Chevrolet Bolt & Bolt EUV

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cwerdna said:
Also, install the EVgo app. I can't speak to whether if you choose PAYG vs. membership (https://www.evgo.com/charging-plans/) whether you're locked in for a month.

That said, ChargePoint and EVgo have a roaming agreemnt (https://www.evgo.com/ev-drivers/partner-roaming/ and https://www.chargepoint.com/about/news/chargepoint-and-evgo-announce-roaming-agreement-expanding-access-charging-nationwide/). Apparently, you can start charging on EVgo DC FCs with a ChargePoint account/card.


As I have a CP card and don't intend to use EVgo (on this trip), I think I'll just stick with what I've got. I'm a little tight on memory. If I do get the lease it would be a different matter.

cwerdna said:
<Snip>

That's too bad about the lack of electricity at places you might be at.
Even 8+ hours at 120 volts * 12 amps is better than nothing. And, overnight while on J1772 will get you plenty of juice. Even if it's only 208 volts * 30 amps max, that'll get you about 6 kW, so for an 8 hour stop, 48 kWh would've come out of the station. As the marketing folks at Nissan said at a Leaf test drive EVent I went to in Nov 2010 (before Leaf went on sale), how many hours at day is your car sitting idle doing nothing? Those are opportunities where your car can be charged.

It's the trade-off you make when you're a backpacker/X-C skier - the trailheads are usually in unimproved locations. Worth it, but that's why long- ranged BEVs with the quickest possible QC and dense, reliable QC sites (or ICEs or FCEVs ditto) are required to meet the needs of people like me. BEVs are great when you can regularly L2 charge - but until the AFV energy replenishment network expands to resemble the density (and reliability) of the gas station network, and BEV range & recharging times approach that of liquid or gaseous fuels, BEVs will continue to impose restrictions, sometimes severe ones, on where and when you take a trip, your flexibility enroute, and how much time you have to waste catering for the car's needs rather than your own desires.

Among the current crop of 200+ mile BEVs the Bolt and LEAF are the models most impacted by such restrictions on trips, as one of your links above re the Bolt's QC rate showed. Still, if the restrictions are moderate enough for many of my typical trips I may be willing to put up with them for a few years (given low enough lease costs) while I wait for something more suitable to come along, keeping my ICE in the meantime for those trips the Bolt is manifestly unsuited to. Or just rent AFVs on Turo as I mentioned, but I can only hope that my access to suitable AFVs there gets far easier than it currently is.

Thanks for all the advice & links. It's been 20+ years since I last spent ~ a week with a BEV (Think City), and while I don't expect any major revelations (I'm evaluating it as a car not a BEV, and I'll be driving it normally) it'll still be educational, and I hope fun driving it will outweigh or at least equal the tedium of the extra time spent waiting for it to charge, versus gas and go. I'll post trip & energy details when I get back.
 
A couple other random tips for GRA:
- If not already switched to it, change the dash layout to Enhanced. You'll be able to see power consumption, regen, regen limit horizontal line and charging rate on the right side of the dash like in News Coulomb's videos (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJqgqWqKmdkIuBZa7JK5KSw/videos). You'll need to power up while charging to see the rate.
- When the battery is near full (and probably when too cold as well), you'll see the white horizontal regen limit line on the right side at least in enhanced. You'll definitely see it if charging somewhere past 90-ish% SoC. Visual aid at https://allev.info/2020/02/regen-with-full-battery/.
- If the car is pre-2019, it'll not have target charge level screen, only hilltop reserve on/off (I rented a '17 on Turo for 1 day before I bought). For your rental purposes, I think you want that off so that you can go to 100% charge.
- While DC FCing, on the large LCD, you can stop charging from there.
- You may wish to try driving in D vs. L and using the regen paddle on left. IIRC, there should be 4 levels of regen w/using the brake pedal: D, D with paddle, L, L with paddle.
- Don't use auto for HVAC (I almost never do on my cars) unless you want the GOM changing behind your back due to heater/AC compressor turning on/off. Also, disable auto defog for the same reason.
- Do try out CarPlay and/or Android Auto. They need to be enabled in the infotainment system. For CarPlay, if you use that, bring a genuine Apple cable or quality MFi-certified cable. For Android, make sure you also bring a quality cable(s). If your phone came with a cable that has USB 2.0/USB-A on the non-phone end, use that instead of 3rd-party cables. Crap cables are a big cause of problems with both. If using iOS, disable any VPN clients. They may cause problems w/CarPlay.
- If you run the power pig heater, if nearing your destination and you wish to save some juice, shut off the heater a few minutes early. The liquid (coolant) and heater bits still have quite a bit of heat that will take awhile to cool off completely.
- chevybolt.org seems way more active than http://www.mychevybolt.com/forum/. I tend to browse them via https://www.chevybolt.org/whats-new/posts/ and http://www.mychevybolt.com/forum/search.php?search_id=active_topics.
- The car has pretty unconventional "ignition" states. Even when the car's off, if you have the key fob, you can activate the infotainment system by pressing its power button (volume knob).
- If the infotainment system goes wonky (e.g. gets into a bad state, stuck in reverse camera screen while moving forward (I've never hit this), locks up), hold down the ff + home hardware buttons for several seconds to reboot it.
 
These are all good suggestions.

I use Torque Pro and the Chevy Assist app to keep tabs of SOC and other parameters.

