub-woofer yielding a larger lower trunk space!)
Re. size, I guess I felt that's kind of a given based on the different segments the two cars occupy. The IONIQ 5 certainly straddles car categories with its looks, but essentially it's a CUV while the Bolt is more of a compact hatchback. That said, it's the Bolt I would want when navigating Boston's tighter streets for sure.
I drove the BOLT when it first came out in the USA and I found that the driver’s seat jabbed me in my right shoulder and it just didn’t fit my body. I understand that the seats were much improved in later models, but I had already purchased a competitor’s EV sedan.
The Bolt seats have proved to be such a divisive issue that I always urge people considering the model to take an extended drive in one before buying. Our 2020 seats don't seem significantly improved compared to the 2017, perhaps just a little better padding, but then we had no problems with either of them.
In this case, I think it comes down to ergonomics and personal preference. For many Bolt drivers the seats feel just fine, while for plenty of potential buyers the discomfort was a deal-breaker. That holds true for at least the 2017-'21 models... haven't spent enough time with the '22s personally to feel if there's a major improvement with the refresh.
@@plugandplayEV same here. Did a major road trip in our 2020 Bolt 8-12 hours a day on the road and never had a complaint about the seats.
I thought the seats were typical for a car in this class, though the seats in the 2019 and later seemed to be improved. The Ioniq 5 seats are quite nice.
I want a used bolt in a couple of years, I don't think I'll let seat stop me, they're a lot of articles on modifying the seats, it sounds less crazy on a USED Bolt. I think most seating curves in top to bottom and side to side too much anyway.
Really interesting. Thanks for sharing the video!
As someone who I has gone Nissan Leaf to Kia EV6 I can relate to a lot. Curiously, a couple items are backwards. The Leaf (top trim) doesn’t have a Wi-Fi hotspot, but the EV6 does. And, so far, finding it much easier in the EV6 to get higher efficiency numbers. I don’t have a road trip yet, just around town gettin 3.9-4 rather than 3.6-3.8 in the Leaf. Also, the Leaf doesn’t have the rear view tech nor the camera cleaner, so in winter even the parking cameras were muddy/salty. Seems like the Bolt has a lot of great tech, especially for it’s generation.
It's interesting to hear, because the Leaf is typically thought of as the nicer interior of the two, when compared to the Bolt. Probably true because of the seats and driver assist features, but there's a lot of subtle tech lying around the Bolt's otherwise simply functional cabin.
@@plugandplayEV That's also interesting. The Leaf does have decent drive assistance -- similar to the Accord we had before it. But I've been watching your videos since we got it and have noticed how much more detailed EV data the Bolt gives. The Leaf just has some dial-like displays to guess what sort of regen or consumption is going in or out of the battery, and the trip stuff is more like a normal car. The EV6, though, seems to go even further away -- unless I just haven't found where the data is displayed yet.
Comfort of the seats in the Leaf is one reason we moved away from it. Initially, it seemed fine. But after a while I realized something about the design was very uncomfortable for all but the shortest drives. 🤷. I hope the EV6 remains as comfortable as it is today for me. :)
We have two bolt EVs. 2019 with the new battery pack in both of them. No way am I giving them up. I was thinking about buying the Ioniq 5 but the price for it is way too high for what you get. And with the big discount of over $6,000 on the bolts now it's a no-brainer. With two bolts in almost 2 years we saved over $8,000 in gas My bank account shows it because we put that money separately what we used to spend and take out for the electricity. It's crazy. Go bolt.
I think there's potentially a case to be made to compare the lowest range Ioniq 5 (when it eventually comes out) to the Bolt EUV, but even after the tax credit the Chevy is still going to come out slightly cheaper. But the Bolt is now officially becoming what early buyers have always known it is: the true entry-level EV with solid range. 2019 and 2020s were often available at around $25k after discounts and GM is now, finally, reducing the MSRP to reflect where the Bolt sits in the market. It's a no-frills EV that checks almost every box for those who want to cut out gas costs without signing up for all the latest bells and whistles. On top of which, it's still fun to drive after 5+ years in the saddle!
Great summary of Bolt features. Thanks for this video.
Thanks for the support!
That was a great video I learnt about the trending bar on the side I never knew about. I don't know how people are getting 300 miles on their bolts. The most I have ever seen is 300km and that's summer time. I drive mostly highway at 100 kmhr so maybe that's why. I got the new battery installed but still no noticeable range improvement.
Thanks for the feedback! It's such a familiar feature to us now and good to be reminded that others might not yet have stumbled across all the car's features. 300 miles on a charge requires around 5 mi/kWh, so it's only really doable at low speeds (40 mph and below) and minimal HVAC use. We have that locally between April thru November, but hit the highway or freezing temps and we're back to EPA or below.
I love our 2022 Bolt EUV. The only thing I wish it had was faster DC charging for road trips.
Sounds like GM will be putting all the fast charging eggs in the Ultium basket, so the Bolt is likely to remain at its current capabilities until the model line is retired. Equinox EV at $30k is likely to be the first model to compete at the Bolt's level with 100kW+ charging.
Great summary, but you missed my fav unique feature of the Bolt, the regen paddle! I may be mistaken, but I think a Bolt in L with this paddle pressed will stop far faster than an Ioniq in max regen with foot off the pedal (maybe a test for another video for you). The ability to drop out of cruise control and quickly decelerate with the push of your finger is great too. I wish every car had a paddle like this. Finger controlled braking (and even accelerating) should be in all cars standard and very heavy regen should be possible in all EVs.
