Got back from my usual drive from the Bay area over Tioga Pass to U.S. 395 Thursday night, in a 2023 Bolt 1LT rented from Hertz. It was supposed to be an EUV 'or similar' such as a Niro EV, which Hertz calls "Intermediate SUVs". I wanted to rent an EUV as I wanted to see if I could sleep in it; didn't get the chance when I rented one last November. The Hertz employee informed me that the Bolt was in the same class as the EUV. I pointed out that it was 6" shorter, and that no one would consider it an SUV (not that the EUV is either). But they didn't have any EUVs/Niros etc. on the lot that morning, just Bolts despite my having reserved in advance, so that's what I wound up with.
I've been helping a friend's wife for the past year to find a BEV that suits her. She'd been driving a '98 RAV4, and her main requirement was to sit about as high as that, while hopefully being similar in length. She'd considered a bunch of cars, but ultimately I thought the Bolt or EUV came closest for her. As she rarely makes long road trips by herself these days, I figured the Bolt/EUV's slow FC rate wouldn't be a big deal for the occasional weekend distance trip, and serious road trips with her husband would be in his CR-V hybrid. She ultimately opted for a 2023 Bolt, and they picked it up last Monday right before I left for my trip.
Anyway, since I wound up renting a 2023 Bolt it was a good opportunity for me to collect summer range/energy info on my trip and pass it on as they will be driving this same route in a few days, she in her Bolt and her husband in his CR-V, and spending a month over on the east side of the Sierra. Went to their place (BART & bike) and spent about 2.5 hours yesterday afternoon helping them get Plugshare, EA and CP apps set up on their phones (didn't help that I'm Android and they're Apple, plus they're both around 80), also loaned her my CP card just in case she has trouble using the app. Then we spent a half hour or so sitting in the car while I answered questions and/or showed her how various functions and controls re charging level and displays worked (as I'd just had to learn and use them myself a few days before), then we went out to a couple of public chargers so they could try them. Probably spent a good hour and a half driving around/waiting/charging, trying to get them some charger activation experience before they do a trip for real.
No CP FCs in the area, 1st CP site only had a single L2 which was occupied, and finally found a 2nd L2 site that had one of two ports free (shared unit). Charged briefly there using my CP card, then drove over to an EA DCFC site the app showed had a couple of available spots, so they could experience using the app to start a charge. On arrival 10 minutes later, 1 charger inop, 3 others occupied. At least they got to watch while a guy in front of them initiated a charge using his CC.
The other nearby EA site showed all available chargers in use so bailed, and on the way back to their home (they were on info/anxiety overload by this point) spotted what appeared to be a newly-operational EVgo site, still showing as Coming soon on Plugshare. Turned in, saw someone charging there, got to another port and had them use one of their CCs to activate it and charged for a couple of minutes (there aren't any particularly useful EVgo sites along the route they'll be driving on the trip, just CP and EA, so hadn't had them download the EVgo app). So, semi-useful to show them the difference in AC vs. DC charging speeds, but I really wanted them to use the EA app before the trip, as their sites are the most likely ones they'll want to use - I use them myself on this route.
Until all BEVs (for PHEVs it's no big deal) and public chargers have Plug and Charge capability, are more reliable and they're far more widely distributed I just don't see the typical ICE driver would be willing to put up with all the extra hassle and stress on road trips compared to buying gas. Hopefully all the new NACS-equipped cars (or those with adapters) will be able to use SCs as easily as Teslas can, but as for the current typical CCS/CHAdeMO public charging experience? This couple are both strongly environmentally motivated to switch, even so I could tell they were wondering if this was going to work for them.
They did get the L1/L2 EVSE with the car, not sure if that was by accident or not. I know the L2-capable version comes standard with the EUV, but I believe it's supposed to be an extra-cost option on the Bolt, which otherwise just has the L1-only version. I'd been explaining the difference between L1 and L2-capable portable EVSEs for a while but I suspect it was TMI, so maybe they just lucked out. Also got them set up for L1 charging temporarily at home (she hadn't charged it since they got it, and the sales critter had also told them it was fine to charge it to 100% and leave it there :roll: Once they get back from their trip Qmerit will supposedly handle an install for L2, not sure if they'll just put in a NEMA 14-50R so they can use the portable EVSE or hardwire something else, but I told them to send me the info once they got a quote and I'd give them my advice. They hope to be able to charge at the place they rent on the east side using the portable EVSE, but they have no idea if there's an L1 receptacle they can plug into and reach the car, as they've never had a need to plug anything in there before. Public chargers are sparse in the area, but there are two reliable, free Clipper Creek L2s about 15 miles away so that's one option, if hardly ideal. Told them what they'd need in the way of an extension cord for safety, if that was their only option at their rental.