Seat heaters and steering wheel heat can offset quite a bit of cabin heating. In the three years we leased a 2017 Bolt I don't think we ever used the cabin heat--but then again we live in Bakersfield and we don't play in the snow. (My wife broke her leg xcountry skiing in the 80s in Sequoia.)

Paul
 
cwerdna said:
Just on my portion of the street, these folks have Bolts now: me, my next door neighbor, that person across and over a house, and another uy two doors down from me.
Continuing w/Bolt popularity on my street. The two doors down Bolt people (who had a Bolt way before me) had a white older Bolt. Today, when I walked by, I noticed another white Bolt in its place w/personalized placard with Dec 2020 expiration instead of a permanent metal license plate. It was definitely a 2020 Bolt as it was missing the 2 buttons on rear doors for GM's version of Intelligent Key. On model years before 2020, all 4 doors had buttons but the two 2 rear ones were removed on 2020.

I forget if they leased their 1st Bolt. I know they had leased their gen 1 Leaf and returned it at end of lease in favor of their 1st Bolt.

The person across and over a house with the grey Bolt sometimes has visitors w/a white Bolt (not the same as the white Bolts owned or leased by others my street).

Thinking about the EVs/PHEVs on my street that I know of, besides my '13 Leaf, there is a gen 2 Leaf parked outside far away from me. I can't think of any other Leafs. I also know of 0 Teslas on my street. My street is about 1/4 mile long w/only single family homes w/large lots. I can't see all the way to one of the ends due to a curve.

Besides the above clusters of 4 Bolts (1 mine), 2 Leafs (1 mine) on my street, I can think of 1 Clarity (PHEV or BEV?), gen 2 Volt (they had gen 1 Volt), BMW i3 (usually garaged now), 1 e-Golf and a Prius Prime. There's another Clarity (PHEV, I think) visible from my house on a connecting street.
 
LeftieBiker said:
Sounds like you've created a genuine California Fad, Cwerdna. ;_
LOL! Nah... I was more of a copycat. I was Bolt #3 on my street. Next door neighbor and the one two doors away (with a 2020 now) had Bolts well before me. They both had previously leased Leafs.

Before COVID-19, at my work, Leafs were the dominant plug-in vehicle for awhile but eventually, most of the new plug-ins showing up were Teslas. It is by FAR the most well-represented plug-in brand at my work.

The gen 2 Volt person down the street (don't know them) had a gen 1 Volt and prior to that had a gen 2 Prius. IIRC, the lone gen 2 Leaf on my street is a non-Plus.

Side note: While responding to the Nissan strategy thread (https://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=591800#p591800), i was looking to see if this thread had that Ghosn sneak peek. I found a post from Ed at https://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=449896#p449896. Well, one part of his prediction came true.
 
GRA said:
Has anyone tried putting a bike in the back of a Bolt (with the seats down)?I've got a hybrid with a large (61cm) frame, and I'm curious if anyone had succeeded in fitting one back there.

I answered this last time you asked.
https://mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=18907&p=571630#p571630


Since I wrote that he's replaced the Bolt with a Model Y.
 
^^^ Thanks, I thought I might have asked this before, but couldn't remember if it was for the Bolt or some other BEV.

An interim report: I'm in the Lee Vining Library, using an actual keyboard on a computer for the first time since March 14! It's so much easier than a phone. Anyway, picked up the new 2020 Bolt LT from the owner yesterday, which had a grand total of 54 miles on the odometer. Is there a tripmeter? I couldn't find one. It was fully charged, and after I got it home (about 24 miles) and loaded it, I drove a few miles to the nearest EA site in Castro Valley to try out charging using Pass + and my phone. No joy, nor would it accept my credit card as a guest, even though I had registered it with them. Since I had lots of range I figured I'd head to the next EA site 37 miles away in Tracy and try there, and if that didn't work go another 36 to the Chargepoint in Oakdale. If they all failed I had enough range left to bail on the trip and return the car to its Turo owner.

Got to Tracy tried the phone again, and still nada. But this time it accepted my credit card as a guest (i.e. $0.43/kWh instead of $0.31) , and I charged from 77 to 100%, taking 52 minutes IIRR (I've got full notes and will post them when I get home). So, all good, the charge has finished and I'm good to go. But the connector is latched to the car, and refuses to release. Tried various help screens on the charger as the grace period counted down, still nothing. Then a guy pulled up in an e-Tron, so I figured I'd ask him for help. He tried, nothing, we looked for an emergency release like he has on his e-Tron (none that we could find), and in frustration, 20 minutes after charging finished (so $4 in wait fees) he gave one last tug just in frustration and the connector came right off. Any ideas what caused it to lock on and then release on its own?

Drove to Oakdale to see if the Chargepoints there would work. No problem, used my Chargepoint card to start and stop the charge and just topped up from 87 to 90%, then it was off to the Sierra. This is how it should work. Got to Bridgeport, the next EA site (and only CCS/CHAdeMO QC north of Bishop), and plugged in. Nothing via either phone or CC, so moved over to another charger. Same. Calling customer support isn't an option for me as I'm unable to hear anything on my cell phone owing to my deafness. I'd made sure I had enough of a reserve to get to Lee Vining if this happened, so after some cursing drove on. Decided to be careful so started at 55, then dropped to 50 and ultimately 45 during the 25 mile drive, no heat. It was close to 10 p.m. so the only traffic was semis, and they had to climb over Conway summit so only one closed on me despite my slow speed. Got to Lee Vining with IIRR around 40 miles remaining (middle value), crossed my fingers as I pulled up to the free Clipper Creek L2s and plugged in. Charging started immediately and that was one weight off my mind, but since I couldn't trust that I could charge at Bridgeport going back, and I had to stay at the Lee Vining chargers from 10:45 p.m. til 6:45 this morning to get a full charge, I had to choose one of my shorter options as to where to hike as I'll need to charge here some more before returning, and will want enough charge to get to Tracy if Oakdale doesn't work this time. As I got next to no sleep last night, decided to just take an easy day and see if the local library was open. It is, and here I am.

