Chevy Bolt EV - 238 Mile Range $30K after incentives
 

I test drove the Bolt EV Premier with my brother Nathan and my son Nick yesterday. I am 6'-4" and ~225, Nick is 6'-6" and ~245, and Nathan is 6'-7" and ~265.

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Some impressions from seeing and sitting in the Bolt EV Premier, and brief test drive:

The seats are upright and comfortable, and firm. The Premier has leather seats, and the LT (which we didn't see) has cloth, that are apparently slightly softer. The seat base is narrower than typical, but they still support all three of us.

The rear seat is also upright, and only Nathan's head touched the roof if he tilted it back. We had to duck a bit getting in the back seat. The floor is flat all the way across, so the middle seat would be better than most.

Nathan fit in the backseat behind Nick in the driver's seat - this is most impressive, indeed!

The front door openings are great - there is NO rise at the door sill for your feet, so the floor is essentially level. There is a shallow storage bin on the floor between the front seats; otherwise the floor would be flat.

The vision out of the car for the driver is excellent, with even the windshield continuing up high enough to see traffic lights when you are at the stop line (which is much better than many cars for us tall folks). The side window sills are nice and low, making it feel quite open and airy.

Shifting is very similar to the Leaf, but regenerative braking in L (which is called B in the Leaf) is MUCH stronger, and it offers true "one pedal" driving. You can drive normally using only the accelerator pedal. If you use D, there is a regen switch on the back of the left side of the steering wheel. And regen is integrated onto the brake pedal, as well.

Acceleration is strong - even for a seasoned EV driver. My extended family already has SEVEN EV's. We are familiar with the Nissan Leaf, Mitsubishi i MiEV, VW e-Golf, and BMW i3.

The Bolt EV apparently has a "safety" noise maker, so that people outside the car get a subtle warning. The good news is this is not noticeable to the people inside; as it is on the Leaf and the e-Golf.

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They have a variable regen paddle on the back of the left spoke of the steering wheel. This is only needed in D; because L already has full regen. I found that coasting in L was not really feasible - you can get close, but it easily "slips" to either accelerating or regen. The i3 has a noticeable "detent" when you can feel it coasting - the Bolt EV does not do this.

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Seems like you could easily top 300 miles on a charge depending on your commute and driving habits.

Is there any trunk space at all?

A lot of your description sounds like you're describing my Volt, other than the Volt having way less headroom getting in the back seat. I think everybody who has sat in my back seat hit their head the first time! The Volt also can't be coasted in "L", usually I drive in "D" and switch to "L" when I know I need to slow or stop.

Yes there is decent hatch space. The Premier comes standard with a panel that sits level with the rear seats when they are folded down. Below that is a space nearly a foot high, and below that, there is a foam storage unit that can hold the 120v charger, and the tow loop, and a few other things. This bottom area is where the spare would be. If you take out the panel and the foam container, you get quite a bit of space.

Pictures from: http://insideevs.com/a-closer-look-a...ailed-gallery/

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The Volt has much lower seats and a large hump in the middle for the battery, while the floor in the Bolt EV is flat.

I think 300 miles is possible in the Bolt EV - one journalist had ~42 miles left at the end of a ~240 mile drive, that was some highway speeds, and some A/C. It is possible to shift it into neutral, and coast.

This article says at least one driver has gone over 300 miles on a charge. https://electrek.co/2017/02/17/chevy...0-miles-range/

I hope they can crank a bunch of them out and people will buy them. Right now a used Volt is the only roadtrip capable "EV" in my price range, but a 200+ mile range full EV would fit the bill. My Prius isn't going to last forever. ;)

What's the best EV you've driven, Neil?

The three best EV's that I have driven are the VW e-Golf, the BMW i3, and the Chevy Bolt EV.

I have not driven a Tesla, nor the Soul EV, and also the 500e and Smart ED.

The e-Golf is nearly perfect as an ecodriver - it coasts by default, and it handles very well, and it fits my tall family comfortably.

The i3 has the exact opposite regen design from the e-Golf, with its 1-pedal driving. But you can coast it fairly easily, and it is the lightest EV. It has the most front seat room of just about ANY vehicle.

The Bolt EV has - by far - the best range in "affordable" EV's, and that alone would make it very desirable. But it also has the best overall interior space - the front is slightly less roomy than the i3, but the rear seat is the best for any EV I know of. It has more interior volume than the Model S, believe it or not.

