2023 Chevy Bolt

[jimmyshutter]

EV dummy here. I mostly plan to charge at home but on the rare occasion I need to charge on a road trip I wouldn't know how to do it. Can anyone explain the short version on how to charge outside of home?


Any particular app that's good for finding charging stations?
App for payment or can I use a credit card?
Do you "shop around" for the cheapest station or are they all close in price?
I assume I would need to find a station with a J-1772?
Are the websites/apps current/accurate with availability of charging stations?

[RWD]

EV dummy here. I mostly plan to charge at home but on the rare occasion I need to charge on a road trip I wouldn't know how to do it. Can anyone explain the short version on how to charge outside of home?


Any particular app that's good for finding charging stations?
App for payment or can I use a credit card?
Do you "shop around" for the cheapest station or are they all close in price?
I assume I would need to find a station with a J-1772?
Are the websites/apps current/accurate with availability of charging stations?

Usually it works better if you have the app associated with the charging network you are using. With Electrify America I pull up to the station, plug in, then swipe in the app on the station number to start charging. ChargePoint I think I just held my phone up to the sensor on the station (also supposed to work on EA, but I haven't had luck with that). Credit card should work but there are stations that don't have a CC reader or it doesn't work.

For finding stations you can use PlugShare or ABRP. Or a specific network app.

We've had free charging at EA so I haven't been shopping around. Prices can vary, but I haven't looked into it too much. For the most part there hasn't been enough choices anyway, which I'm sure will change in the future.

No, you would want a CCS charger (Level 3). J-1772 is only for Level 2 charging which will only get you to a full charge over 4-8 hours +/-.

I've found indicated charger availability to be pretty accurate, but not perfect. Usually we check both the specific app and PlugShare for a second opinion.

[jimmyshutter]

EV dummy here. I mostly plan to charge at home but on the rare occasion I need to charge on a road trip I wouldn't know how to do it. Can anyone explain the short version on how to charge outside of home?


Any particular app that's good for finding charging stations?
App for payment or can I use a credit card?
Do you "shop around" for the cheapest station or are they all close in price?
I assume I would need to find a station with a J-1772?
Are the websites/apps current/accurate with availability of charging stations?

Usually it works better if you have the app associated with the charging network you are using. With Electrify America I pull up to the station, plug in, then swipe in the app on the station number to start charging. ChargePoint I think I just held my phone up to the sensor on the station (also supposed to work on EA, but I haven't had luck with that). Credit card should work but there are stations that don't have a CC reader or it doesn't work.

For finding stations you can use PlugShare or ABRP. Or a specific network app.

We've had free charging at EA so I haven't been shopping around. Prices can vary, but I haven't looked into it too much. For the most part there hasn't been enough choices anyway, which I'm sure will change in the future.

No, you would want a CCS charger (Level 3). J-1772 is only for Level 2 charging which will only get you to a full charge over 4-8 hours +/-.

I've found indicated charger availability to be pretty accurate, but not perfect. Usually we check both the specific app and PlugShare for a second opinion.

Ok, that's a good start. Realistically how many apps should I have or should I just download one when I actually need to use it?

When you use a public charging station, does it cost less to wait until you're very low on charge and fill up or are frequent/quick charges the same cost so it doesn't matter?

[RWD]

EV dummy here. I mostly plan to charge at home but on the rare occasion I need to charge on a road trip I wouldn't know how to do it. Can anyone explain the short version on how to charge outside of home?


Any particular app that's good for finding charging stations?
App for payment or can I use a credit card?
Do you "shop around" for the cheapest station or are they all close in price?
I assume I would need to find a station with a J-1772?
Are the websites/apps current/accurate with availability of charging stations?

Usually it works better if you have the app associated with the charging network you are using. With Electrify America I pull up to the station, plug in, then swipe in the app on the station number to start charging. ChargePoint I think I just held my phone up to the sensor on the station (also supposed to work on EA, but I haven't had luck with that). Credit card should work but there are stations that don't have a CC reader or it doesn't work.

For finding stations you can use PlugShare or ABRP. Or a specific network app.

We've had free charging at EA so I haven't been shopping around. Prices can vary, but I haven't looked into it too much. For the most part there hasn't been enough choices anyway, which I'm sure will change in the future.