So, instead of going down to the Rock Creek/Mt. Abbot region and hiking/peak bagging there (149 miles RT from here) , I'll just do something around Tioga Pass (25 mile RT), maybe Mts. Dana and Conness. And it all depends on the wind direction - right now the smoke is being blown away from Lee Vining to the eastwards, but AQ at Mammoth is bad, and the wind could change and bring that smoke here. The forecast says not, but I could see lots of smoke to the east of here this morning so if the offshore flow pushes it this way it'll be time to bail.

Some impressions of the Bolt. Fun little car to drive, just as I felt during my test drive last year. Excellent steering feel and feedback and good ratio. Great accel for passing. The wheel's a bit small which is great for allowing easier entry for those with big thighs, but when I adjust the tilt for where I want it the upper rim blocks sight of the turn signal indicators. I had similar issues with the Think City back inthe '90s, felt like I was driving a bus, the wheel was angled forward so much. I don't have problems with the seat itself as I'm slim and not heavy, although the headrest sticks a bit too far forward to be comfortable unless I tilt the seat back more than I'd like. I assume this is some new crash requirement, but come on! The ergonomic interaction of the seat, wheel and pedals doesn't quite work for me. I tried lots of combos - seat forward/back/height up/down/tilt forward/back, steering wheel tilt up/down, and it never felt quite right.

Visibility is okay to the sides and rear, although I've been driving Subaru wagons for 32 years and a convertible before that so I've always bought cars with excellent vis. The Bolt's belt line rises towards the rear and that restricts rear quarter vis a bit, but it's okay, or it was once I moved the passenger seat and titlted it to a position where the headrest didn't block part of the view. That may not be an option with a passenger. Rear vis isn't bad, but it would still be nice to be able to remove the rear head rests completely when there's no one back there.. I couldn't figure out how, just move them up and down. What makes me uncomfortable is the combination of a shallow-sloped windshield and steeply sloped hood; the fenders are invisible, and the A-pillars are fairly thick too, although there are little "vent" window portholes that alleviate the blind spots somewhat. I don't know that not being able to see the fenders is that big a deal given the small size of the car, but I didn't care for it. And the side mirrors taper at their outer ends. That may be good for aero and/or reducing noise, but several times while wanting to change lanes I was wishing for the rectangular mirrors on my Forester.

I find 'L' mode or the paddle to be a bit too abrupt when coming to a stop. I'm sure that people who like one pedal driving quickly get used to 'L' mode, but I've been a three pedal driver all my life and would prefer an intermediate setting. When I drove the Niro, it had Regen modes from 0-3, and I found that '3' was too strong around town as well and I preferred '2', although that was a short test drive so I'd have to drive the car for longer in a wider variety of conditions to be sure. Didn't use 'L' mode much until I got almost to Sonora Pass, as it's quite tight and windy from there especially descending eastwards (some steep 10 mph hairpins); mostly just used the paddle briefly.

The seats-up cargo area is too small for me; it can hold three internal frame packs if you're neat: 1 upright, and two horizontal next to it lying on top of each other, but I find that with the seats up I'm approaching max. capacity just with my stuff, as I'm often tossing it in in a hurry if its raining/snowing, and I still use my external frame pack when it's suitable, which almost certainly wouldn't fit sideways as its a lot wider than an internal frame, and any of them are too long to fit lengthwise, which I prefer.

The high beams were good, although switching them off there seemed to be just the slightest lag compared to my Subaru, as if it wasn't a physical control but was sending a command electronically which had to be interpreted and then sent to the right address. Apparently there are auto lights, but as they failed to dim several times when oncoming cars were approaching I didn't use it after that - another needless solution (see auto-dimming mirrors) looking for a problem AFAIC.

I prefer not to use Auto Climate Control, but I'm not sure if I succeeded in avoiding it or not. I didn't seem to be able to get much hot (or cold) air directed to the feet, despite selecting that either alone or with dash vents. And how do I turn the radio off not just mute it, without shutting everything off?

There's so many functions on this car that are new to me that I really need to have a manual along (or read it beforehand in hard copy or on on a computer), as trying to read 300+ pages on my phone's a bit much.

Summarizing, I think the Bolt's a good car for day to day driving and fun to toss around on a twisty road, but I never felt completely comfortable while driving it and its utilitarian functionality falls a bit short for my needs, so I don't think it's for me - I felt more instantly at home in both the Niro and the e-Golf, maybe because there were fewer unfamiliar methods of doing routine tasks, and fewer unfamiliar functions that I'll never use while driving, plus they had better vis. I'm not sure if the EA charging issues were related to my phone, the car, or EA. I'm a smartphone tyro who still pays cash for most things and dislikes using a credit card unless I have to, so no essentially nothing about 'mobile wallets' or whatever the hell they're called - are all smart phones equipped with whatever's needed to just hold them up next to the spot on the charger to begin a charge and bill it, or is that something restricted to higher end phones (mine is a $30 Android pay as you go, an Alcatel A502DL if memory serves)? While I don't doubt my lack of knowledge in this area may have contributed to the problem, far more experienced people like Paul have also experienced issues getting EA chargers to work with the App and/or the reader refusing their credit card, so maybe it's at their end. And the QC speeds are just too slow now, as we all know.