The Bolt EV is more efficient than the i3 - I think they got the drivetrain losses down to a minimum. Only the upcoming Ioniq Electric has better efficiency. And the motor of the Bolt EV is the most powerful of all other EV's - except the Teslas, of course. The Bolt EV has a 150kW motor, and they have tuned it for very linear acceleration.

I test drove a base model Bolt yesterday. I think Chevy has a winner on their hands. Range and efficiency seem to be great. We left the dealer with 218 or 219 miles remaining and after a ~6.5 mile drive with AC and some quick acceleration (but otherwise eco-driving), it was still showing 218 remaining. As Neil said, the regen in L or with the paddle is strong. The salesman even had me try them out before leaving the parking lot because it's so unexpected. Not sure how I would drive it if I had one, probably a mix depending on the situation, like L for going down long hills. The acceleration is amazing and there's something wrong with you if it doesn't put a smile on your face. Not as good as a Tesla, but not bad for being half the price of a Model S or X.

It was difficult to leave without one. Issues were 1) Prius is paid off, just liability insurance, and pretty close to being fully depreciated. Would be really difficult to financially justify getting a more expensive car. 2) Payments on a $40k car (because we wouldn't be able to use much of the tax credit) just wouldn't fit in the budget right now. 3) I would want a little more than just the base model, like fast charging and at least the package that includes the heated seats and steering wheel (orange would be nice).

I'm hoping they depreciate like a rock, but I think the ~240 mile range will help protect them from that.:(

Ah but the auestion is: can they go from Sacramento to Reno on a charge? The # 1 cause for tow truck runs are currently running out of charge in your tesla just outside of Truckee

I'm hoping for major depreciation, too.

I want to go electric, but I can get twice the range and only paid half the sticker.

When the Model 3 starts production, the Bolt EV will get less expensive. And shortly after that, we should be seeing the new Leaf (with hopefully 200-250 mile range!), as well.

The new e-Golf and the Ioniq Electric have ~125 mile ranges, and the new i3 is ~114 miles - so that also puts market pressure on the Bolt EV.

My spouse wants to go test drive a Bolt EV - soon - so we may be getting one sooner than I thought. And if the new Leaf is not improved enough in the backseat - we probably will be getting a second Bolt EV early next year, when our e-Golf lease expires.

Is it really, though? For me, 200-250 mile range is a necessity because I would like to have just one car. I live in northern Utah. Going down to SLC is about 100 miles one way; visiting my parents in Idaho is about 160 miles one way. 125 miles vs ~80 miles for an older Leaf helps with the SLC trips (though I'd need to find a place to charge before going home), but with either I'd be adding at least an hour or two when visiting my parents (if I could even find a charger). A Bolt could do the SLC trip without charging and I could make it to my parents'.

For a household with 2+ cars, though, that extra 40 miles of range could make an EV a more viable option for a second car. I can definitely see <100 mile range EVs taking a value hit when more of the new options have >100 mile range, if only because 100 is getting into triple digits.

I am just saying in general, having 5 other longer range EV's on the market, will help lower the price of the Bolt EV.

I dunno. I think they are just fleet economy improvers to get past the CARB requirements. I really dont see GM making 500 K E-vehicles a year

We'll see what they do. GM is a big company with a lot of internal dynamics. But, they did build the Bolt EV from concept to production in ~23 months.

And they have spoken about several additional models on the same platform, and additional platforms, too.

I can't think of too many cases where a SECOND vehicle needs >80 miles range. If so, that family is doing a ton of driving.

Here's a report written by the owner, about owning 2 Bolt EV's and eliminating gasoline use:

This family has two Chevy Bolt EV electric cars, uses no gas at all

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They use only Level 1 (120V) charging at home, and one is an LT and the other is a Premier model. Very interesting reading.

Another review of the Bolt EV:

Chevrolet Bolt Described As "Electric All-Arounder" By Slash Gear

There is absolutely no reason to make a 240 mile EV on an unique platform if the goal is to just make a CARB compliance car. GM already did that with the Spark EV. The Bolt is a genuine attempt to make a good EV (and get ahead of their competition in the shift to EVs)

I don't see GM making 500K EVs next year but I expect they will be making more than 500K per year 10 years from now. (GM makes 10 million vehicles per year so 500K would only be 5% EV market share)

What are your best guesstimates of when the 200 mile Leaf and Tesla 3 are available for sale?

I've got a company provided car (Dodge Grand Caravan) that is nearing the end of service and needs to be replaced. I've considered an EV, but I will need something with at least 200 miles range to service my area.

I think we will see the new Leaf, and get the specs in September or so. And it should be on sale a little while after that.