No, you would want a CCS charger (Level 3). J-1772 is only for Level 2 charging which will only get you to a full charge over 4-8 hours +/-.

I've found indicated charger availability to be pretty accurate, but not perfect. Usually we check both the specific app and PlugShare for a second opinion.

Ok, that's a good start. Realistically how many apps should I have or should I just download one when I actually need to use it?

When you use a public charging station, does it cost less to wait until you're very low on charge and fill up or are frequent/quick charges the same cost so it doesn't matter?

I've only installed the apps I know I'll need (so far just EA and ChargePoint) while planning a road trip. Worst case shouldn't be terrible to install a new one at the charger.

Some charging stations will bill you by the kWh and others by the minute (varies based on state law). If it is billing by the minute then it is better to minimize charging time by charging from a lower percentage (EVs charge faster at a lower percentage) and only as much as you need to get to the next station. If it is by the kWh then it doesn't really matter price-wise, but I still prefer to minimize the time spent stopped.

[BuffaloStache]

I'll second the "only install the apps when you need them". I basically only installed Plugshare before/when I got my EV, and then only downloaded the associated charging network apps the day or day before I knew I would need it, after mapping out my route/planned charging stops on PlugShare and A_Better_Route_Planner. In my opinion this is the biggest failure of charging 'out in the world' right now- that for many charging stations it only works, or works significantly better if you have their network app, which is annoying. My car came with lots of evGO credits, so I tend to use that network more than others.

I'll also jump in to add:

No, you would want a CCS charger (Level 3). J-1772 is only for Level 2 charging which will only get you to a full charge over 4-8 hours +/-.

I've found indicated charger availability to be pretty accurate, but not perfect. Usually we check both the specific app and PlugShare for a second opinion.

For the uninitiated, CCS and J-1772 will look almost identical. The difference is that CCS includes 2 additional 'prongs' below the standard J-1772 connector:


Finally, there is a lot of discussion and buzz in the industry that most EV carmakers will be switching to the Tesla-style plug (also called "NACS"= North American Charging Standard). Right now I find that CCS/J-1772 still dominates for non-Tesla public Charging Stations, but there may be a future (in a couple of years) where you'll need to buy an adapter. Many of these adapters already exist, but there is no need to rush out and buy one unless you have specific plans to use a Tesla or other charging station that only has NACS-type plugs available.

[jimmyshutter]

I'll second the "only install the apps when you need them". I basically only installed Plugshare before/when I got my EV, and then only downloaded the associated charging network apps the day or day before I knew I would need it, after mapping out my route/planned charging stops on PlugShare and A_Better_Route_Planner. In my opinion this is the biggest failure of charging 'out in the world' right now- that for many charging stations it only works, or works significantly better if you have their network app, which is annoying. My car came with lots of evGO credits, so I tend to use that network more than others.

I'll also jump in to add:

No, you would want a CCS charger (Level 3). J-1772 is only for Level 2 charging which will only get you to a full charge over 4-8 hours +/-.

I've found indicated charger availability to be pretty accurate, but not perfect. Usually we check both the specific app and PlugShare for a second opinion.

For the uninitiated, CCS and J-1772 will look almost identical. The difference is that CCS includes 2 additional 'prongs' below the standard J-1772 connector:


Finally, there is a lot of discussion and buzz in the industry that most EV carmakers will be switching to the Tesla-style plug (also called "NACS"= North American Charging Standard). Right now I find that CCS/J-1772 still dominates for non-Tesla public Charging Stations, but there may be a future (in a couple of years) where you'll need to buy an adapter. Many of these adapters already exist, but there is no need to rush out and buy one unless you have specific plans to use a Tesla or other charging station that only has NACS-type plugs available.

 I will almost exclusively be charging at home  but wanted to educate myself now rather than wait until it's too late. Thanks for the info

[TomTX]

Finally, there is a lot of discussion and buzz in the industry that most EV carmakers will be switching to the Tesla-style plug (also called "NACS"= North American Charging Standard). Right now I find that CCS/J-1772 still dominates for non-Tesla public Charging Stations, but there may be a future (in a couple of years) where you'll need to buy an adapter. Many of these adapters already exist, but there is no need to rush out and buy one unless you have specific plans to use a Tesla or other charging station that only has NACS-type plugs available.