It's a great feature for sure, but the IONIQ 5 (and actually all recent Kia-Hyundai EVs, I think) does match it with regen paddles and instant regen available via the left paddle in most modes. It's not quite as responsive as the Bolt but it's there and the extra levels of regen available in the I5 essentially made it a wash for me.
@@plugandplayEV I've been curious how those paddles work on the 5. If you're in cruise control and you hit the one of the left does it pop you out of cruise? How does the max regen of the 5 compare to the max of the Bolt in both kW and stopping distance. It'd be great to see a video comparing them in detail.
Given the 5's amazing charge rates I would think that it could regen a huge amount of Watts back into the battery, but I haven't seen any review that quantifies just how much it can do and compares it to the Bolt. I also wonder if regen will work better in the AWD 5 because it can apply the heavy regen brake force to the front tires and not just the rear ones, but that's probably beyond your current capability to test (unless you have a friend who owns a different version Ioniq).
I have a Bolt and use it for food delivery. It is spectacular as a city/suburbs car, easy to drive and park and I barely use the brakes with Regen. It's reasonably comfy for four and shorter road trips are fine. The ioniq is more of a family vehicle, too big and heavy for my needs.
Yep, pretty much spot on and how we're using them now: Bolt for a lot of local runs and errands, IONIQ 5 for the longer trips and comfortable cruising with everyone on board. Happy to use the Hyundai around the suburbs too but the thought of navigating it around Boston's tight streets is less appealing than the more nimble, nippy Bolt.
Thanks for the informative video! I’m also considering the i5 (I currently have a 2019 Bolt), but I’ve decided to wait for the 2023 i5 since I couldn’t live without a rear view camera mirror now that I’m so used to it! Another question - I absolutely love the regen paddle on the Bolts steering wheel and I don’t think I could live without that either! Does the i5 have the same functionality with its paddles?
**EDIT: Initial response below is not correct. Regen on demand DOES work in the I5 by holding down the left paddle. Just not in iPedal mode as far as I can tell. More on this in a future video!***
Not quite. The paddles move regen levels between 0 to iPedal, with three other levels in-between. So from a coast mode like "D" in the Bolt to true one-pedal driving, like "L". But no real-time "press and hold" button for an instantly variable amount of regen. However, we've found that the various levels offer enough customization to work at least as well as the regen on demand in most scenarios.
At this point, I think waiting for the 2023 is a good move. Supply is limited and they should be able to fix most of the complaints from the 2022, if Euro specs for the '23 are applied here.
@@hallerd Yep, mea culpa, tried again today in level 3 regen and it worked. I was trying before in iPedal, which is how we normally use it, and it doesn't seem to have that function...presumably because it's already on the maximum regen it can offer. In any case, played some more today and will edit the reply above, thank you!
Yes and more. I moved from a 2019 Bolt to an Ioniq 5. As others said, the left paddle works the same as the Bolt, except in iPedal plus you have other levels of regen to choose. I got used to one pedal driving in the Bolt so I am in iPedal most of the time, but at highway speeds I'm typically in Level 2 regen. I liked the paddle function on the HI5 immediately.
@@alanpeterson6768 It's a shame holding the paddle in iPedal mode doesn't create extra regen like the Bolt does even when in L - then it would match the Bolt exactly!
@@sbroumley Agree, though no biggie. I usually did not use the paddle while in L in the Bolt anyway.
How's the one pedal driving in the Ioniq? Is it similar to the Bolt, better/worse?
I love my 2017 Bolt Premier's OPD, something much softer where I'd have to use the brake pedal a lot would feel like a step down.
My first two cars were manual transmission Subarus and I hated driving my family's automatic transmission cars, but the first time I test drove the Bolt I fell in love with OPD.
Over the winter here in CO when it was 20f or lower I had to drive from Denver to Pueblo several times and I averaged 2.5 kWh. Now that it's warm I get 3.5 on that trip driving with traffic.
In the city I'm at 4.5mi/kWh average now that it's warm and was at ~3 when it was really cold. If the Ioniq natively does .5-1.5mi/kWh less than the Bolt that's gonna suck even harder in winter. Unless it has a heat pump... just googled it and the AWD version does. That could make up a lot of the difference.
Very similar one pedal driving, to the point where we don't even think about jumping out of one and into the other. We pop the IONIQ 5 into iPedal mode before leaving just the same as we slide the Bolt into L and it's seamless.
I bought the Kia EV6 Wind RWD 3 weeks ago after researching it and then test driving it. I like it a lot especially the quiet and smooth ride compared to the Bolt. But it's definitely not perfect. You have shown the strengths of the Bolt very well. It still is a very efficient EV compared to most.
Yeah, I don't think there's any question that any one of the modern crop of crossover EVs would beat the Bolt on many fronts: charging, comfort, design, you name it. But it seems fair to point out the positives a Bolt (or Kona Electric, or Niro EV) still has and I'm glad you're one of the folks who can see that duality, thanks!
And congrats on your EV6, they look amazing!
Love this video! Newer isn't always better. Like you say I. The pinned note, the IONIQ 5 is better in some other ways. Looking forward to that video too
Cheers Derek! Yes, it's always amusing to see how a video lands... seems pretty clear that the IONIQ 5 is stronger in many other categories, which is why these are really nitpicky differences. Offer me the choice of a rear wiper or 800V charging and I know which one I'm picking!
