[bro1999]

http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/latest-reviews/drive-2017-chevrolet-bolt-ev-article-1.2891098

Review is well written and free of any gross errors (or any errors actually), so the writer has a decent clue about cars and EVs.

Interesting is this part:

About 1,200 of Chevy’s 3,000 dealers will sell and service the Bolt, and each must have 480-volt, 80kW fast-charging capability in the service bay.

That 80 kW fast charging rate pops up again. Why would GM insist dealers install 80 kW-capable fast charging stations to become Bolt certified....unless the Bolt's max DC charge rate is 80 kW! Tavel letting slip the 80 kW figure in that LA auto show presser seems to have been more than just a simple goof: the Bolt's max DC charge rate is actually 80 kW!

 

[DonC]

Yes it seems that 80 kW is the right number. More important is the 90 miles in 30 minutes, which has been consistent. Kinda go from 3 miles per hour on 120v @ 8A to 3 miles per minute. My guess is GM went as high as it could with the charging rate mostly for the Lyft fleet where it might come in handy.

I really liked the first paragraph: "Who wouldn’t want to comingle with hoodied strangers in variable weather conditions, dropping fistfuls of dollars to pump a smelly, volatile liquid hydrocarbon into their vehicles every few hundred miles or so, then combust it and blow the emissions into the atmosphere?" Other than not mentioning the smells and the blaring music the author nailed it.

 

[Chris TX]

So they're required to have a CCS charger in the Service Center, but will it be available for customers?

 

[DonC]

So they're required to have a CCS charger in the Service Center, but will it be available for customers?

Doesn't matter. As the experience with Nissan dealers has shown, won't be a good experience in any case. Plus there will be so many CCS chargers that these won't make an impact.

 

[Chris TX]

Doesn't matter. As the experience with Nissan dealers has shown, won't be a good experience in any case. Plus there will be so many CCS chargers that these won't make an impact.

That's odd. My trek from Dallas to Nashville had excellent experience with Nissan dealerships' CHAdeMOs. I even charged up at Nissan's NA HQ in Franklin, TN! There was always something to do, nearby like have a meal or go shopping.

 

[Steverino]

Another seat mention. I suspect the front seats will create a fair amount of debate when the cars are on the road in greater numbers. Some say the seats are fine, other a bit hard. Of course seat comfort complaints occasionally crop up for the Volt as well.

 

[Chris TX]

Another seat mention. I suspect the front seats will create a fair amount of debate when the cars are on the road in greater numbers. Some say the seats are fine, other a bit hard. Of course seat comfort complaints occasionally crop up for the Volt as well.

Everybody's asses are different.

Also, I wonder what the leather vs cloth feel is like. I have cloth in both my Volt and Tesla (not for vegan purposes) and I like them both. Leather seats seem to be stiffer, IMHO.

 

[Ladogaboy]

Playing Devi's advocate, those 80 kW chargers might be required for future offerings. If a Bolt can charge at a sustained 50 kW rate, the result would be slightly more than 20 kWh in 30 minutes, which would be about 90 miles by EPA estimates (4.2 miles/kWh).

Now it's true that the 90 miles in 30 minutes number was promoted before the EPA completed testing, and GM does have a penchant for understating capabilities. We'll be seeing soon.

 

[Zoomit]

Playing Devi's advocate, those 80 kW chargers might be required for future offerings. If a Bolt can charge at a sustained 50 kW rate, the result would be slightly more than 20 kWh in 30 minutes, which would be about 90 miles by EPA estimates (4.2 miles/kWh).

Now it's true that the 90 miles in 30 minutes number was promoted before the EPA completed testing, and GM does have a penchant for understating capabilities. We'll be seeing soon.

Just to clarify, the EPA doesn't do the testing. GM does. I suspect GM had a really good idea what the EPA numbers would be 18 months ago.

Either way, I have no doubt the Bolt's battery can handle 80kW (1.3C) and I'm sure that at least future Bolts will support more than 50kW. The only question I have is whether the MY17 Bolts have the >50kW capability or if they are rolling out with only a 50kW capability and are planning to upgrade the wiring (and?) for later model years.

 

[Ladogaboy]

Just to clarify, the EPA doesn't do the testing. GM does. I suspect GM had a really good idea what the EPA numbers would be 18 months ago.

True, but I'd be surprised if GM was confident in the numbers more than even a year ago.