The vast majority of the EV manufacturers selling in the USA have announced that they are switching to NACS, and have cut a deal with Tesla for access to the Supercharger network. Ford, GM, Hyundai, Kia, BMW, Rivian, Mercedes, Nissan, Fisker, Honda, Acura, Jaguar, Rolls Royce, Toyota, Lexus... All planning on going NACS by the end of 2025.

On the "ease of DC charging" thing - the current experience in the Tesla network is far superior. Once your car is registered to your Tesla account and you have a valid credit card on file - you just drive up and plug in. That's it. No fiddling with the app, or a card, or whatever.  There are also FAR more actual high-speed DCFC NACS plugs in the USA when compared to CCS, and they have far better reliability.

[TomTX]

The US EIA 2050 forecast might be very interesting as it relates to the current discussion:

https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/aeo/

EIA (and IEA) have consistently published absolutely terrible forecasts.

[geekette]

It has taken me a while to learn how to "read" the charging apps.  Many will show "destination chargers" (i.e. slow chargers), and also private chargers (like at dealerships, or offices).  If you're traveling, you really need to look for DC charging/CCS.  PlugShare has good filters, plus lets you know which stations are unreliable (like my closest Electrify America station)

I've seen mention of Tesla adding "magic docks" to some stations, which will have both CCS and NACS available.  They've also opened up a few, very few, supercharge stations to non-Teslas.

I have downloaded all the apps that I think I might need since I don't want to be at a station trying to download an app over cellular.  So far it's mostly been a moot point with the home charger, although I did charge at the library.  I think I added about 10 miles on that slow charger, but hey, it was free.

The dealer threw in a Level 1 charger with the car which came in handy when I spent a few days at the beach.  I plugged into the parking lot light pole and didn't have to charge on the way home!

[jimmyshutter]

I think I added about 10 miles on that slow charger, but hey, it was free.

The dealer threw in a Level 1 charger with the car which came in handy when I spent a few days at the beach.  I plugged into the parking lot light pole and didn't have to charge on the way home!

What's the catch with free charging? And why does it say "check in"? Can I charge for a couple of hours if I'm at the gym or is there a time limit?

[geekette]

Some businesses and towns offer free charging (as an incentive? an inducement?)  It doesn't seem like there's a time limit, but if you're fully charged, it's polite to move and leave the charger free for someone else.  Of course, at that slow charging speed, you're not getting a very quick charge. 

Plugshare encourages check ins, which can give you a good idea if the hardware is in good shape and if it's often full.  Notice the difference between two near me.  The good one is slow and free.  The dreadful one is fast, but really needs work.

[jimmyshutter]

Some businesses and towns offer free charging (as an incentive? an inducement?)  . 

I'm getting it now. Most of the free aren't worth hanging around just to get a free few miles but if you're already going there then why not?

[geekette]

Some businesses and towns offer free charging (as an incentive? an inducement?)  . 

I'm getting it now. Most of the free aren't worth hanging around just to get a free few miles but if you're already going there then why not?

You got it!

[jimmyshutter]

Any ideas on how full of a charge a Bolt will have buying from a dealer? I'm buying from across the state and guessing I'd need at least 80%.

[Paper Chaser]

Any ideas on how full of a charge a Bolt will have buying from a dealer? I'm buying from across the state and guessing I'd need at least 80%.

Every dealer will be different. Reach out and ask your salesperson to have it fully charged before you arrive.

[jimmyshutter]

Any ideas on how full of a charge a Bolt will have buying from a dealer? I'm buying from across the state and guessing I'd need at least 80%.

Every dealer will be different. Reach out and ask your salesperson to have it fully charged before you arrive.

It looks like I'll have to stop somewhere even with a full charge.

I signed up to the Electrify America app. It's saying CCS 150 kW at $0.56/kWh. I have no idea what that means.

I'll need to travel 159.0 mi distance in cold weather so I believe I'll need a charge along the way?

[geekette]

You may be just fine, but keep an eye on the "guess-o-meter" which will show your remaining range.  It generally takes into account your recent driving style and weather, but on a new car, it may not have good information.  But still, if you're not near home and it's getting below 20%, you'll want to charge.