@@plugandplayEV I'm with you there!
How many times did you achieve 4 miles/kW in your Bolt EV? Because I very rarely achieved 4.0 miles/kW in my 2017 Bolt EV and I'm a very conservative driver in southern Nevada. I noticed that a little later on your display shows 3.6 miles/kW average over 1549 miles which is more in line with what I was getting. That is a range of 216-mile range at 100% charge.
Around town, it's always above 4 mi/kWh outside of winter. As I recorded this, it was at 4.3 over the 900 miles or so we've done through spring. Some of the summer trips on this channel (Canada 2018 springs to mind) also achieved same. Summers are pretty mild and A/C use is minimal. It's winter that really drags our efficiency down.
How well does the Bolt work in the New England winters? I have been looking at both cars and wonder if the Ioniq 5 is worth the extra money for all wheel drive.
For light snow and roads that get quickly cleared, the Bolt will do just fine, even on stock tires. We did a short vid on that here in 2020: ua-cam.com/video/5Eie8tTkrQ0/v-deo.html
For anything more, you'll need a good set of winter tires... that combined with the low center of gravity and weight of the pack make it a pretty good winter EV.
Haven't had a chance to use the HI5 in winter or snow yet, so assessment there will have to wait!
Bolt is an excellent starter EV car. I’m learning about all the upsides and downsides without depending outrageous money. I think its a great car too.
I think that's the key, Sarah; almost all of the upsides of an EV with only a couple of limiting factors that might not even matter to some owners. Excellent place to start the transition to all-electric transport without breaking the bank.
For some reason I'm drawn towards the Bolt. Considering a new EUV for MSRP, not 100% yet though. Prices seem better on the east coast for EVs than in CA as far as I can tell. I mean I'd definitely take an Ioniq if I could find one not marked up $5000.
Seems to be true. We're seeing I5 buyers do business with dealers over here and drive back to places as far as Texas. With the free charging, I guess it's just the time investment and out-of-state costs incurred, but it's also a great way to get to know the car!
The Bolt lines will be supply constrained for a while but GM seems to be willing to offer light discounts to get sales momentum back. Hopefully you can find something reasonable, even in today's crazy market.
@@plugandplayEV Cross country road trip would be a pretty sick way to get to know the car for sure. We're going to hold out for another month and see if EUV prices come down at all. Our local dealer has 15 of them getting batteries replaced plus 5 more new ones in transit. What part of England you hail from? (definitely not Wales or Scotland if my ear is any judge, possibly somewhere oop north?) I lived in Bath for two years, amazing country to explore.
I just bought a base model small battery RWD Kia EV6 but before that I sat in a primier edition of the Bolt EUV and it was VERY nice! However, the Chevy dealer had added so many markups to that EUV that it was $9000 more than Ricart Kia’s MSRP ask for the EV6 which decided things for me.
@@skyemalcolm Nuts! As much as I'm glad the Bolt EUV exists, I can't imagine it compares to the EV6 when the latter ends up less expensive. Congratulations on landing the Kia, especially at MSRP.
@@plugandplayEV honestly I think especially the interior quality, finish, software of the EUV holds up nicely in comparison, this is just my personal perspective, other’s may have a different opinion. However where the car falls down is the 50 kW charging peak. For some this may pose no impediment, especially if road trips aren’t a priority. However that was in fact my main goal for this purchase. I was looking at the 2022 Bolt EV and EUV in the hopes it might be a more budget-conscious alternative to the id.4, EV6, Mach-e and Polestar 2 which I was also considering. In the end price was a big factor in my decision but not in the way I expected as now I can enjoy a fast-charging car at a non stratospheric price point. I won’t say it’s affordable, of course. I think nothing really is in 2022. But with gas at $4/gal this purchase will be equivalent in cost for the first year vs gasoline alternatives. The only really cheap deal right now would be if someone found a Nissan LEAF new and got the $7500 tax credit. However we already have an older LEAF in the garage we bought used last year so we didn’t need a second city only EV incapable of reliable fast charging.
I have the 2022 Bolt. Changed from a Ford fusion trunk is smaller but I don't miss it. I love my Bolt
Haven't spent much time with the 2022. How are you finding the seats and general cabin comfort? Glad you're enjoying it!
In the Ioniq 5SE there is no "sub-woofer" that fills up the bottom compartment under the rear cargo area. Not ever having a sub-woofer we don't miss it.
Yes, it's the Bose premium sound system on the Limited only, but I'm not feeling it's worth the loss of space. The Bolt Premier here also has a Bose system but doesn't lose that space in the trunk and sounds very similar to our ears.
Excellent video with the many BOLT features explained extremely well! A family sharing a hotspot is an excellent feature.
Thanks for the support! The hotspot is a simple feature but we will miss it on long trips.
I want that Ioniq 5 Limited RWD, just not the markup. But the Chevy Bolt Euv is very good for its price. Honestly might as well get them both for their different use cases.
Right, both work really well for their respective jobs. We'll find out how much we miss the Bolt next year... thinking it's going to be a lot, given how practical and easy-to-use it has been.
@@plugandplayEV are you leasing the Bolt EUV? What do you mean miss next year?