Going to head up to Tioga and maybe do an easy hike now, then come back down for dinner and more charging. See ya.
 
GRA said:
^^^ Thanks, I thought I might have asked this before, but couldn't remember if it was for the Bolt or some other BEV.

An interim report: I'm in the Lee Vining Library, using an actual keyboard on a computer for the first time since March 14! It's so much easier than a phone. Anyway, picked up the new 2020 Bolt LT from the owner yesterday, which had a grand total of 54 miles on the odometer. Is there a tripmeter? I couldn't find one.
That is crazy that you don't have an actual keyboard and computer. I find typing anything of length on phones and tablets intolerable. You may consider seeing if a Bluetooth keyboard can work w/your phone. I've used Apple BT keyboards w/iPads for testing before. I test iOS software for a living. On virtually every vacation, I would still bring a laptop as phone and/or tablet is seriously not sufficient for me.

My personal phone is an iPhone 8 bought around Black Friday 2017 but I carry a Pixel 3 for work + usually 1 more iPhone test device (currently an iPhone 11). I have phones (as test devices for work) of all sorts ranging from low end to high (as high as iPhone 11 Pro Max, which starts at $1099).

You should seriously buy a computer w/a real keyboard, even it's a just a cheap Windows machine, Chromebook or Chromebox. If you get a Chromebook/box, make sure it doesn't hit end of update (end of security updates too soon) via https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/6220366?hl=en.

Yes, there's unfortunately only a single trip odo. You use the arrow keys on the steering wheel to go to the screen w/miles per kWh and reset that screen. That unfortunately resets both the single trip odo and miles per kWh there. This is unlike gen 1 Leaf that has 3 trip odos and for those w/nav two miles/kWh displays that don't get reset when you reest trip odo.

I can't speak to your cable relocked issues. I've never hit that. I don't know of any emergency release off the top of my head. If you power up the car and go to the energy screens, you should be able to stop the DC FC session from there too. Normally, if I somehow ran into that situation, I'd look for an emergency stop/release on the station. Last resort is to call the charging provider.

Perhaps it wasn't locked and there was enough friction from the weight of the cable and handle to make you think it was locked? I can't say I'm a huge fan of CCS.

As for L abruptly stopping, I modulate the go pedal while coming to a stop in L.

I can't type at length until later today/this evening but as for radio, you can just press the volume knob (power button) to mute it (also, phone hangup button on steering wheel). If you press and hold volume knob, that puts it into low power mode. Some people say they don't like the stereo turning when they power up. I hear the workaround is to go to SiriusXM channel 0. I don't do that/don't have an issue w/the behavior so I don't care.

I agree the infotainment system is a bit wonky and not much like how I'm used to on Toyotas and Nissans.

The rear headrests can be titled 90 degrees (via a round button on the side of the restraint) so that they don't block as much view. You can raise/lower them via a button on the seat next to where one of the tines enters. I have no problem w/them obstructing view but you could also just fold down the rear seats.

High/low beam on Bolt is likely a mechanical shutter to obstruct or not obstruct a certain portion of the beam. This is common on HID headlight systems that don't have separate bulbs for high beam. My gen 2 Prius was this way. I've had other cars w/HIDs where the high beams were separate halogen bulbs, as well.

The auto high beam on/off aka Intellibeam in GM parlance is also new to me. I don't use it most of the time.

I can't speak to your EA billing issues. On my very 1st EA charge, I joined Pass+ but it EA using the wrong rate (Pass) despite me starting the session via phone. I called EA to confirm I was on Pass+ (I was). They remotely starting charging for me but it didn't help. In the end, I was billed the wrong rate but they said they'd later refund the diff. They didn't and I pinged them again. Eventually, they just refunded that entire charge, which I was happy with.

Personally, I would avoid using credit cards unless it's a total last resort. My usual way of starting charging on ChargePoint is either their RFID card (I have 3) or my Apple Watch (easy). For EA, it's their app. For EVgo, I've never paid for a charge w/them yet, only used free charging at https://drivethearc.com/#sec-locations which MUST be started via the DrivetheARC app.

I do also have RFID cards from EVgo, SemaConnect and Blink but have never used them yet.
 
cwerdna said:
GRA said:
^^^ Thanks, I thought I might have asked this before, but couldn't remember if it was for the Bolt or some other BEV.

An interim report: I'm in the Lee Vining Library, using an actual keyboard on a computer for the first time since March 14! It's so much easier than a phone. Anyway, picked up the new 2020 Bolt LT from the owner yesterday, which had a grand total of 54 miles on the odometer. Is there a tripmeter? I couldn't find one.

That is crazy that you don't have an actual keyboard and computer. I find typing anything of length on phones and tablets intolerable. You may consider seeing if a Bluetooth keyboard can work w/your phone. I've used Apple BT keyboards w/iPads for testing before. I test iOS software for a living. On virtually every vacation, I would still bring a laptop as phone and/or tablet is seriously not sufficient for me.