Personally, I'd map my route and see what Level 3 chargers are along your planned route, using A Better Route Planner.  The Bolt may have some mapping info built in, but IME, you don't want to mess with new tech after an exhausting day at a dealership.

Make sure you know how to initiate a charge, and how to stop charging.  At least with my Niro, the charging cable locks to the car while it's charging.  It may be different for the Bolt, but unlocking the car allows the cable to be released.

The Bolt has, I believe, about a 65kW battery. You'll never want to run it down to 0, and when public charging, you probably won't want to wait around for a full 100% charge (it slows down at 80% to preserve battery life).  So if you charge from 20% to 80%, you'll probably pay for <40kWh, or, at that price, about $22. You really won't need that much, especially if you have a way to charge at home.

Charging at home, at least where I live, is far cheaper.  We pay .12 per kWh.  General recommendations are to charge to 80% most times, and to 100% about once a month for best battery life.  I don't know if it really matters, but that's what we've been doing.

[jimmyshutter]

You may be just fine, but keep an eye on the "guess-o-meter" which will show your remaining range.  It generally takes into account your recent driving style and weather, but on a new car, it may not have good information.  But still, if you're not near home and it's getting below 20%, you'll want to charge.

Personally, I'd map my route and see what Level 3 chargers are along your planned route, using A Better Route Planner.  The Bolt may have some mapping info built in, but IME, you don't want to mess with new tech after an exhausting day at a dealership.

Make sure you know how to initiate a charge, and how to stop charging.  At least with my Niro, the charging cable locks to the car while it's charging.  It may be different for the Bolt, but unlocking the car allows the cable to be released.

The Bolt has, I believe, about a 65kW battery. You'll never want to run it down to 0, and when public charging, you probably won't want to wait around for a full 100% charge (it slows down at 80% to preserve battery life).  So if you charge from 20% to 80%, you'll probably pay for <40kWh, or, at that price, about $22. You really won't need that much, especially if you have a way to charge at home.

Charging at home, at least where I live, is far cheaper.  We pay .12 per kWh.  General recommendations are to charge to 80% most times, and to 100% about once a month for best battery life.  I don't know if it really matters, but that's what we've been doing.

The few public charge stations along the way home charge around .65 kWh which ends up being more than I would be paying in gas. :(

I'm surprised how expensive it is paying for charging outside of the home. I don't know how the government expects the majority of this country to go electric when public charging is more expensive than gas but I suppose in the end they'll just make gas more expensive. :(

[geekette]

FWIW, I doubt many EV owners exclusively use DC fast chargers. The Electrify America station near me seems to be used mostly by people who have free charging credits.  No wonder the upkeep on it is bad…

Prices around here seem to be about .48/kWh - 4x charging at home.

The Niro gets a little better than 4 miles per kWh, so 3 cents a mile. Our gas car, otoh, costs about 4x that much (23 mph, $3/gallon) Funny that. 

[AdrianC]

Any ideas on how full of a charge a Bolt will have buying from a dealer? I'm buying from across the state and guessing I'd need at least 80%.

Every dealer will be different. Reach out and ask your salesperson to have it fully charged before you arrive.

It looks like I'll have to stop somewhere even with a full charge.

I signed up to the Electrify America app. It's saying CCS 150 kW at $0.56/kWh. I have no idea what that means.

I'll need to travel 159.0 mi distance in cold weather so I believe I'll need a charge along the way?

All highway? How cold?

I’d be fine doing that in our Bolt if it wasn’t all 70 mph highway and was above freezing. Run with the cabin heat off most of the time, use the heated seat and steering wheel. Keep the speed down. I think you’ll be fine.

The Bolt has a max DC charge rate of 55kW.

[TomTX]

I'm surprised how expensive it is paying for charging outside of the home. I don't know how the government expects the majority of this country to go electric when public charging is more expensive than gas but I suppose in the end they'll just make gas more expensive. :(

Keep in mind that approximately 90% of charging for personal EVs is at home.

[Nobodyinparticular]

.....

All highway? How cold?

I’d be fine doing that in our Bolt if it wasn’t all 70 mph highway and was above freezing. Run with the cabin heat off most of the time, use the heated seat and steering wheel. Keep the speed down. I think you’ll be fine.

The Bolt has a max DC charge rate of 55kW.

How bad does the heater impact the range?  I was talking to a neighbor with a Bolt and he indicated it made a massive difference.