@@TheMazTheSpaz Yes, it's a 2020 Bolt EVlease expiring in January. Going to try living with one car for a bit to see how it goes.
I'm still waiting for a new battery in my 2020 Bolt EV LT. The software update hampers the charging. It will fast charge to 75% and then, even on a DCFC, the charge rate goes down to about 8 kW until 80%. Very slow. Does anyone know where GM is on these battery swaps and when we might expect it to happen in our 2020 models?
New update video coming soon, as GM just reported Q122 progress to NHTSA. Long story short: only a handful of 2020-'22 MY packs have been replaced and early signs aren't promising that any major acceleration is underway for that group.
Having the software update done is in your favor, though, as those of us without it will probably be at the very end of the queue.
This is why I declined the software update. When I'm just driving around in town, I can set the target charge level to 80% myself, without a software update to force it. But, I want the full range of the battery when I occasionally go on longer trips.
On the occasions where I do charge to 100%, I use departure charging, so the battery does not sit at 100% for more than a few minutes. I have done this multiple times and nothing bad has happened.
Also, the number of fires on models 2020+ currently sits at 1, which is simply not enough for me to get overly concerned about. I will still take the car in for the battery replacement, eventually, when the opportunity comes. But, for the time being, I'm going to stick with basic mitigation measures that I can do myself, which don't impact the car's range when I really need it.
The root "need" to charge to 100% stems from the fact that virtually all DCFC stations outside of urban areas are along interstate highways, and if you want to get to a hiking trail that's 80+ miles away from the nearest charging station, charging to only 80% is simply not going to cut it (remember, just getting there is not enough; you have to also get back!). Even some very popular national parks, such as Mt. Rainier, do not have any DCFC whatsoever near the park; once you leave the highway, there's a couple of L2's for emergencies and that's basically it.
I enjoyed my Bolt but I got tired of the long charging wait on long trips.
I can relate. Although I do occasionally miss the (enforced) opportunity to linger that the Bolt required, there were many more times when we've been ready to go and waiting on the car. EGMP definitely remedies that.
One more thing: the Bolt is fondly and unconditionally loved by the majority of its owners while Ionic 5 has yet to gain popularity.
Yep, I think there's an underappreciated quality to the Bolt EV's driving dynamics, in that it's just fun to zip around in. Not lightning fast, not whisper quiet, but nimble in short bursts and firmly planted in corners. For the price and with its unassuming looks, those qualities make owners very happy.
The Bolt has definitely taken a hit in reputation from the recall, but probe a little and you'll find owners are mostly frustrated with GM's handling of it, rather than any major complaints with the car itself.
@@plugandplayEV "Unassuming looks" is actually one of the things that make the Bolt unique! I love how my Bolt eats for breakfast those fancy-schmancy BMWs, Audis and other arrogant fossil crap at street lights!
In a way, the "unassuming looks" of my Bolt remind me of that humble-looking racing car named Karl in Erich Maria Remarque's legendary book Three Comrades:
"Karl had an educative effect; he taught folk a proper respect for creative talent, that always lurks under an unprepossessing exterior. He had only to show himself on the road for someone to want to take a rise out of him. To other cars he was as a lame crow to a pack of hungry cats. Even the most peace-loving family coach felt incited to pass him; at the sight of such an old rattletrap dancing now before, now behind them, even the most staid of middle-aged beavers would be seized with racing-fever. For who was to know that within that ridiculous body pulsed the great heart of a racer?"
:)))
@@amenhotepavoskin1307 As your wheels spin struggling for traction. Fwd evs dont make any sense
@@samusaran7317 My wheels don't struggle for traction. An EV is a vehicle of the future that does not have to follow the old pedal-to-the-metal rule.
It did not take me too long to learn how to leave those ever-flatulent fossil gas-guzzlers far behind without spinning my wheels.
@@amenhotepavoskin1307 Would of been a better ev if it were rwd/awd. Drove one myself, not too impressed.
I see some butt hurt Ioniq 5 owners not happy you called out this old $35,000 Bolt is still more efficient than the $60,000 Ioniq 5. Must be a bitter pill to swallow paying all that money only to be bested by an old Chevy.
I mean, I'm an owner of an Ioniq 5 too now, just don't have blinkers on that there are no areas that other EVs best it. The same would apply comparing it to a Kona Electric, Niro EV etc. In future videos, I'll share all we love about the I5 and how the crazy quick fast charging more than offsets the lower efficiency on road trips. But I see no harm in also highlighting the benefits of an older EV that will hopefully soon be a great affordable option in the used market again.
My guess is that the IONIQ 5's longer well base gives a smoother ride on bumpy roads.
That and the well-balanced suspension, yes. The I5 ride can feel a *little* floaty, but it's like night and day on our pothole-heavy roads compared to the Bolt's torsion beam.
For now, parts for ioniq 5 hard to come by. I kind of like the “simple” way Bolt gets the job done. My 2020 would get mist on rear window. But my 2016 Elantra GT did not get most while driving, not sure why but hardly used the rear wiper on it.
Yep, really hoping we have no need for parts in the first 12-18 months! Not much supply of anything to go around just now. The simplicity of the Bolt is one of its charms, I think. Utilitarian, unassuming, but gets the job done in almost every way that matters.