We should see the finalized Model 3 in a month or so, and they are hoping to start production in July. They are aiming to produce about 100K Model 3's this year, and if they manage that and they achieve their intended ramp up, they will fulfill all the reservations about a year after that?

So, the Leaf will be here at least a year before the Model 3.

If you actually need the room of a Caravan just buy a Pacifica PHEV
30mpg and 30 miles EV

No range or room worries

Further it is already for sale, no need to wait for 2020

The caravan was a hand-me-down; I don't need the space. I've already got a Prius.

2013 Leafs are showing up more frequently for $7,500 these days and I'm tempted to get one. However, my job requires that I drive a car no older than 4 years. I can either pick from their list (Legacy, Forester, Passat, Caravan, Grand Cherokee), or purchase my own vehicle. If the Runzheimer program allows leases, then maybe I'll lease the Bolt.

I wonder how low the gen I Leafs will go once the new Leaf and Tesla drop? At $7k, I can't imagine them going much lower. Any chance they could hit $3k in the next 2 years? Perfect vehicle for my parents.

... is this true? Quote from one of the reviews Neil linked.

Do you have an early Model 3 pre-order? If not, I'm guessing early 2019 at the earliest. With a launch pre-order, early 2018 might be possible, especially if you're on the west coast.

I think Tesla's going to stick to their production estimates though, mostly because they'll need to time their domestic production right to maximize the number/amount of the federal tax credit owners can get. They might hold back some US deliveries to do that as well.

Do we know what the real world range is?
The EV range numbers tests sound even more unrealistic than Ethanol Production Agency fuel economy MPG window sticker numbers.

We need something like J2807, but for EV range.
J2807 is the realistic tow rating tourcher test all the OEMs (but Toyota) are scared of. Pretty much if you attempt J2807 with the manufactures sky high tow number, you will need a new truck about half way through the test.

Why, EPA rating is as accurate for EVs "range" as it is for gas fe.

My Volt is EPA rated for 37 miles, it's a very sad day when that is all I get, now that temps are 40+ my range bobs from 65-70 miles.

I don't think we need a 100mph EPA rating metric to be "realistic"

I'm on the Bolt forum, and people are reporting that the official range estimate is a worst case scenario. Most people are getting more range, most of the time.

Apparently the disappointing thing is the seats, auto climate control, and cheap interior.

False, it does regen and then friction brakes just like any other EV in D when you brake. It even shows that on the display, not sure why anyone would think otherwise. While GM has made some dumb decisions, they've done a pretty good job designing their EVs.

No, that is not correct. The Bolt EV has a small amount of regen in D when you lift your foot on the accelerator, and it has regen integrated onto the brake pedal. It is correct about the switch on the back of the left side of the steering wheel.

Driving the Bolt EV in L greatly increases the regen on the accelerator, and that makes the steering wheel switch less of an increase.

The Leaf is similar to the Bolt EV, but lacks the steering wheel switch - and the Leaf is basically the same as the Prius: it has light regen in D and more regen in B mode.

The EPA number is pretty average - many have exceeded it, and if you drive 75MPH and use heat, it will be lower. The Bolt EV dash has a 3 number range: it shows a number based on your recent driving, and then it shows a best case and a worst case number.

I believe the Bolt EV uses elevation data from GPS to adjust the expected range - which is a significant improvement over what we have seen in other cars, so far.

Several folks have reported driving (well?) over 300 miles on a charge, by ecodriving and keeping speeds down.

I think that MOST of the seat issues stem from the early LT seats. And I am pretty sure there are those who are trolling on this; in order to tamp down Bolt EV sales.

I have not come across the auto climate control comments - can you summarize this? I have to say that I MUCH prefer the HVAC controls in our 2015 Leaf S (which are very conventional), to the 2015 VW e-Golf SEL, which required a dealer applied change to keep it from resetting to 72F EVERY TIME the car was turned off longer than 20 minutes.

As for judgments about the interior - they are just that: personal subjective judgements. The two screens are crisp, and most cars have plastic interiors. I responded to someone on GCR who said it looks "like a $18K car", by asking what DOES an $18K car "look like?"

I didn't get an answer. So, I suspect some of these posters are trolls.

Some people have experienced problems where the temperature fluctuates all over the place by tens of degrees F. It appears this might be caused by damaged wiring on some cars.

I haven't even seen a Bolt in person, so I'm only relaying other things I've read.

