Articles about Chevy’s Bolt

We’re now on our second Chevy Bolt and as a result I’ve written a lot about the Bolt. In addition there has been a number of news stories about the Bolt and GM’s on and off again plans to produce the car in the future. I am assembling the articles here for my friends, colleagues, and family members who drive a Bolt.

Img 20180928 1508364 jpg

Do I Need Heated Seats in an EV?

By

Paul Gipe

Yes, heated seats in an Electric Vehicle are a must. And a heated steering wheel too, if you can get it. This is particularly true for limited-range EVs like the early Nissan Leaf, but it remains a useful feature for longer-range vehicles as well.

Hwy 99 route from Bakesfield to Chico, California: 5.45 drive time.

Problem Free 730-mile Roundtrip in a Chevy Bolt

By

Paul Gipe

We’ve been driving electric for five years and we’ve seen tremendous improvement in both the cars and the charging network in that time. This trip was proof of that. Everything worked as expected. There were no surprises. We drove to where we wanted and returned–without drama.

Rtemagicc cost of electricity per mile

What does it Cost per Mile to Drive an Electric Vehicle?

By

Paul Gipe

Here in California it costs costs a little less than $0.06 per mile for us to charge our Bolt EV at home. Elsewhere in North America it may cost half that to charge at home. The cost to drive on electricity in California is about one-half that of driving with gasoline for most vehicles. It’s even less expensive driving electric than it is driving a Prius.

Charging at the EA station in Bakersfield, California at 55 kW.

Charging at Electrify America

By

Paul Gipe

As part of its penance for the diesel-gate pollution scandal, Volkswagen is building a continent-wide network of DC fast charging stations for electric vehicles under the brand of Electrify America.

Chevy Bolt Energy (flow) display. Subsequent screens are used to set the charging time.

Setting a Charging Schedule for the Chevy Bolt EV

By

Paul Gipe

I was talking to a Chevy Bolt newby and in the course of the conversation I found that they knew another Bolt driver who charged off-peak using a cheap 120-volt timer you can get at any big box store because of the lower electricity rates. This rang several alarm bells.

Rtemagicc nissan leaf battery capacity by charge date jpg jpg

Battery Degradation Comparison Chevy Bolt EV and Nissan Leaf

By

Paul Gipe

We are approaching the two-year anniversary of leasing a 2017 Chevy Bolt EV. This is a good time to take stock of any degradation in the Bolt’s traction battery capacity and how that compares with a 2015 Nissan Leaf we leased previously.