[AdrianC]

.....

All highway? How cold?

I’d be fine doing that in our Bolt if it wasn’t all 70 mph highway and was above freezing. Run with the cabin heat off most of the time, use the heated seat and steering wheel. Keep the speed down. I think you’ll be fine.

The Bolt has a max DC charge rate of 55kW.

How bad does the heater impact the range?  I was talking to a neighbor with a Bolt and he indicated it made a massive difference.

Turning on the cabin heat will drop the GOM (guess-o-meter) remaining range by 30 miles or more.
Heated seat and steering wheel is a must.

[Ron Scott]

I'm surprised how expensive it is paying for charging outside of the home. I don't know how the government expects the majority of this country to go electric when public charging is more expensive than gas but I suppose in the end they'll just make gas more expensive. :(

You expect our government to contribute positively to something so consequential as shifting energy sources? HAHAHA HAHAHA! They have no experience in the matter, refuse technical education, demand bribes to determine their votes, and spend most of their time making up silly-shit on social media and TV. They are not serious people.

America is running on capitalism, monetary policy, rule of law, and the military. Thank god our elected officials haven't ruined those (yet...).

[grantmeaname]

You're going to feel silly when you find out about the Inflation Reduction Act.

[Ron Scott]

That bill is interesting and I was happy when it passed. But now that EVs are piling up in dealership lots, the dealers are asking the government to ditch the regulations designed to ensure a significant transition to EVs in the coming decade. That didn't take long did it?

Many people really want an EV but are put off by charging availability, time to charge, connectivity issues at many charging stations, inability to charge at home, city-people, apartment dwellers, etc. This has been in the news for a long time if you haven't heard, but it's also intuitive.

I don't love the gas station but I have never worried about finding one, I'm in-and-out in a few minutes and good to go for another 450 miles.

Back to the dealers--these guys don't care what you buy. They just want to the sell cars the makers throw on their lots. I don't really trust them but if they can't sell EVs, seems to me EVs are a hard sell given the constraints they cite.

An excerpt from their letter to Biden:

Mr. President, no government agency, no think tank, and no polling firm knows more about the automobile customer than us. We talk to customers every day. As retail automotive dealerships, we are agnostic as to what we sell. Our business is to provide customers with vehicles that meet the needs of their budgets and lifestyles.

Some customers are in the market for electric vehicles, and we are thrilled to sell them. But the majority of customers are simply not ready to make the change. They are concerned about BEVs being unaffordable. Many do not have garages for home charging or easy access to public charging stations. Customers are also concerned about the loss of driving range in cold or hot weather. Some have long daily commutes and don’t have the extra time to charge the battery. Truck buyers are especially put off by the dramatic loss of range when towing. Today’s current technology is not adequate to support the needs of the majority of our consumers.

Many of these challenges can and will be addressed by our manufacturers, but many of these challenges are outside of their control. Reliable charging networks, electric grid stability, sourcing of materials, and many other issues need time to resolve.


Here's the source link: https://evvoiceofthecustomer.com/

FWIW--I am in the market now and really want an EV, but I cannot stand the thought dealing with a charging issue and am now looking at plug-in hybrids.

[MrFancypants]

Gasoline prices are low, so it's not a huge surprise that EVs are sitting on dealer lots.  Small, fuel efficient vehicles historically sell poorly when gasoline is cheap.

The car market is weird right now anyway, another type of vehicle that's not moving right now are big, highly optioned trucks.  There seems to be a genre on YouTube dedicated to showing off dealers with fleets big trucks with dealership installed "options" packages with an asking price of nearly six figures just sitting around.

[GuitarStv]

.....

All highway? How cold?

I’d be fine doing that in our Bolt if it wasn’t all 70 mph highway and was above freezing. Run with the cabin heat off most of the time, use the heated seat and steering wheel. Keep the speed down. I think you’ll be fine.

The Bolt has a max DC charge rate of 55kW.

How bad does the heater impact the range?  I was talking to a neighbor with a Bolt and he indicated it made a massive difference.

Turning on the cabin heat will drop the GOM (guess-o-meter) remaining range by 30 miles or more.
Heated seat and steering wheel is a must.

