[Bob_Livonia]

My wife and I made our first long trip in the Bolt EV, to dinner in Frankenmuth, picking up a couple of friends along the way. We traveled 180 miles with a nominal range of 74 miles left. Having a Master's Degree in applied statistics, I appreciate how it gives a band, with a minimum of 60 miles and a max of 87 miles. Not knowing for sure, I did limit my speed to 60 MPH since that has a big effect. I had the A/C off until picking up our friends, then on 74 or 75 until one asked, "as a hypothetical question, how much effect does A/C have on range?", when I got the hint and set it at a comfortable 72. I did have a backup plan, having located public charging stations in Flint, Brighton and Novi, but there was no need. I wish my cell phone battery was that predictable.

My wife and I drove both the Bolt EV and our 2017 Volt in the Woodward Silent Cruise a week or so ago. Lots of fun meeting and talking with other Volt and Bolt EV owners there. I even saw the car that had already grabbed the “BOLT EV” license plate; I settled for “EV BOLT” and will be getting that in the mail sooner or later.

One thing my wife noticed on the Bolt EV, while driving behind me - When in “L”, the brake lights do work when decelerating, but when it is holding me at a stop, the brake lights are off. Something to remember, to put my foot on the brake at a stop in low. (My Volt, with adaptive cruise control will bring me to a stop and hold me – “zero pedal mode” – I assume the brake lights are on when the Volt is in charge of the braking and holding.)

I did use L driving to and from Frankenmuth to maximize range, but I know from the display the brake pedal provides strong regen, especially since I tend to be light on the brakes. But for normal driving, this has turned me off on one pedal mode (OPM). I’m too used to driving cars the normal way over the past 50 years, and OPM really doesn’t give me any thrill.

One suggestion to GM engineers – why couldn’t the car / computer turn on the brake lights when the car is being held stationary in L? With “normal” cars, including the Volt without ACC, the forward creep is the reminder to hold the brake pedal. Admittedly from my 2011 Volt, which did not turn on the brake lights in L, I’m no big fan of L. Keep in mind, in the review of the Bolt EV by one of the Detroit papers, the test drive to see how much range they could get was terminated early when the Bolt EV was rear ended.

One other experience – I had the Bolt EV in to Serra Chevrolet because the rear doors close hard. In the write-up lane, I had the window down. They closed fine and don’t need adjusted; with the triple seals, the car is so airtight (and silent) that a little more persuasion is necessary with the windows up due to air pressure – but not excessive.

I am happy with the Bolt EV, with 875 miles on the odometer since August 9. I will be making a trip to Cincinnati this week; I will let you know how it goes, and I may get the chance to try out the DC fast charge option I had ordered.

 

[samotlietuvis]

That sounds like a fun trip.
Once you get to know your machine, you can start driving faster and using more AC .
If you make a repeated trip, you can come up with mile markers and energy used per marker. Then start ramping up the speed, and AC, and start cutting closer to your margin. Have a backup plan, go / no-go criteria.
Every two weeks I make a trip in my spark EV and I come back home through back roads with 8%-12% battery left. That's only ~1.4kwhr of juice left. Trip total is 61 miles, 2500ft gain in elevation, 30 miles hwy speed at 60. No AC (midnight) and I feather the throttle.

 

[Steve_P]

Those brake lights need to be on when stopped. This is definitely a safety concern. Some one could come up from behind rather quickly and not realize your car is stopped. As I understand though, the brakes are not used to keep the car stationery when in L.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sly Bob]

I would think you should rest your foot on the brakes when at a stop otherwise the tinies grade in the road would have the car starting to roll.

 

[Bob_Livonia]

I would think you should rest your foot on the brakes when at a stop otherwise the tinies grade in the road would have the car starting to roll.

With the "L" mode on the Bolt EV, it keeps you stopped without creep even on an incline. The One Pedal Mode truly is for most driving if you don't have to make excessively fast stops.

 

[Steverino]

[If someone who has had success posting pictures inline would let me know how it's done, I would appreciate it.]

Newcpmers Forum > "How to embed photos/videos" is the first link http://gm-volt.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?1-Newcomers-to-GM-VOLT.COM-(See-here-for-FAQs)

Those brake lights need to be on when stopped. This is definitely a safety concern. Some one could come up from behind rather quickly and not realize your car is stopped.

The majority of rear-end accidents happen to stopped or turning cars with brake lights on. The lights made no difference. The problem is unobservant drivers. Can't fix that with lights. The safety value of rear brake lights is way over estimated in my opinion.

The same safety concern was voiced about the Volt's brake lights not coming on when shifting to L. Yet, of all the rear-ended Volt owners who posted here, all were hit when stopped or turning with brake lights on. None when hit when shifting to L.

 

[Bob_Livonia]

The majority of rear-end accidents happen to stopped or turning cars with brake lights on. The lights made no difference. The problem is unobservant drivers. Can't fix that with lights. The safety value of rear brake lights is way over estimated in my opinion.

Then why do we have brake lights? Sounds like a very anecdotal argument. When the CHMSL (center high mounted stop light) was added in 1986, it was because of data, and the data showed the one center-mounted light more effective than two high-mounted lights in addition to the lower ones.

If people run stop signs because of inattention, then the argument can likewise be made that stop signs aren't needed (I've seen places where they don't have stop signs - drivers are supposed to know to be careful at an uncontrolled intersection). I'll take brake lights versus no brake lights, even if it's just playing the odds.

 

[obermd]

Those brake lights need to be on when stopped. This is definitely a safety concern. Some one could come up from behind rather quickly and not realize your car is stopped. As I understand though, the brakes are not used to keep the car stationery when in L.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Stick shift drivers have been sitting stopped with the clutch in and foot off the brake pedal for decades. The brake lights aren't on when sitting like this.

