Previously, I explained how I find the kWh used during a discharge cycle on our 2027 Chevy Bolt. (See Finding kWh Consumed on 2027 Chevy Bolt EV.)
Car Scanner ELM OBD2 is an app for your smart phone that with a compatible dongle reads data from the car’s CANbus (the car’s digital signals). The app has a setting for Chevrolet (not Chevy) cars post 2026 that are identified as “Ultium” vehicles.
I pretty much use the app’s default screen. I’ve added an element or two, but the default’s first line gives the data I’ll use here.
First, here’s the state-of-charge from the Driver’s Information Center (DIC).
Below is a screen shot of the app’s screen. The first row begins with the state-of-charge to two decimals. You see that it matches that from the DIC, 81%. Next to the right is the amount of kWh remaining in the traction battery (Battery Energy) of 56.31 kWh. On the far right is the total capacity of the traction battery (Battery Capability), 69.96 kWh. The latter varies slightly from when I begin charging to when the charging is complete, but is still ~70 kWh. The difference, 13.6 kWh, is the amount of energy the car used during the last charge cycle.
You can also see on the app that the car traveled 46.04 miles (BECM Distance since last full). The efficiency (46.04 mi/13.6 kWh) is only 3.4 mi/kWh though the display on the central console reports 3.7 mi/kWh. I have no explanation for the discrepancy, though the manual warns against taking the car’s display at face value.
It’s hot in Bakersfield now, 104 yesterday and today (40 C). For short trips around town the A/C is blasting, resulting in a low efficiency relative to a road trip with tens of miles on the odometer.