My personal phone is an iPhone 8 bought around Black Friday 2017 but I carry a Pixel 3 for work + usually 1 more iPhone test device (currently an iPhone 11). I have phones (as test devices for work) of all sorts ranging from low end to high (as high as iPhone 11 Pro Max, which starts at $1099).

You should seriously buy a computer w/a real keyboard, even it's a just a cheap Windows machine, Chromebook or Chromebox. If you get a Chromebook/box, make sure it doesn't hit end of update (end of security updates too soon) via https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/6220366?hl=en.

I'm back, sooner than later. While i was typing my previous post the wind shifted and smoked up here and Lee vining Canyon almost up to Tioga Pass. I drove up there just to check, but I'm not going hiking in that crap, so decided to hang in the library.

As for having a personal computer, I have in the past (got my first about '88), but when my last laptop died (an Alienware) and I had to go a couple of days before replacing it, I realized just how much time I was spending at home on it by myself, gaming etc.. Since my increasing deafness limited my social activities I really didn't need to be spending any more time isolated, so decided not to replace the computer and dropped my internet service, Instead, I use public library computers, which not only force me to have at least some minimal interaction with other people (away from work), but also limit the time I can spend on them, and I have to walk about .4 miles each way to use them. Much healthier all around, although the last 7 months being dependent on a phone for internet access has tested my resolve not to get a computer/home internet again. However, Alameda County got the okay to re-open libraries Oct. 9th, and while neither of the two closest to me have done so yet it should happen soon, and I can go back to just using my phone for the occasional text. As it is I limit my data use (I currently have a 1 year pre-paid plan that comes with 1.5 Gb, and I make that last me the year as another means of forcing me to not retreat into complete solitude. I make almost zero phone calls and only upgraded to a smart phone last year from my 2007 flip phone (not even a camera) because texting on it was easier, and even then I'll never approach my annual limit (1,000?).


cwerdna said:
Yes, there's unfortunately only a single trip odo. You use the arrow keys on the steering wheel to go to the screen w/miles per kWh and reset that screen. That unfortunately resets both the single trip odo and miles per kWh there. This is unlike gen 1 Leaf that has 3 trip odos and for those w/nav two miles/kWh displays that don't get reset when you reest trip odo.

Thanks. Figured this out myself while I was up at Tioga Pass. Didn't have time to mess with this yesterday as I was concentrating on just driving the car, and didn't want to play with the buttons on the steering wheel (other than the CC ones, which were pretty standard).


cwerdna said:
I can't speak to your cable relocked issues. I've never hit that. I don't know of any emergency release off the top of my head. If you power up the car and go to the energy screens, you should be able to stop the DC FC session from there too. Normally, if I somehow ran into that situation, I'd look for an emergency stop/release on the station. Last resort is to call the charging provider.

The session had stopped when it reached 100%. I tried using the "Stop charge" 'button' several times, but no effect. Tried the various help/info buttons on the screen, none of which were related or, if they were, didn't work.


cwerdna said:
Perhaps it wasn't locked and there was enough friction from the weight of the cable and handle to make you think it was locked? I can't say I'm a huge fan of CCS.

Nah, I lifted it up to make sure there was no extra weight on it, tried removing it with and without pressing the button, clicked my heels together three times while chanting the 900 Billion Names of God, and nothing. Would have tried sacrificing a virgin too, if one were available. :eek: [/quote]


cwerdna said:
As for L abruptly stopping, I modulate the go pedal while coming to a stop in L.

Right. I want to glide and then smoothly brake if necessary, rather than do that. My ideal would be multi-level regen on paddles, plus blended regen/friction on the brake pedal.


cwerdna said:
I can't type at length until later today/this evening but as for radio, you can just press the volume knob (power button) to mute it (also, phone hangup button on steering wheel). If you press and hold volume knob, that puts it into low power mode. Some people say they don't like the stereo turning when they power up. I hear the workaround is to go to SiriusXM channel 0. I don't do that/don't have an issue w/the behavior so I don't care.

I agree the infotainment system is a bit wonky and not much like how I'm used to on Toyotas and Nissans.

Had already figured out the mute bit and low power mode, it just seems insane to me that I can't simply turn the frickin' radio completely off while keeping the other display that I want on, or that it should automatically come on. It's just a waste of power, as I don't listen to music any more. I can't recognize stuff I've known my whole life, or if I do it sounds all wrong.


cwerdna said:
The rear headrests can be titled 90 degrees (via a round button on the side of the restraint) so that they don't block as much view. You can raise/lower them via a button on the seat next to where one of the tines enters. I have no problem w/them obstructing view but you could also just fold down the rear seats.

Thanks, I'll try that. They're not too bad for rear vis, but it would be nice to compare. Even with them the Bolt's still worlds better than an Ionic, although you had a Prius with the split window so maybe you wouldn't mind it so much.


cwerdna said:
High/low beam on Bolt is likely a mechanical shutter to obstruct or not obstruct a certain portion of the beam. This is common on HID headlight systems that don't have separate bulbs for high beam. My gen 2 Prius was this way. I've had other cars w/HIDs where the high beams were separate halogen bulbs, as well.

The auto high beam on/off aka Intellibeam in GM parlance is also new to me. I don't use it most of the time.