As far as seat comfort and interior go, I'm not that interested in discussing it. As you say, it's subjective, and the only way I'll know if it meets my expectations is to sit in the car. I have very low standards for interior design too. Plastic is fine by me as long as the cabin noise is low. I'm more concerned with having a logical layout of controls and efficient use of space.

One thing I heard mentioned is that the Bolt uses resistance heating instead of a heat pump. If so, that is disappointing.

The AC is a heat pump, so reversing it to provide heat should be a fairly straightforward task. Nissan figured it out for the Leaf 4 years ago.

The Bolt using resistance heating instead of a heat pump is a bit of a letdown but the car has so much extra range it likely won't be much of an issue in actual use. My Spark also has resistance heat at can consume 30% of the battery during my commute. However even with "only" 82 miles of range I get by OK.

I have never liked the "auto " climate setting on any car I've ridden in, manual seems the way to go.

The only time a "heatpump" is in a usable temperature range here in mid Wisconsin is during November and March, all other months are too hot or too cold for it to operate (aka above 40 or below 15)

Heat pumps are less efficient than AC in cooling and I op below 15f

That said I have no use for resistance heating, rather have a diesel heater.

Most of the comments on the Bolt forum suggest there is no regen in D mode when using the brake pedal. Annoyingly, I didn't pay attention when I took one for a test drive.

One commenter said there is regen using the brake pedal, but that it's very limited, less than driving in L mode and letting off the pedal.

What I don't get is the button activated brake on the steering wheel. Why confuse people with 3 ways to decel (let off accelerator, press steering wheel button, step on brake pedal)?

Anyhow, I'm still annoyed the car doesn't have a coast mode. There is no reason for it not to have that.

The chief engineer said D mode has creep because that's what people are used to. Manually shifted cars don't have creep, so I see no reason to build that feature into an EV. Creep is a consequence of how automatic transmissions work, not a feature.

Can someone straighten me out once and for all on the brake/regen thing? Can using the brake pedal max out the regen capability, or is it limited to something less than driving in L mode?

It's been a couple months since I drove one, but I'm pretty sure I did most of the drive in D using the brake pedal to slow/regen and got pretty far into regen. I think the most I saw was 30 or 40kw of regen, but I was driving an unfamiliar car in an unfamiliar area, so most of my focus was outside the windshield. I don't see why it wouldn't max out regen with the brake pedal in D. At worst, maybe the friction brakes start biting towards the max.

I'm with you on the coasting and creep. I don't really care if they have that as the default, but it shouldn't be an issue to make it driver adjustable like some other EVs.

I have only had two brief test drives in the Bolt EV, though I have been driving two EV's for almost 3 years. I am pretty certain there is mild regen on the accelerator in D, similar to the Leaf. And I am also pretty certain that regen is blended onto the brake pedal in the Bolt EV.

I think engineers need to leave what people "expect" behind, and do things that make the best use of how an EV works. The VW e-Golf is the best design on this, as far as I know:

* Coast in D, adaptable creep (no creep until you are in stop and go traffic), hill holding (on uphills).

* 4 levels is regen on the accelerator, selected on the shifter - D1, D2, D3, and B in order of increasing regen.

* Fully blended regen on the brake pedal.

Another point that should be noted is that regen can only be as strong as the motor. Cars with more powerful motors can have stronger regen.

A Bolt review by an I3 driver.
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2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Extended Test Drive Review
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My spouse and I are replacing our Leaf with a Bolt EV. The Bolt EV is the best match for us.

We have had our Bolt EV for about a week and a half. We love it, and so far have charged it twice. I have it set to "hilltop reserve" so it charges to about 85% - this is so the regenerative braking always works the same, and it is very gentle on the battery.

About regen in D - lemme put it this way: my spouse noticed it has more regen in D than our Leaf did. She would definitely prefer it to coast, like our e-Golf does. And she is not an ecodriver. Driving in L is right out.

We fit very comfortably. Seating is upright and the legroom and headroom is outstanding. Entry and exit is the best. Visibility outward is very good. Handling is good. The only slight caveat is the ride is smooth and comfortable - but over some bumps, there is an odd jounce.

The average of all three drivers (and a couple of friends trying it out) is about 4.9 miles / kWh, or well over 300 miles per charge.

Having an EV with this much range is a revelation.

That's something people need to consider when researching EVs, it's not too hard to blow the estimated ranges out of the water if you drive them with care.

300 miles is a pretty decent range, more than I typically drive in a week. In a couple of years I'll probably trade in my Volt for a Bolt if they don't start showing a lot of range reduction with age