I've only driven the Bolt about 60 miles so far, so I can't really comment too much on range (other than a 100% charge got me 217 miles...but that included a ton of idling time from the shipping process, so probably not accurate for my actual driving), but here are my thoughts on other items I can comment on:
- regen in L is HUGE! Way stronger than L in a G1/G2 Volt or Spark EV (I've driven all 3). I noticed that a lot of the time I don't even need to use the regen paddle to make the Bolt come to a complete stop...it's that strong. Despite the powerful regen, at higher speeds it is tuned down appropriately so it doesn't slam you forward like you just jumped on the brakes. L + regen paddle = no touching the brake pedal except for sudden/emergency braking situations.
- Interior space is....spacey! I am 6' tall, and with the driver's seat set at a comfortable level, I have at least 4-5 inches of headroom to spare. The Bolt's front seats also sit much higher than the Volt, so it's more like an SUV seating position despite the subcompact footprint. Dead pedal is also positioned better (deeper) in the Bolt than the G2 Volt.
- The flat floor makes the rear seating area much more spacious than any Volt too. No hump of any kind back there thanks to the skateboard battery design. Having a "real" middle rear seat is welcome too (though sitting 3 adults in the back would still be tight). I found with 2 booster seats in the rear, I could squeeze my 190 pound self in the middle, though that would not be pleasant for any long distance drive. Moving a car seat to the middle should make a trip much more pleasant for an adult sitting in the rear, however.
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- Positioning the driver's seat at comfortable position (further back than I usually position the seat in my Volts) and then hopping in the rear, I found I still had a good 2-3 inches of leg room. And I have longer legs than the average 6' person. However, the complaints about the front seats being uncomfortable....I know what people are talking about, but I don't find them bothersome, but definitely noticeable. I can feel the plastic shell through the cushion with my left thigh, but likely I'll get used to it over time. Someone such as Hugh Jazz may find them troublesome, though.
- you can easily squeal the tires off the line, even in propulsion power reduced mode!
- ride is solid...very similar to a Volt. No getting bounced around a rough road like in an i3 with its bicycle tires, for example.
- while I would describe getting into the driver's seat of my Volts as "dropping in", in the Bolt it is more like "sliding in horizontally".
- the Bolt has "oh sh!t" grab handles in the front! At least on the front passenger side. I didn't actually check the driver's side, but one should be there too I'm thinking.
- interior of the Bolt is definitely cheaper than the Gen 2 Volt. More use of hard plastics, but I don't care too much about that.
- hatch space is deceptively bigger than you would think. The hatch area doesn't have as much depth as the Volt, but it is much deeper, if that makes any sense (if you remove the false floor...the false floor drops into the "hidden" area easily and lays flat). I was able to fit two 28-32 inch tall luggage pieces in the Bolt's hatch (too big to carry on), and could have easily fit another. I may have been able to fit 4 of the 28 inch pieces.
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- haven't been able to test out DCFC yet
- my Clippper Creek LCS-25 (max rated output of 4.8 kW/20 amps) puts out about 4.5 kW and 19 amps in real world charging.
- 360 degree birdseye cam and the rear/front vision cameras make parallel parking a breeze. If you can't parallel park using those features, you need your license revoked.
- rear view mirror camera is pretty cool. Gives a crisp image out the rear. Not that useful at night though. Changes with a flip of the tab at the bottom of the mirror.
- the hatch privacy screen that comes with the Premier....it's a glorified Volt loin cloth. It is fabric covering a wire frame. No way you can actually put anything other than light clothing items on it such as a hat or gloves. A real Boltshelf may be warranted afterall. Gonna try and work with Scarlett to get some measurements to him!
Those are my random thoughts right now. Feel free to ask anything I didn't cover.
- regen in L is HUGE! Way stronger than L in a G1/G2 Volt or Spark EV (I've driven all 3). I noticed that a lot of the time I don't even need to use the regen paddle to make the Bolt come to a complete stop...it's that strong. Despite the powerful regen, at higher speeds it is tuned down appropriately so it doesn't slam you forward like you just jumped on the brakes. L + regen paddle = no touching the brake pedal except for sudden/emergency braking situations.
- Interior space is....spacey! I am 6' tall, and with the driver's seat set at a comfortable level, I have at least 4-5 inches of headroom to spare. The Bolt's front seats also sit much higher than the Volt, so it's more like an SUV seating position despite the subcompact footprint. Dead pedal is also positioned better (deeper) in the Bolt than the G2 Volt.
- The flat floor makes the rear seating area much more spacious than any Volt too. No hump of any kind back there thanks to the skateboard battery design. Having a "real" middle rear seat is welcome too (though sitting 3 adults in the back would still be tight). I found with 2 booster seats in the rear, I could squeeze my 190 pound self in the middle, though that would not be pleasant for any long distance drive. Moving a car seat to the middle should make a trip much more pleasant for an adult sitting in the rear, however.
- Positioning the driver's seat at comfortable position (further back than I usually position the seat in my Volts) and then hopping in the rear, I found I still had a good 2-3 inches of leg room. And I have longer legs than the average 6' person. However, the complaints about the front seats being uncomfortable....I know what people are talking about, but I don't find them bothersome, but definitely noticeable. I can feel the plastic shell through the cushion with my left thigh, but likely I'll get used to it over time. Someone such as Hugh Jazz may find them troublesome, though.
- you can easily squeal the tires off the line, even in propulsion power reduced mode!
- ride is solid...very similar to a Volt. No getting bounced around a rough road like in an i3 with its bicycle tires, for example.
- while I would describe getting into the driver's seat of my Volts as "dropping in", in the Bolt it is more like "sliding in horizontally".
- the Bolt has "oh sh!t" grab handles in the front! At least on the front passenger side. I didn't actually check the driver's side, but one should be there too I'm thinking.
- interior of the Bolt is definitely cheaper than the Gen 2 Volt. More use of hard plastics, but I don't care too much about that.
- hatch space is deceptively bigger than you would think. The hatch area doesn't have as much depth as the Volt, but it is much deeper, if that makes any sense (if you remove the false floor...the false floor drops into the "hidden" area easily and lays flat). I was able to fit two 28-32 inch tall luggage pieces in the Bolt's hatch (too big to carry on), and could have easily fit another. I may have been able to fit 4 of the 28 inch pieces.
- haven't been able to test out DCFC yet
- my Clippper Creek LCS-25 (max rated output of 4.8 kW/20 amps) puts out about 4.5 kW and 19 amps in real world charging.
- 360 degree birdseye cam and the rear/front vision cameras make parallel parking a breeze. If you can't parallel park using those features, you need your license revoked.
- rear view mirror camera is pretty cool. Gives a crisp image out the rear. Not that useful at night though. Changes with a flip of the tab at the bottom of the mirror.
- the hatch privacy screen that comes with the Premier....it's a glorified Volt loin cloth. It is fabric covering a wire frame. No way you can actually put anything other than light clothing items on it such as a hat or gloves. A real Boltshelf may be warranted afterall. Gonna try and work with Scarlett to get some measurements to him!
Those are my random thoughts right now. Feel free to ask anything I didn't cover.