Forgive my ignorance, but I’ve owned a 2017 Chevy Bolt for two years now and never knew I could use it as a WiFi hotspot. So I immediately went out to check the settings and there did appear to be one. However, when I drove away from my house that does have WiFi, and tried to link my iPad to that WiFi and passcode displayed in the settings, it wouldn’t work. I mean, the iPad showed all bars, but I couldn’t bring anything up in my browser. So I’m wondering if this WiFi hotspot was something the previous owner had set up and I have to set up another for myself. If so, how do I do this, and what does it cost. BTW, I am a Verizon customer. I appreciate any help you can give!
No problem, happy to help. It's a subscription service that can be activated via the MyChevrolet app or website portal. You can probably call OnStar to do so as well but we tend to prefer online set up.
In the app, there's a section called Wi-Fi Hotspot where you can find all the info. The plan was $14.99/month for unlimited data via AT&T when we signed up. Nothing has changed for our plan since then but I couldn't say if they've changed pricing for new customers since then.
@@plugandplayEV Thanks for this. I did check it out, but decided I really can’t justify the monthly subscription for as little as I would benefit to it’s use. Perhaps on a long road trip it would be great and do better than using my phone as a hot spot. Until then, I’ll have to skip this convenience. Glad you like it though.
The kW reading on the instrument cluster is a damned requirement to me. It also allows you to see the charge rate right where the regen is shown. Simple.
Agreed, I'm not so much a fan of the vague power bar on its own, fluctuating back and forth. That's fine at a glance but the exact number/gauge here is multi-functional, as it gives both regen/acceleration power while in motion, then idle power use at a standstill or charge rate when plugged in.
@@plugandplayEV Wouldnt an OBD scan tool mitigate that while being able to view important things like battery temperature?
Yes, and we do sometimes set that up, but it's quite an effort for the regular user to get all that together and dedicate a device to it on every drive.
@@plugandplayEV Understandable. I appreciate the reply, thank you.
Some cars such as the Ford Mach-e have no regen energy gauge at all. This is a terrible omission as it makes it impossible to maximize range by keeping the energy kinetic.
Hi Great Video I’m watching again. I have a Bolt on order and only had one very brief test drive. I noticed when I tried to use the rear view mirror in camera mode that I had a very hard time focusing and switched right back to the mirror. I wondered if that was just me or did you notice having any adjustment issues when you first used it?
Thanks. Not just you, no... in fact, it's everybody who uses it (at least in our Bolts!) Out of a sample of six or seven folks, all had to adjust but five loved the digital rearview cam once they got used to it.
We also now have an Ioniq 5, which has regular mirrors only, and it takes a few minutes to acclimatize to one after we've driven the other. Not a big deal, but something to keep in mind if you have multiple vehicles in the driveway.
I totally agree with you, the Bolt still does it really well
Thanks for the feedback!
Glad you mentioned that you’ve seen the att Wi-Fi has coverage where your T-Mobile plan doesn’t
Yep, it definitely reconnected us a couple of times up in the Pennsylvania Wilds!
How much does the Wi-Fi cost per month
When we had it, the GM wifi via AT&T was $14.99/month for unlimited data.
I went from a lovely Bolt to a Polestar 2. The Polestar 2 seats are just A+, plus that Öhlins suspension is sweet. But! I could have bought three used Bolts for the price of the Polestar 2. I heavily respect the Bolt, but it was time to move on.
Totally understand. New tech doesn't suddenly make the Bolt a bad option, it just means its place in the market has shifted. As an entry-level EV or an affordable used option once the packs are replaced, it's still very hard to beat.
I agree with you about the displays.
Both certainly have their advantages, but the Bolt has it dialed in a little better imo.
@@plugandplayEV Absolutely, I prefer the Bolt display to the Kia EV6. I like to have the numbers showing as to how much energy I'm using and how much is going back into the battery and differentiating which way the energy is going. However, what I love about the Kia display that the Bolt does not have is it visually shows me a red colored area in the right or left rear of a representation of the car when there is a car in my blind spot (I don't have the GT just the Wind RWD so no blind spot camera). I find that to be extremely helpful when changing lanes.
Since you own a Ioniq 5 maybe you could test the recharge going downhill when Adaptive Cruise Control is on. While in i-pedal mode I noticed that the EV6 does maintain the speed going downhill, but no regen appears on the display. However, when I turn Adaptive Cruise Control off, the regen appears on the display. That seems like a bug in the display, so I'm wondering if you have noticed that quirk too on your Ioniq 5?
Bolt's have always been hard to get in Utah. With limited inventory you essentially had to settle for whatever color was available. It's even worse today.
We didn't actually get first choice color on either of our Bolts, but I can imagine it's far worse with the current limited supply. Hoping a flood of them push back into the market, both new and used, as GM ramps up production and completes most battery swaps this year.
I agree with most your points, except for the instrument cluster. I prefer Ioniq 5 as it looks more advanced with more info (stats) in the display. Bolt EV display seems too simplistic, even though it does have the basic info you need. Also, I dont think it shows battery % anywhere in the car display itself (I think you have to look at its app to view battery %)...
I might need to dig into the Ioniq 5's options further, as I'm mostly seeing less info than the Bolt's Enhanced dash. The trip meters in the Ioniq 5 are better, though, and the % SOC is definitely an improvement. With ABRP running via Android Auto, it will show the live % SOC on the Bolt's center cluster, but obviously that's not a Bolt-specific feature and locks you into the ABRP environment for the mapping.