Anyway, I'd driven a 2020 Bolt on a similar trip before this, and about the only difference I noticed in the 2023 was the replacement of the transmission shifter with push/pull 'gear' select switches on the center console, with 'B' mode replaced by a one-pedal driving switch. I can't remember if the 2020 Bolt would come to a complete stop in 'B' mode - cwerdna would know. It's still a blast to drive on tight two-lanes, at least on smooth roads - on roughish dirt the 2020's very firm suspension seemed sickness-inducing at least for passengers, even 5-10 mph slower than my Forester on that same road, and I doubt that's changed.
Other than that, I still appreciate the Bolt & EUV having physical HVAC switches rather than haptic ones, or even worse putting everything on the infotainment screen. Driver vis is decent to good although you still can't see the front fenders, and the rear cargo area with the floor in its upper position remains tiny for trip loads, although probably okay for several grocery bags. You really have to drop it to the low position to carry a useful trip cargo/luggage load seats up, and even then I suspect it's marginal for more than 1 or at most 2 people. Backpacks have to be laid sideways, and if you need to carry more than one you need to either lay one on top of the other or else stand them upright side by side. I was able to fit one pack laid flat, with a medium cooler and various odds and ends (box containing boots, small bear canister etc. fit around and on them back there, but that took up all the space under the cargo cover even with the floor in the lower position.
As I've noted before, the Bolt and EUV in normal 'D' mode don't fully coast, unlike the Hyundai/Kias I've driven in '0' regen setting; rather it feels more like one of the latter in '1' or maybe '2' regen setting, or an automatic transmission in D or maybe one gear down - I saw as much as 16kW of regen in 'D', but saw at least 40 kW (was busy descending a steep, tight, winding road with traffic so could only steal an occasional glance) in One-pedal mode. For the terrain on this route I prefer having the ability to fully coast and then regen as needed to maximize range, rather than having to try and feather the throttle in 'D' to achieve coasting. Many if not most people undoubtedly couldn't care less.
One-pedal mode remains nice to use in town or in stop and go traffic. Still liked having and using the regen paddle especially in regular D mode, in fact the day after I got home and had to drive my Forester after returning the Bolt I kept grabbing for the paddle before remembering I needed to use the brakes and/or downshift - it surprised me how quickly I'd become used to it and forgotten my lifelong driving habits after only three days of driving the Bolt. And my Forester's acceleration sure seemed very leisurely (0-60 in 9.6 sec., about 3 seconds slower) when merging or passing after driving the Bolt :lol:
My general conclusions about the car haven't changed: as long as you have somewhere guaranteed to charge it at home and/or work, and don't need to use it for serious road trips but stick to routine local use plus the occasional weekend trip, it's an excellent car. OTOH, for road trips needing multiple charging stops each day, you'd better have the patience of Job. And the greater range loss in winter due to lack of a heat pump would also amplify the amount of time you'd have to spend sloooowly FC'ing, so making it more time-consuming for weekend ski trips beyond maybe a 100-150 mile radius than say a Kona or Niro, with their ~50% faster FC rates plus available heat pumps.
Here's hoping when the Ultium version eventually arrives they'll have fixed those last issues. Of course, they'll undoubtedly screw it up by making the HVAC controls haptic like virtually every other manufacturer is doing, and probably adding unnecessary power accessories like seats and tailgates to the base model as Kia did with the 2023 Niro, rather than keeping the base price as low as possible by only offering that crap on higher trim levels or as part of extra-cost option packages.
![[2025 Upgraded] Retractable Car Charger, SUPERONE 69W Car Phone Charger with Cables Fast Charging, Gifts for Men Women Car Accessories for iPhone 16 15 14 13 12, Samsung, Black](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31-ZCpiDr2L._SL500_.jpg)