To some degree, cabin heat I essential to driving in cold weather.  Without it you get moisture build up and fogging/ice on the windscreen and can't drive safely.  Heated seats are nice, but won't solve that problem.

[GilesMM]

EV sales continue to increase, but not at rates comparable to production.  Thus, inventories are building and prices are being slashed, a vicious cycle.  The main obstacles are high cost (vs comparable ICE), complicated home/work/travel charging, range anxiety, rapid depreciation, towing capacity, and safety/reliability.  Hybrids don't have most of the EV issues and are selling like hotcakes, especially Toyota, who have dominated the market for more than two decades with their Prius line. 


In time, EV sales and infrastructure should build and catch on.  In the meantime, we are kind of in a slow transition via hybrids.  Just like we are in a slow transition from dirty fossil fuels (coal, oil) to renewables via cleaner natural gas.  Everyone knows where we need to go, but getting there is slower and rockier than imagined.

[Ron Scott]

Well, I just think being massively short on charging stations while pushing conversion regulations on automakers and giving incentives to people who don't need the money is government SOP at work. In short, they suck.

[geekette]

People who don't own an EV think about public charging and range anxiety far more than those who own them. 

If you're on the road a lot, or live where you can't charge at home, then yeah, I wouldn't want to sit at public charging stations either. 

The one time I went to a DC fast charger (before our home charger was installed), the people I talked to there had free charging through the manufacturer (we do too). 

[MrFancypants]

People who don't own an EV think about public charging and range anxiety far more than those who own them. 

People who don’t own EVs may have simply consulted a map and determined that the EV they can afford is not capable of getting them where they need to go.

In my case range isn’t a problem, it’s initial price and interior volume. A minivan is what works best for my family and at the time we purchased it there were zero EV options. Even now anything that comes close is tens of thousands of dollars beyond what we’re willing to spend.

[WanderLucky]

People who don't own an EV think about public charging and range anxiety far more than those who own them. 

If you're on the road a lot, or live where you can't charge at home, then yeah, I wouldn't want to sit at public charging stations either. 

The one time I went to a DC fast charger (before our home charger was installed), the people I talked to there had free charging through the manufacturer (we do too).

Agreed. I worried a lot about public charging before I bought my Chevy Bolt. Now that I have it, I regularly (about 2xs/week) commute 90 miles each way and still have charge left when I get home. Then I use my Level 2 charger at home (installed for free with my car purchase) to charge it up back to full over night. So far, the few times that I did use public charging, I easily found a fast charger and it was painless.

[AdrianC]

.....

All highway? How cold?

I’d be fine doing that in our Bolt if it wasn’t all 70 mph highway and was above freezing. Run with the cabin heat off most of the time, use the heated seat and steering wheel. Keep the speed down. I think you’ll be fine.

The Bolt has a max DC charge rate of 55kW.

How bad does the heater impact the range?  I was talking to a neighbor with a Bolt and he indicated it made a massive difference.

Turning on the cabin heat will drop the GOM (guess-o-meter) remaining range by 30 miles or more.
Heated seat and steering wheel is a must.

To some degree, cabin heat I essential to driving in cold weather.  Without it you get moisture build up and fogging/ice on the windscreen and can't drive safely.  Heated seats are nice, but won't solve that problem.

For sure. With a Bolt you get used to cycling the cabin heat on and off to defog as needed. On a long trip, that is. Or you can set the temp just high enough to work.

For our normal usage we *could* leave the cabin heat on all the time. We don’t because MrsC and I have a competition going to see who can get the best miles/kWh :-)

The Bolt is great, and relatively cheap. There is nothing else in the EV market now that comes close. We’re not luxury car people. Don’t see the point. We want an efficient, modern hatchback EV for <$30k. I guess the car manufacturers don’t see much market for it, in the USA at least. The VW ID.3 looks to be ideal.

[bacchi]

People who don't own an EV think about public charging and range anxiety far more than those who own them. 

People who don’t own EVs may have simply consulted a map and determined that the EV they can afford is not capable of getting them where they need to go.

Yep. We may get an EV for in town driving or day trips but getting to one of my favorite camping spots requires some serious compromises or contortionist driving moves.

[mountainmama]

Can any current Bolt owners give an estimate of what they are actually spending on tires? I'm trying to figure that into my purchase decision.