There are 20 energy bars displayed to show the energy in the battery. Each bar is 5% of battery capacity or about 3kWh.
@@rastakins For sure, it's easy enough to gauge the approximate % SOC from the Bolt's green bars. Although the exact % doesn't matter too much in the upper portion of the pack, I think many owners like to see the exact number when they get down into the lower levels. To be fair, even Tesla doesn't give you that as a primary piece of data so perhaps it's not as widely used as some of us think.
@@plugandplayEV I would like to see the Bolt display the remaining miles left once one gets below 10% of the battery. At the bottom of the battery, one would want to count EVERY mile, yet the miles disappear and LOW is displayed. GM does not trust their math.
Congratulations on getting the IR ionic five. I think my next vehicle will probably be a Tesla model three or pay luxury EV for my gig work/rideshare
Thanks! And nice... would the Model 3 also be for rideshare though? Seems like a Y would serve you better for that, although availability could be an issue.
I have a 2017 bolt premier love it - the rear view mirror , heated seats 4 of them, it’s really comfortable I get around 4.5kw per mile , just wish Gm or third party had a charging upgrade for at least 100kw or 150kw would be amazing . I been next to vw id4 and ionic 5 charging and wow they charge fast - not tesla fast but 3x faster than bolt 😞 besides that everything is 💯
Yeah, the Bolt doesn't need too many updates to be the perfect all-rounder entry EV. Anything close to triple digit fast charging would be enough for a 66kWh pack (10-80% in 30-35 minutes would be competitive) and the efficiency makes it all the better in terms of miles gained per session.
All it needs is a battery temperature readout and an upgrade to 150 KW charging. When I get the new battery, I will be happy. Would like a 75 Kwhr battery though.
Pretty happy with the battery size as it is, although obviously chemistry improvements upping the capacity in the same size and shape would be appealing. It's definitely the DCFC power that needs some work, but GM seems to be saving all that tech for the Ultium models so we may never know.
Interesting comparison! Thank you for sharing 🔌⚡🚘
Glad it resonated, thanks!
Thanks for the fair comparison. I had a 2018 Bolt EV and really enjoyed it. Really it was only the slow charging speed that was an issue for road trips. Replaced with a Taycan, which has certain advantages; however, I still think the Bolt is a solid vehicle.
Blimey, I bet there aren't too many owners out there who stepped out of a Bolt and into a Taycan... that's a comparison I want to see!
re: "I had a 2018 Bolt EV and really enjoyed it... Replaced with a Taycan".
We have a 2020 Bolt and a 2021 Taycan. .
Even with a Taycan, I still find the Bolt fun to drive. The Taycan doesn’t have 1 pedal driving. The Bolt is limited to 93mph, the Porsche limit is more than I will ever drive.
Always check to see if the company you work for has a GM/Ford discount. It may get you an additional $$off the car.
I would love to have an I5; but the dealer just told me that I was #64 on the waiting list, and their allocation is 2 per month; thus I would get delivery around July 2025. Im old enough I dont buy green bananas, 3 years for a car..? nope. Bolt, here I come. Not that theyre quick.
Good thing Americans dont want electric cars, otherwise the waits would be HUGE.
Yep, wait times are still nuts. Supply chains take a long time to reinvent and get back up to capacity, which combined with the need to build domestically means we probably won't see a significant leveling off until 2024/25. Probably for the best right now, as the US charging infrastructure isn't going to be ready in the next 12-18 months to handle a major spike in EV adoption.
I have a 2017 Bolt LT so it doesn't have some of the features of your 2020 Premire like the rear heated seats or mirror camera view. Unfortunately I think the mirror camera view isn't offered on the new EV or EUV models, although the EUV you can get super cruise so that's something extra there.
Yeah, a few things are specific to the Premier trim we've always had, but the efficiency, display, and trunk depth hold up across all trims. There are also several features that would be missing if we weren't on the Limited trim of the Ioniq 5, so it's essentially comparing the upper trim of both vehicles. Unfortunately the 2022 models quickly got caught up in the expanded recall, so it's been tough to get much seat time in them to compare.
The plus side of slow charging is longer battery life.
it's going to be interesting to see how the lightning fast charging impacts battery life. The irony with the Bolt line is that every pack is getting replaced, so it really doesn't matter how much owners have fast charged the original.
The regen paddle aka regen on demand is also an amazing feature on the bolt. Are there any other EV's which allows use of regen paddle to slow down the car to a stop?
All Kia and Hyundai BEV models
A great feature that I just recently discovered on my 2020 Bolt is that when you have it in D (not L) and you come to a stop light, you can just hit the regen paddle quickly once and the car will not move until you hit the accelerator pedal again. You do not need to sit there with your foot on the brake.
The Kia-Hyundai system uses paddles to control levels of regen, of which there are four: 0-3 and iPedal. The latter will bring the car to a full stop, like "L" in the Bolt, while 0 is more like "D". But none of them (at least in my use thus far) deliver the "on demand" functionality of the Bolt... i.e. they switch modes but don't provide max regen with a single hold.
That said, I do use the regen paddle on the Bolt but not as a primary option. It's helpful in a pinch when traffic slows quicker than expected, but I tend to prefer well-timed stops via one-pedal driving. It's also tough to hit the paddle button in a corner when the steering wheel is in motion!
@Billy Beemus Didn't know about this one... going to try it tomorrow, thanks!