Ah ha, that probably explains the pattern difference I noticed; I've never used common bulb HiD lights before. The pattern was much better on the Bolt than on my Forester or similar era cars. With the Forester, switching to high beam moves the pattern up and left, and going back to low beam does the opposite. With the Bolt, the low beam pattern stays the same, and the high beam is another layer left and up on top of it, so both left and right corners remain illuminated the same with the high beams on. Much better for winding roads, as you don't need to be constantly switching back and forth from high beam (left corners) to low (right corners).


cwerdna said:
I can't speak to your EA billing issues. On my very 1st EA charge, I joined Pass+ but it EA using the wrong rate (Pass) despite me starting the session via phone. I called EA to confirm I was on Pass+ (I was). They remotely starting charging for me but it didn't help. In the end, I was billed the wrong rate but they said they'd later refund the diff. They didn't and I pinged them again. Eventually, they just refunded that entire charge, which I was happy with.

Personally, I would avoid using credit cards unless it's a total last resort. My usual way of starting charging on ChargePoint is either their RFID card (I have 3) or my Apple Watch (easy). For EA, it's their app. For EVgo, I've never paid for a charge w/them yet, only used free charging at https://drivethearc.com/#sec-locations which MUST be started via the DrivetheARC app.

I do also have RFID cards from EVgo, SemaConnect and Blink but have never used them yet.

The CC was the last resort at EA. As mentioned, calling CS isn't an option for me. I concur that my CP card worked well (linked to a CC for adding credit to the account), but maybe I was just lucky. As for EA, they need to fix the rate I paid and not charge me for waiting time. I need to email them and explain all this, once I get home, and then cancel the account as I don't need it.

While I'm on a computer here, I'm going to look at the Bolt manual and figure out for certain how to avoid Auto Climate Control. [Edit]; Okay, looks like I had it figured right.
 
GRA said:
Nah, I lifted it up to make sure there was no extra weight on it, tried removing it with and without pressing the button, clicked my heels together three times while chanting the 900 Billion Names of God, and nothing. Would have tried sacrificing a virgin too, if one were available. :eek:
You MUST press and hold the button on the handle to release. I don't use EA much but on the BTC Fatboy EVgo (DrivetheARC) chargers I mostly use + one more ChargePoint DC FC (probably CPE 250 https://www.chargepoint.com/products/commercial/cpe250/), the button is mechanically linked to the latch like it is on J1772 handles. For sure you shouldn't be able to pull out the handle unless you press on the handle's button.

The CCS lock on the car side tries to block movement of the tang for safety reasons while charging, otherwise you'd get massive arcing if you disconnected while charging.

If you hit this again, perhaps try pushing on the handle towards the inlet while pushing on the handle's button before pulling w/button depressed? I could forsee some funky intermediate mechanical state.

My major was computer science and computers are a hobby, as well. I also work on software for a living. So, for me to be w/o a computer ummm... doesn't compute. :)

https://my.chevrolet.com/content/dam/gmownercenter/gmna/dynamic/manuals/2019/Chevrolet/bolt/GTK_2019_Chevrolet_Bolt_EV_84214432_A.pdf may help. It talks about auto. I don't know if the 2020 version is online but for your purposes, should be mostly the same.
 
Okay, some boring charging and usage data. At Walmart in Tracy, the charge started at 4:38 (OAT 87 deg.) at 77% per the charger screen, at a rate of 28 kW. Up until then 96% of electricity used went to driving and accessories, 4% to CC, and 0% to battery conditioning.

80% 4:43, 2 kWh delivered (all rate and kWh delivered from EA charger display).
85% 4:52, 23 kW, 6 kWh del.
90% 5:01, 21kW, 10 kWh del.
95% 5:12, 18 kW, 13 kWh del.
100%, 5:30, 4 kW, 16 kWh del. Predicted ranges were 356 miles. max., 302 Median, 247 Min. Electricity used since last full charge reset to 0.0.

In Oakdale at the CP charger, I'd used 8.7 kWh to go 37.9 miles, SoC was 87% on the charger, the charge started at 6:42, I didn't note the OAT and the predicted ranges were 272/237/189.
90% charge stopped manually at 6:52, 8.65 kW, predicted range was 284/241/197.

Oakdale's about 155', 25 miles east is Yosemite Junction at a bit over 1,100' IIRR, essentially the start of the Sierra foothills. I stopped roughly every 20-30 miles to record predicted ranges and electricity used, from there over Sonora Pass and down to Bridgeport and Le Vining. If anyone wants that let me know.

For the climb and descent from the 120/395 junction to Tioga Pass and return that I just made, it took 6.9 kWh to go 12 miles and about 3,160' up. OAT was 65 deg. at the Jct., 64 at Tioga Pass. Predicted range at the Jct. was 298/253/207, at the pass 235/200/163, and I had Fan on 2, Recirc on and Temp set to 72 deg., max. speed was 65, and average was probably about 50, 'D' mode was used with the paddle for decel and regen.

Coming back down, starting 12 min. later, predicted range was up slightly at 237/201/164. At the Jct., OAT was now 71deg. usage had dropped by 1.7 kWh, and predicted range was now 299/230/187.
 