[GilesMM]

Can any current Bolt owners give an estimate of what they are actually spending on tires? I'm trying to figure that into my purchase decision.

A great deal depends on the type of tires and the conditions to which they are subjected.  Could range from rock hard cheap tires that run 60k if babied to super sticky summer tires driven hard on hot gravel that cost a fortune and need replacing every 15k miles.  Or anywhere in between.

[AdrianC]

Can any current Bolt owners give an estimate of what they are actually spending on tires? I'm trying to figure that into my purchase decision.

Replaced ours at 43k miles. They would have lasted longer but I neglected to rotate them after 10k miles, then got a screw in one of the good rear tires and it wasn't repairable. Just got a new set. $930 at Costco for a set of Michelins.

[mountainmama]

Thanks!

[jimmyshutter]

I probably should have done more homework but my initial experience with an EV (and I haven't even picked it up yet) is how terrible the charging infrastructure is. Fortunately I should be able to make charging from home work but for anyone who lives near me in an apartment or rental unit.... I don't see how they could do it economically; the price for public charging costs more than gas. Anyway, it should work for me but I believe the majority the population this point in time would not benefit from EV and realize why I've seen reports say 50% of EV owners go back to ICE. I'm scheduled to pick up my Bolt today; wish me luck.

[MrFancypants]

Can any current Bolt owners give an estimate of what they are actually spending on tires? I'm trying to figure that into my purchase decision.

I don’t have a Bolt but if I did I’d go with a set of “Eco” tires or standard touring tires, which are usually rated at 60k or 70k miles of use. As a critical safety item I generally recommend going with a name brand you’ve heard of rather than super cheapo specials. Michelin is the gold standard but they’re expensive, I personally lean toward Continental as they’re a touch less expensive and still excellent. That said I’ve also had good luck with Bridgestone, Yokohama, Falken and Hankook tires over the years.

[geekette]

I probably should have done more homework but my initial experience with an EV (and I haven't even picked it up yet) is how terrible the charging infrastructure is. Fortunately I should be able to make charging from home work but for anyone who lives near me in an apartment or rental unit.... I don't see how they could do it economically; the price for public charging costs more than gas. Anyway, it should work for me but I believe the majority the population this point in time would not benefit from EV and realize why I've seen reports say 50% of EV owners go back to ICE. I'm scheduled to pick up my Bolt today; wish me luck.

I've only seen that 20% switch back, but yeah, it's mostly related to public charging.  If we couldn't charge at home, we certainly wouldn't have gotten an EV.

I talked to a friend on NYE.  He'd recently bought a used Volvo EV and has yet to install a home charger (although he does plan to eventually).  His company offers free Level 2 charging, so he just plugs in at work every couple days. 

Good luck with your Bolt!

[BuffaloStache]

Agreed with everything being said here about charging- If I didn't have a plan for at-home charging prior to purchasing, I'm not sure I would've gotten my Bolt EUV. My work has subsidized (basically same price as what I pay for 'off-peak' electricity at home) charging and my wife has free L2 charging at hers, so we use that quite a bit as well.

Also, I know it was asked before about State-of-Charge at delivery for a Bolt/EUV. Chevy has an internal nationwide policy that asks all dealers to have their Bolts charged to >80% upon delivery. Not all dealers are aware of this, however, and so I've heard from others that just recommend calling and confirming this with your dealer prior to pickup. When I got my Bolt EUV it was at ~98%, and they actually told me I could wait until it was at 100% before driving away if I wanted (I only needed like ~10% of the battery to get home, so it was no biggie).

Finally, I hate to dig up this old post but I haven't been here in a while and didn't respond before re: NACS and other 'charging in the wild' things-

...
On the "ease of DC charging" thing - the current experience in the Tesla network is far superior. Once your car is registered to your Tesla account and you have a valid credit card on file - you just drive up and plug in. That's it. No fiddling with the app, or a card, or whatever.  There are also FAR more actual high-speed DCFC NACS plugs in the USA when compared to CCS, and they have far better reliability.

I don't doubt this is the case with Tesla's supercharger, but it only reiterates my frustration. It seems as though the Tesla Supercharger network only works flawlessly after you have created an online account, downloaded an app, and inserted a payment method into their system. It's yet another app to download to over-complicate something that simple point-of-sale/cash-register systems have been doing extremely well since the invention of electronic payment methods (credit cards).