Either way, I have no doubt the Bolt's battery can handle 80kW (1.3C) and I'm sure that at least future Bolts will support more than 50kW. The only question I have is whether the MY17 Bolts have the >50kW capability or if they are rolling out with only a 50kW capability and are planning to upgrade the wiring (and?) for later model years.

I don't think the Bolt's ability to charge significantly faster than 50 kW was ever in question. The GM engineers made it clear that if the Bolt was released with 50 kW charging, it would be because GM chose to set it at that.

 

[11715]

http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/latest-reviews/drive-2017-chevrolet-bolt-ev-article-1.2891098

Review is well written and free of any gross errors (or any errors actually), so the writer has a decent clue about cars and EVs.

Interesting is this part:

About 1,200 of Chevy’s 3,000 dealers will sell and service the Bolt, and each must have 480-volt, 80kW fast-charging capability in the service bay.

That 80 kW fast charging rate pops up again. Why would GM insist dealers install 80 kW-capable fast charging stations to become Bolt certified....unless the Bolt's max DC charge rate is 80 kW! Tavel letting slip the 80 kW figure in that LA auto show presser seems to have been more than just a simple goof: the Bolt's max DC charge rate is actually 80 kW!

The charger in the service bay will not be available for customers.

 

[gpsman]

As others have said elsewhere, you need greater than a 50kw charger to deliver 50kw into the car's battery.
Heating / cooling at the same time for example. And don't forget about losses.

 

[bro1999]

I was right!

http://insideevs.com/chevrolet-bolt-ev-equipped-with-80-kw-dc-fast-charging-owners-manual-now-online

 

[HGC]

Thank You Bro1999 for putting the the site on line. I am looking forward to some good reading - always love manuals. The information is helpful at times. ..."did you read the manual?"

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/latest-reviews/drive-2017-chevrolet-bolt-ev-article-1.2891098

Review is well written and free of any gross errors (or any errors actually), so the writer has a decent clue about cars and EVs.

Interesting is this part:

About 1,200 of Chevy’s 3,000 dealers will sell and service the Bolt, and each must have 480-volt, 80kW fast-charging capability in the service bay.

That 80 kW fast charging rate pops up again. Why would GM insist dealers install 80 kW-capable fast charging stations to become Bolt certified....unless the Bolt's max DC charge rate is 80 kW! Tavel letting slip the 80 kW figure in that LA auto show presser seems to have been more than just a simple goof: the Bolt's max DC charge rate is actually 80 kW!

This _might_ answer your rhetorical question :

http://insideevs.com/what-are-the-power-limits-of-available-dc-quick-charging-standards/

If the CCS ratings are at 600V, then an 80kW+ charger rated at 600V would need to deliver 133A+.
But if the Bolt's pack is 400V then 133A x 400V = 53.2kW. So, it could simply be that the Bolt will charge at up to 133A for 53.2kW. That would fit quite well with the 90 miles in 30 minutes.

 

[DonC]

That's odd. My trek from Dallas to Nashville had excellent experience with Nissan dealerships' CHAdeMOs. I even charged up at Nissan's NA HQ in Franklin, TN! There was always something to do, nearby like have a meal or go shopping.

This was actually the AC chargers. Maybe it's better now or perhaps CHAdeMO is different, but for the first two years the whole thing was a disaster. Some Nissan dealers wouldn't even let Leaf drivers charge. How dealers treated chargers was just random, from dealer to dealer and from day to day. Plus it's hard to have a dealer sell electric cars and not use their chargers, not to mention that some dealers had the chargers blocked by other cars or behind gates. Ugh.

 

[Chris TX]

This was actually the AC chargers. Maybe it's better now or perhaps CHAdeMO is different, but for the first two years the whole thing was a disaster. Some Nissan dealers wouldn't even let Leaf drivers charge. How dealers treated chargers was just random, from dealer to dealer and from day to day. Plus it's hard to have a dealer sell electric cars and not use their chargers, not to mention that some dealers had the chargers blocked by other cars or behind gates. Ugh.

That same route I took last year from Dallas to Nashville had zero Superchargers, but now has a nice, straight line of Superchargers to drive all the way through. The best thing to do with those CHAdeMO chargers, and CCS stations at dealerships is to call ahead, get someone's name, and have a backup plan.

The good thing about the Bolt is it should be able to take advantage of CCS chargers at BMW, VW, Chevy, and Kia dealerships. I always made a point to go in and thank the sales/service staff and bring them a box of cookies or chocolates. Gonna miss those guys