No need to report the stats to us if you don't wish to. :)

When charging thru EA's app, the email you receive will include stats like these:
Charging pricing: $0.00 + $0.18/minute (pre-tax)

Charging cost: $3.19
Discount: $0.00
Idling: $0.00 ($0.40/min)
Sales tax (0%): $0.00

End state of charge: 49%
Total energy delivered: 13.2 kWh
Max charging rate: 51.07 kW
Charging time: 00:17:42
Grace period: 00:07 min
Paid idle time: 00:00
https://na.chargepoint.com/driver_reports under Usage History table will have each session, including time, energy dispensed in kWh and cost. It will not have a graph or peak energy. On CP's app, if you tap on each session, you'll be able to see the charging graph like the 1st screenshot attached to https://www.plugshare.com/location/78995.

The GOM min max (https://www.chevybolt.org/threads/the-math-behind-min-max-calculations-and-the-energy-usage-score.18114/) is usually the middle value * 1.18 for max and middle value * 0.82 for min. Sometimes min diverges from 0.82. We don't know why. I pay little attention to the GOM. It's a waste of time to. I look at the battery bars and the 1% increment % SoC in the My Chevrolet app.

OT:
NHTSA investigating reports of Chevrolet Bolt EV battery fires
At least three cars sustained similar fire damage
https://www.autoblog.com/2020/10/13/chevrolet-bolt-electric-car-nhtsa-fires-investigation/
 
Got home Wed. night after doing one of the three peaks I'd hoped to do on this trip, as the nearest other was inaccessible due to fire precautions closure, i.e. no fire now but they didn't want anyone back there. The other one would have required another overnight charge in Lee Vining to get home, and quite possibly that area too may have been closed for the same reason.

A few final items re the Bolt. Coming back over Sonora Pass in daylight allowed me to push it more, and no mistake, this thing's a pocket rocket. I think the last time I had that much fun on a winding two-lane was when my friend let me drive his M3 convertible! Not only does it handle well, but passing's a cinch in the mountains. Nothing like having sea level power at any altitude.

I finally managed to find a driving position that while not ideal, gave me adequate control/comfort/display visibility.

While doing some L2 charging at night, I wanted to pass the time reading. The map light(s), while very bright, are in front of you and shine in your eyes making reading uncomfortable. I could have made a shade out of duct tape or similar, but as it's not my car and brand new I didn't want to leave any tape marks, so didn't. For reading it needs a dome light behind the front seats, or directional map lights.

While the firm suspension made for great handling, it also made the ride really bad on frreway truck heaves, potholes/cracks, and the graded dirt road I drove about 3 miles on at no more than 15 mph. I wouldn't want to subject anyone with a weak stomach to that. Reminded me of my Datsun 2000.

Since I was back a day early I decided to run some local errands (recycling etc.), and keep the car in 'L'. Definitely the way to go around town or in stop and go, even though it may or may not be the most energy efficient option.

I prefer 'D' when cruising. My biggest concern is that in shifting from one mode to the other or driving multiple cars, the very different decel characteristics can slow your reflexes and possibly cause an accident. The car defaulting to 'D' on start up when I'd been driving in 'L' made this very noticeable, and I think the default mode should be settable.

When using 'D' and the paddle, the latter is sized for about two fingers and on a few occasions when I was making tight turns at speed and had to slow suddenly I found myself fumbling to find the paddle. I think it would help if its size were increased vertically so it fit three or even four fingers. ISTR the Niro was so sized, and while I didn't get a chance to drive that car spiritedly so can't make a direct comparison, I suspect it would be less of a problem.

Because the Bolt uses a solid cargo cover that tilts up rather than the horizontal roller type that both of my Subies have had, the cargo area light is located low on the left wall instead of directly overhead, providing far less even illumination of the cargo area. Another light on the right wall would help, but for someone like me who's often packing/unpacking/rearranging at night or oh-dark-thirty at trailheads and dive sites, it really made me appreciate the superiority of the roller cover/overhead light. Minor for most people, but for those with similar habits. . .

Re the EA app, I just spent 10 minutes or so venting on my amplified homephone to CS, telling them to record the call and, because of my deafness, only give yes/no answers to my questions. After giving them chapter and verse on my unacceptable charging experience, I told them to refund my $4 Pass+ fee and any occupying penalty and then close the account, also that any more detailed questions from them needed to be directed to my email, and that their website and chargers need to provide a real-time CS url as well as a phone number as I believed they aren't ADA compliant, and I'm going to find out. I then asked them to confirm they had my account info and email info to contact me, and they said yes. I then hung up.

This was after clicking on their "Contact us" link on their website, filling out their submission form with all the details above and then when trying to submit it getting a notice that the format of my email address needed to be corrected. As there was absolutely nothing wrong with it (I'd used it to sign up for Pass+ the week before), to say that I was irate when I called is like Donald Trump saying he's only done a fair job!

One last Bolt energy item. After charging to full in Lee Vining, resetting the trip meter and heading back, I found that upon arrival at Yosemite Junction (see post uptopic), 129.4 miles and 5,624' lower than L.V. after first climbing over Sonora Pass, I'd used 21.9 kWh and had averaged 5.9 m/kWh, using A/C and then just fan as I climbed higher. As noted above, I was not driving in such a way as to maximize efficiency!
 
Will reply more later/tonight, I do agree about the hatch lighting. Leaf has the same issue. I wish they were brighter and had more light. That can be fixed via attaching/mounting your own battery powered lights.

I have no issue w/the map lights. There is sort of a dome light for the rear seats. But, it's probably too dim when when trying to use them to read in the front seat. Since the rear seat is more comfortable, if I'm working on my laptop or eating, I often sit in the rear.