@@billybeemus3929 yes, that's true, but the brake lights is not on after coming to a complete stop with the Regen paddle. So it's just safer to press the brakes while at stop
Bolt has advantages and potentials cuz 70% are made of lg, king of display, telematics and home applianeces. I'm sure bolt will be one of the most iconic evs like tesla and ioniq.
I think the Bolt sits with the Nissan LEAF as a milestone model that quietly made a difference to the EV transition. Certainly the likes of the Tesla Model 3 and Ford F150 Lightning will take more plaudits, but these smaller, sort of affordable EVs helped bring hundreds of thousands more along for the ride.
Nice comparison. Unfortunately I have very little trust in GM at this time as several of my families cars didn't make it to 100k, recall plagued and often not fixed correctly. If they can't make a reliable ICE car doubtful they will make a electric one. Plus there cars are ugly. The Ioniq 5 is beautiful.
Thanks for the perspective. It's hard for an automaker to recover customer trust once they've been burned, so I understand your antipathy to GM in that sense. I would just note that our two Bolts have been rock solid in terms of reliability, even with the recall (which is really in LG Energy's court), and hopefully GM can stay on track with their Ultium EVs, regardless of its ICE history. Time will tell.
I hope that the transition from gas to electric cars doesn't cause automakers to lose sight of the consumer's wallet.
For example, I can imagine bigger and bigger cars getting worse and worse miles/kWh efficiency (compensated by bigger battery packs and faster DCFC charging), until by 2035, every car made is the size of a Suburban, getting around 1.5 miles/kWh, leaving consumers charging at home with energy bills not much less than filling up a Prius at the gas pump.
Similarly, while batteries are constantly getting cheaper in terms of $/kwh, they will never be free, and there will always be money to be saved by "right-sizing" the battery based on the vehicle's intended use. I can easily imagine a future world where, for consumer taste/mass production reasons, every single car sold is getting 400+ miles of range, in spite of numerous cases where a vehicle only needs a small fraction of that. For example, the 2nd car in a multicar household in an urban area can probably get away with 100 miles of range, or even less (especially if it can charge at 150kW on CCS, rather than requiring Chadamo). Similar for company vehicles that run short, fixed routes. The worst are the full-sized gas powered SUV's used for parking lot patrols, which spend far more time idling their engine than actually moving.
But, almost nobody thinks this way. Instead, vehicle choice is driven by emotion, and an insistence that every car be able to do everything, whether needed or not, and automakers must respond to this or their vehicles won't sell.
The drive to larger packs and faster charging certainly does seem to be coming at the cost of efficiency, at least for the most recent crop of new EVs. I do think that there will be a swing back to focus on efficiency, however, as tech like Lucid's extremely small and light drive motors trickle down to OEM models. It is a shame to see the likes of Hyundai failing to deliver on efficiency, however, given their track record of outperforming EPA numbers (and, in the case of the original Ioniq sedan, beating Tesla at their own game for many years).
I think the focus at the moment is on creating EVs that offer almost as much as their gasoline counterparts in terms of size and range, in a bid to get away from the mainstream belief that all-electric means small, oddly-shaped city car. Once we get past the first wave of "ground-up" EVs for the OEMs now showing an interest, I do expect them to focus on more efficient motors and lighter cars as a way to maintain range, rather than the current approach of throwing more batteries at the challenge.
@@plugandplayEV
I hope so. However, I wrote my comment thinking about trends in the efficiency of gas cars over the past 30 years. Technology has allowed gas cars to become more efficient, yet those efficiency gains have all been erased by consumers demanding bigger and bigger cars.
One thing that would help is if every car - gas or electric - came with an annual energy cost, in dollars, printed on the sticker, just like we see for refrigerators and dishwashers. Dollars per year is much more comprehensible than something like MPGe, which almost nobody knows what that means.
I really do not understand why gm killed the bolt... it was way ahead of other cars and would still be very good if they would have done a facelift with 100kwh charging.
The Bolt isn't officially dead, GM just has a whole lot in the pipeline that could potentially replace it. A $30k Equinox on Ultium makes the Bolt at current MSRP untenable, for example, but perhaps the price comes down to under $25k and they find a place for it as a commuter option?
In any case, the steadfast refusal to budge on the DCFC power even after a midcycle refresh seems to indicate that the Bolt EV/EUV line is what it is until GM decides an Ultium model can refresh/replace it. And as they're advertising 2022 Bolts again right now, that would seem to be at least a couple of years off.
@@plugandplayEV The Situation in Germany ist qiet different. The Chevrolet bolt and the Opel ampera-e where only build for arround four years (from 2016-2020).
No one ever says how much it is to plug in to public charger.
As in the cost? It varies by area and network. Anything from free to around 40-45 cents per kWh for faster chargers. We can usually fill out Bolt for $10-12 around Boston.
I had a 21 Bolt EV and now a 22 Bolt EUV. The EUV may be a little slower though i can’t feel it.. the suspension and ride are noticeably better, interior is nice (though I do wish for the cloth there was some gray to help break apart all the black like the 21s)… the look of the center screen is nice but never had an issue with the last gen. These Bolts are the best value in an EV for sure and because of that I don’t see myself getting into any other EV currently on the market. Hoping the Equinox keeps the price point down but ups the charging speed and range to entice me to look into that.
