[rhodomel]

Thanks to Kyle Field for this review!

https://cleantechnica.com/2017/05/18/24-hours-with-the-2017-chevy-bolt/

 

[Steverino]

Seemed to mirror many of my impressions, though I only had a 15 minute test drive.

I agree with him, it's very easy to chirp the BOLT EV's tire and there is a noticeable torque steer when you floor the electron pedal.

I enjoyed the more aggressive regen in L as well as using the paddle.

Some Tesla die-hards may not like some of the Model S comparisons, but the author drives one so is in position to comment.

 

[Ladogaboy]

I thought this was a very fair review. He should have a talk with his colleague (Loren) who doesn't seem to know much about the Bolt EV, marketing, or car sales in general.

I'm also glad he mentioned the elephant in the room. The Bolt EV might charge at a slower rate than the Model S, but the 25% improvement in efficiency means the Bolt EV's effective charge rate is not that much slower.

I actually haven't experienced any torque steer, but then again, my tires were fairly worn in before I did any hard accelerations off the line. Most often, torque steer is the result of a misalignment or imbalance in the drive line. In the case of the Bolt EV, I think what most people are experiencing is a noticeable difference in traction between the two front tires.

 

[JoeReal]

... The Bolt EV might charge at a slower rate than the Model S, but the 25% improvement in efficiency means the Bolt EV's effective charge rate is not that much slower.

You meant the charge rate expressed in terms of equivalent average miles per hour. Good point!

 

[Bacardi]

The Bolt EV might charge at a slower rate than the Model S, but the 25% improvement in efficiency means the Bolt EV's effective charge rate is not that much slower.

That's a great point and it would be phenomenal if they could standardize a metric of say how many miles you can go with a minute of charging, but we can't...Too many variables with the SOC/taper, outside temps, etc not to mention the speed of the chargers are ever increasing...

 

[JoeReal]

That's a great point and it would be phenomenal if they could standardize a metric of say how many miles you can go with a minute of charging, but we can't...Too many variables with the SOC/taper, outside temps, etc not to mention the speed of the chargers are ever increasing...

And don't forget, the type of roads one is driving, and the amount of lead in driver's foot.

 

[DonC]

I'm also glad he mentioned the elephant in the room. The Bolt EV might charge at a slower rate than the Model S, but the 25% improvement in efficiency means the Bolt EV's effective charge rate is not that much slower.

That's a great point which I hadn't thought of in anything other than a very casual way (e.g., thinking of how many miles per hour you can charge with various vehicles).

Too many variables with the SOC/taper, outside temps, etc not to mention the speed of the chargers are ever increasing...

Not really. The same issues exist for MPG. Just take the time to charge from flat to full and then divide the range by that number, giving you distance/time. You can use any interval of time you want though with charging being so slow an hour wouldn't be a bad interval.

 

[Bacardi]

Yeah, some important fast recharge milestones are to qualify for extra ZEV credits...Rules currently state:
85 miles in 10mins or less...
190 miles in 15mins or less...
295 miles in 15mins or less...