As for EA refunding $4 Pass+ fee, they may not. https://www.electrifyamerica.com/terms/ says "Company will not provide refunds or credits for subscription fees for any partial-month subscription periods. " I wouldn't have had them close your account. I'd have just switched back to Pass.

As for your ask for default to L vs. D being selectable, yes, I've heard that request fairly frequently. I wouldn't be surprised if GM put some thought into NOT providing this due to directional cueing provided by creep. See https://web.archive.org/web/20081208040010/http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/03-12051.htm under "B. Safety Importance of Creep Force in Cueing the Driver--Creep Force in Reverse". By default, Bolt will have creep in D and R (which it always does). User has to go out of their way to shift twice into L, which gets rid of forward creep.

I made a comment about no creep on BMW i3 at https://mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=348698#p348698.
I overheard a woman talking (who likely didn't follow EVs) who basically said they were confused by the lack of creep (they didn't use the word and very likely weren't car enthusiasts judging by the way they talked about it) and said they were surprised by the very sudden leap forward when they used the accelerator. From what I overheard, it seems they were thrown off by putting it into D, via the very unconventional shift lever and motion and having the car do nothing, due to lack of creep.
I later confirmed i3 has no creep in both forward and reverse.
 
cwerdna said:
Will reply more later/tonight, I do agree about the hatch lighting. Leaf has the same issue. I wish they were brighter and had more light. That can be fixed via attaching/mounting your own battery powered lights.


Of course there are work arounds (I used my headlamp), but I'm talking about improving the car.


cwerdna said:
I have no issue w/the map lights. There is sort of a dome light for the rear seats. But, it's probably too dim when when trying to use them to read in the front seat. Since the rear seat is more comfortable, if I'm working on my laptop or eating, I often sit in the rear.


For reading a map it's not a problem, as it takes up a larger area and you're only looking at it briefly. But for longer term use while focusing on a smaller surface, the glare definitely is an issue, at least for me.


cwerdna said:
As for EA refunding $4 Pass+ fee, they may not. https://www.electrifyamerica.com/terms/ says "Company will not provide refunds or credits for subscription fees for any partial-month subscription periods. " I wouldn't have had them close your account. I'd have just switched back to Pass.


As I won't be needing to charge anytime soon, I'd just as soon get my info, esp. the CC I registered with them and which worked on only 1 out of four charging attempts, out of their system. I can always rejoin later if needed, and if reports indicate that the system's a lot more reliable than it is now. Not that CP was perfect, as 1 out of 4 chargers (total attempts at 3 sites) didn't recognize my CP card, but that's a lot better than 1 success of 8 or, tossing the attempts to use my phone, 1 of 4 successful attempts with EA to use the CC which I'd registered with them.


cwerdna said:
As for your ask for default to L vs. D being selectable, yes, I've heard that request fairly frequently. I wouldn't be surprised if GM put some thought into NOT providing this due to directional cueing provided by creep. See https://web.archive.org/web/20081208040010/http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/03-12051.htm under "B. Safety Importance of Creep Force in Cueing the Driver--Creep Force in Reverse". By default, Bolt will have creep in D and R (which it always does). User has to go out of their way to shift twice into L, which gets rid of forward creep.

I made a comment about no creep on BMW i3 at https://mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=348698#p348698.
I overheard a woman talking (who likely didn't follow EVs) who basically said they were confused by the lack of creep (they didn't use the word and very likely weren't car enthusiasts judging by the way they talked about it) and said they were surprised by the very sudden leap forward when they used the accelerator. From what I overheard, it seems they were thrown off by putting it into D, via the very unconventional shift lever and motion and having the car do nothing, due to lack of creep.
I later confirmed i3 has no creep in both forward and reverse.


The other side of the coin is this: Having been driving in L and then briefly doing something else, turning the car off, you then get back in, start in R or D and drive off in the latter without realizing it, cruise up to where you need to stop or turn and take your foot off the accelerator, expecting that you will rapidly slow down in L having waited later than you would if you knew you were driving in D. A brief moment later your brain says this isn't right and you make a frantic grab for the paddle/shift lever/hit the brake. Happened to me several times, fortunately without anyone being close in front of me at the time.

Possibly the lack of creep is less of an issue for me, as I drive a stick so there isn't any, and thus I'm not expecting it. But that's my concern about switching back and forth, and why the default should be settable - the reaction should be what the driver expects to happen, and shouldn't arbitrarily change.
 
I like the bolt. Seems like it would be great in tighter traffic situations as well. The flat storage with the rear seats down is great.

Question. I know the bolt is assembled in the US. How much of the car is pre-assembled in Korea. I have heard various opinions on this but can’t find anything on the web on it.

Cheers.
 
webeleafowners said:
I like the bolt. Seems like it would be great in tighter traffic situations as well. The flat storage with the rear seats down is great.

Question. I know the bolt is assembled in the US. How much of the car is pre-assembled in Korea. I have heard various opinions on this but can’t find anything on the web on it.

Cheers.

Or ferries. The Bolt qualifies for reduced fares on Washington State Ferries due to its shortness.
 
Question. I know the Bolt is assembled in the US. How much of the car is pre-assembled in Korea. I have heard various opinions on this but can’t find anything on the web on it.

IIRC, the drivetrain is Korean and the body and most of the interior is American. (The guy who designed the seats is Korean-sized, though.) The batteries are, until GM opens their battery plant, also Korean.
 
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