Thanks for the comparison. At the end of the market they serve, the Bolt line has provided the best value EV for several years now. Like you, I hope that continues into the Equinox EV if the Bolt models are retired.
Thanks for the videoooo
Thanks for the thanks!
It’s not just the technology that makes the Bolt undesirable, it’s the styling. Legacy auto makers seem to go out of their way to make sure EVs are not attractive. I don’t understand that. If you don’t want to sell many just don’t make many, you don’t have to make them ugly.
Pretty subjective area though... in the EV family crossover category, for example, I'd put many of the OEM offerings far ahead of the industry leader in terms of looks. Model Y is really just a bloated 3 but it hasn't stopped it selling millions, thanks to Tesla's overall EV package.
@@plugandplayEV what about the new Toyota, ya think those black fenders are attractive? The BMW baby blue lines on their EVs? It’s intentional.
Except now the Bolt is going out of production.
Fair enough... when the I5 hits 2029, it will get the +1 for most model years of the two 🗓️👀
More modern and expensive models.
Yeah, it's never going to be a fair comparison between the two but this is what we're living with, so it's interesting to see where the tech has landed. A mid-range I5 is about the MSRP as a Bolt EV Premier was a couple of years ago, but the wider market is also very different and EV capabilities advance every year.
The Hyundai is $10k out of my affordability.
not sure if anyone commented but dang C19 sure has messed with my calendar. A 2020 Bolt is 5 years older than a 2022 Ionic 5? All those classes learning arithmetic -- what a waste of time eh lol.
Maybe let us know exactly what year Bolt you do have? Has it been recalled? As said, it is too small.
Further in the review It does appear that the 2017 Bolt was mentioned but just not at the beginning. It also seems that between the 2015 & 17 the vehicles were basically the same. I have a couple of nephews in Vancouver BC with Bolts but I have not driven or ridden in one as I am on the other side of the country. I like the Ionic 5 but still need something larger along the line of my current ICE car -- Lincoln MKX due to needing to carry things like a battery operated scooter, groceries etc. Hopefully by next year there will be vehicles on dealers lots that can actually be seen.
Did you also miss the part about us driving a 2017 with the same features?
Is the Chevy Bolt still good at spontaneous combustion? Thanks in advance.
Unfortunately not, GM seems to have discontinued that particular feature. But it is proving excellent at recycling stale humor from the creatively bereft! 👍
ive heard bolt batteries starting to flame up.that is why they cutting the price down!
It's more the dated technology and impending arrival of a $30k Equinox EV. Like the Nissan LEAF (which has no record of fires but does have aging EV tech), the Bolt isn't going to be price competitive at $30k or above.
No mention of comfort
Because the Bolt is not as comfortable as the IONIQ 5, making that an unsuitable topic for a video covering areas where the Bolt offers more.
As a Bolt Owner who traded the Bolt up for the Ioniq 5, there isn’t one place the Bolt beats the Ioniq 5, period. Not one. Only fanboys will hold on to the Bolt acceding over any other car.
I have both cars and made my observations. I think you missed the point here.
Well, one spontaneously bursts into flames…
Or gets a brand new battery for nothing based on isolated defects in 0.01% of the vehicle population. But hey, whatever fits your preferred narrative!
Oh please the same things could be said about a golf cart. The vehicles are not in the same planet. Bolt is cheaper in all ways imaginable.
Golf carts have rearview mirror cams and wifi hotspots now?? Sign me up!
Found build quality disappointing.
On the Hyundai, Chevy, or both?
Thanks for the video. We have a 2017 Bolt with the upgraded 66 KWH battery pack. We just drove it from California to Louisiana and back, 4200 miles. The Bolt averaged 3.9 miles per KW, cruising around 65 mph and the air conditioner on for the entire trip. Our biggest problem with the Bolt on the trip was the slow charging speed. Two hours driving and an hour charging was the routine.
Other than that the only real problem we had was the lack of chargers along I-10 in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Electrify America has stations about every 100 miles along that route but often one or two of the dispensers aren't working. And there's always a bit of uncertainty as to whether a dispenser marked "available" will actually connect to the car.
The Bolt's slow charging speed is usually not a problem for me, I plug it in at night at home and in the morning it's charged. It's a great little car for us, and we just happened to buy it at the right time to get a super deal compared to today's prices.
Our plan is to drive it until it dies. And for our next trip to Louisiana, we'll probably fly :)
Sounds like a great trip... not fast, but great! Thanks for sharing it. Flying or a rental car were always our back up thoughts for our 2017 Bolt but it never came to that. We found that with two kids, most stops are at least 30-45 minutes and we could ride out any extra after that with exploration or exercise. Not always ideal - and we're glad to have the choice to move on more quickly in the Ioniq 5 - but it can make for more interesting trips, given the right charge locations.
1. Efficiency : Volt City range vs Ioniq 5 Highway Range ? Is it fair?
How about that? Kona vs Bolt or Niro vs Bolt?
*Bolt range on highway is often high 3s, we couldn't push low 3s on our first I5 trip. It may improve with summer temps but the weight and extra motor aren't going anywhere, so we'll have to see.
In any case, it's to be expected in a heavier, better-specced EV that it won't deliver quite as much in the way of efficiency. The fair comparison would certainly be Bolt vs Kona Electric or Ioniq 5 vs ID4, but that's not what this video aims to achieve. But future vids will!
@@plugandplayEV Yep. Awd will always be less efficient