 

[Steve_P]

Stick shift drivers have been sitting stopped with the clutch in and foot off the brake pedal for decades. The brake lights aren't on when sitting like this.

I've never done that. I stand by the thought that a car that is stopped in a travel lane should have the brake lights on.

With my current car I have an auto hold feature that keeps the brakes applied at a stop with my foot off the brake pedal. The car only moves once I touch the accelerator. The brake lights stay on while stopped.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Steverino]

Then why do we have brake lights?

Indeed, because it seems like a good idea. I'm not taking my bulbs out, lol. But the stats say it's not as much help as many seem to think. Feeling safe brcause the lights are on is not the same as being safe. Police squad cars parked on the side of the road with all their lights going get rear-ended. Distracted drivers, tired drivers, drunk drivers, texting drivers are the problem. Brake lights are an attempt to provide a warning to the visually blind but they can't address the underlying issue.

 

[Fyodor]

Stick shift drivers have been sitting stopped with the clutch in and foot off the brake pedal for decades. The brake lights aren't on when sitting like this.

Not me. Clutch in, foot on the brake, handbrake on (most times), and wheels straight. Not to turn on the brake lights, but to minimize the risk when a rear-ender does happen.

 

[Steve_P]

and wheels straight

Absolutely!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[flyingsherpa]

Then why do we have brake lights? .

Because they show when you are braking! When you're stopped, you're stopped, brake lights mean very little at that point (as someone else pointed out, stick-shift drivers often don't use brakes at a stoplight). Brake lights are most important while moving, to tell that the guy in front of you is slowing down. The CHMSL is useful because it only goes on when braking, while the other brake lights are on at night all the time anyway and just get brighter when braking. CHMSL is there because you might miss this increase in brightness of the other lights, but should notice a light going from "off" to "on".

Just curious if you tried getting a license plate something like "EV2"? I guess Spark EV could technically hold that name, but in my mind the Bolt is the real successor to EV1.

 

[Raymondjram]

Those brake lights need to be on when stopped. This is definitely a safety concern. Some one could come up from behind rather quickly and not realize your car is stopped. As I understand though, the brakes are not used to keep the car stationery when in L.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not according to state laws regarding braking. The lights must turn on when applying the brakes and reducing your speed but a stationary car does not need to turn them on. Many car drivers with manual transmissions shift to "N", use the hand brake, and release the foot brake when stationary, which turns the brake lights off. I do something similar with all my automatic transaxles vehicles: I shift into "N" and release my foot when I am stopped and stationary to save gas, lengthen transaxle life and rest my foot. The brake lights turn off. That isn't wrong at all.

So the Bolt EV doesn't turn the brake lights after stopping, as the unique purpose of the brake lights is to warn the drivers behind you that you are reducing speed. If a gas car has a manual transmission and shifted to a lower gear, it is reducing speed but the brake lights doesn't turn on (when this is the exact moment they are needed to be on).

And if a car does "come up from behind rather quickly and not realize your car is stopped.", then they are law violators, deserve a fine, and in a worst case have their license cancelled and taken off the road, just as if they came up behind a parked and unoccupied car.

Don't pass the blame to the manufacturer!

 

[voldar]

Stick shift drivers have been sitting stopped with the clutch in and foot off the brake pedal for decades. The brake lights aren't on when sitting like this.

Agreed ! But not many know how to or drove a shift stick in North America.

 

[Slotracer577]

Agreed ! But not many know how to or drove a shift stick in North America.

It's actually getting really hard to buy a vehicle in the us with a manual transmission. Most trucks, suv, and van no longer offer them as an option. The only ones left are small economy cars or a few sports cars. I would guess with 10 years you won't be able to buy a new car with a manual transmission.
Had a funny story, valet parked, asked for my car, kid ran off to get it. Comes back 30 seconds later without the car, sends another kid to go get it. Could not drive a stick.

 

[hellsop]

The only ones left are small economy cars or a few sports cars.

And most of the small economy cars can be had with CVTs which get BETTER fuel economy than the manual transmission. Most of the sports cars "manual" aren't manual anymore either. They're electronic shifters with automatic clutching. Because "Launch control" is a thing that many people who buy sports cars want.

 

[NYRob]

A proper sports car needs to have a stick... and a real analog tach with a redline that starts at 7K rpms!

For all other vehicles... whatever

 

[michaellax]

Somewhere I posted the results of my trip from Los Angeles to Las Vegas with air conditioning and lights on (even though it was daytime).

Drove "conservatively" with the trucks in the right lane northbound and arrived in North Las Vegas 200 miles from Victorville DCFC with 55 miles left on the Mileage Gauge.

Drove more liberally with cruise control at 70 MPH southbound (196 miles from Terrible Herbst DCFC), except where flow of traffic was slower in all lanes, or if left most lane was faster than 70, I moved over one lane to the right and arrived at Victorville DCFC with 3% battery capacity.

So, obviously, these are the two extremes of driving to Vegas in the Bolt EV!

The Victorville DCFC is located in The Victor Mall with many dining and shopping options.

I was able to use my "remote" EVGo system to reactivate the charger after 30 minutes twice without returning to my vehicle in the hot Victorville sun, while I ate a meal!

 

[JoeReal]

Stick shift drivers have been sitting stopped with the clutch in and foot off the brake pedal for decades. The brake lights aren't on when sitting like this.

Today's insurance rate would even go lower if you have a third brake light at the top rear of the car. It really helps reduce accidents.

The main problem today is that people assume that if you don't have your brake lights on, you're moving. And it is a bad assumption. When the lights turn green from a stop light, and your speed is insignificantly greater than zero mph, your brake lights are off, and that is when many rear end accidents happen.

Why not make the brake lights stay on if you're stopped or traveling at less than 5 mph?