Imagine if you had to download the Exxon/Mobile, BP, or Chevron app any time you wanted to fill up your tank on an ICE car. Does that seem like the best/most ubiquitous solution here? Because that's the current state of charging out in the wild today, especially if you are traveling to somewhere that isn't within your normal zone of travel/that you have all the chargers already well known.

[LD_TAndK]

...
I don't doubt this is the case with Tesla's supercharger, but it only reiterates my frustration. It seems as though the Tesla Supercharger network only works flawlessly after you have created an online account, downloaded an app, and inserted a payment method into their system.
...

I believe the next generation of Tesla superchargers, V4, are supposed to come equipped with card readers. I watched an Out of Spec Reviews video on Youtube where the guy uses one partially successfully. So hopefully that's the standard from now on. We'll see

[geekette]

I'm scheduled to pick up my Bolt today; wish me luck.

So, how’d it go?

[jrhampt]

Not specifically about the 2023 Bolt, but I've started to notice a proliferation of postings of very gently used Bolts in my area - 2020 or newer with 30k miles or less, lots of options between 14-16k.  Looking like a serious contender to me.

[uniwelder]

I haven't been keeping up much with this thread, but heard on the radio today that Hertz will be selling off 30% of their electric vehicle fleet this year.  2023 Chevy Bolts with 30k miles are priced around 22k, and with the $4,000 credit come to 18k. 

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2024/01/hertz-is-selling-20000-used-evs-due-to-high-repair-costs/

The focus of the sale isn't the Chevy Bolt, but primarily getting rid of 20,000 Teslas and Polestars, due to high repair costs.  However, news of the upcoming sale got me clicking and then thinking about this thread.

[Holocene]

A few things to keep in mind with used Bolts and EVs. 

First, there was a potential battery issue with 2017-2022 Bolts.  Many of these had the batteries replaced with full new warranty.  So that makes them a potential great deal for a used car since the battery is the most expensive part of an EV.

According to this GM site (https://experience.gm.com/recalls/bolt-ev), it looks like most 2020-2022 Bolts that did not have the battery replaced already would instead have a diagnostic software installed which limits charging to 80% for 6,200 miles.  At that point, you'd either get a new battery if the diagnostics called for it at some point or your battery would be deemed ok and you could charge to 100% again.

So that's just something to keep in mind if you're in the market for a used Bolt.  See if the battery has been replaced, and if not, if the battery is limited to 80% and how many more miles that will be in place.  That could be a reason used prices are getting down there, specifically for 2020-2022 model years.  An 80% charge on a Bolt is still pretty good and you won't be limited forever.  If you're eligible for the used tax credit, I think a used Bolt in the $14-16k is a really great deal, even with the 80% temporary limit.  But if you're planning even occasional longer trips, that'll be tough.  So something to keep in mind if you're shopping.

As far as 2023 used EVs for sale, keep in mind that these are NOT eligible for the $4k used tax credit.  The model year needs to be at least 2 years old to qualify, so 2022 and older now that we're in 2024.  The price must be under $25k, and the income limits are lower for the used tax credit ($75k single/$150k MFJ vs. $150k single/$300k MFJ for the new tax credit).  The tax credit is actually 30% of the sale price up to $4k, so cheaper vehicles don't get the full $4k.

[Villanelle]

I'd mostly sold DH on an EV or PHEV for either his next car or mine.  Then he went on a work trip and the only rentals available were EVs.  He isn't sure what model, but it was a Chevy.  It was super frustrating for him, in town for about 48 hours, to figure out how to charge it, in and around the times he needed it.  I've explained that when you own it, you know where you can charge it (and could charge it at home), and you have more leeway on when to charge it--as opposed to the rental car policy of needing to return it "full" or pay a ridiculous premium.  All those things are true, but it definitely shook his confidence in the EV experience. 

[AdrianC]

We own a Bolt and there is no way I'd rent one on a business trip. No way.

I did rent a Tesla on a short trip, knowing I wouldn't have to charge it. There was a supercharger near my hotel that I'm confident would have been a breeze to use, but I didn't need it. Took it back with about 20% left. Hertz didn't bill me a charging fee. Enjoyed the car (Model 3 RWD), wouldn't buy one.