ICE Breaker
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV
We last drove the Chevy Bolt when it made its debut in 2017. At the time, the hatchback, EV Bolt joined the sound-alike sedan - Volt PHEV - as part of Chevy’s electric, two-car tag team. The pairing was brief. Introduced in 2011, Chevy cut the cord from Volt after the 2019 model year. Bolt rolls into 2020, marking the fourth year of its first generation. The twin trim level lineup includes LT (MSRP: $37,495) and Premier ($41,895). My Premier tester had an asdelivered price of $44,130.
Bolt EV is powered by a single, high-capacity electric motor, which produces up to 200 horsepower and 266 lb.-ft. of torque. The drive system is fed by a 66 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack located beneath the floor. That’s up from 60kwh last year; an upgrade that yields a noticeable payoff. EPA estimated range with a fully charged battery is now 259; an increase of 21 miles over last year’s model. Electric powered vehicles differ from those with Internal Combustion Engines in several respects. One is sound – they don’t make much, so you need to plan for the fact that anyone you come upon in your travels - pedestrians, cyclists, dogs, etc. – may not hear you coming, if they aren’t looking at you. Another novel feature is the nature of their power output. Electric motor response is of the flip- the-switch, Rightnow variety. So, despite its unassuming looks, if you need to get up to speed quickly, the car accelerates off the dime with surprising haste. The trip from 0-60 mph takes a brisk, 6½ seconds. The effect is less pronounced once underway, but there’s adequate power for passing and merging.
The standard cord set provided with Bolt allows charging from any 120V outlet. This “Level 1” process is slow: the recharging rate of 4 mph-c (miles added per hour of charging) means that 12 hours of plug time will yield about 48 miles of driving. If you don’t put a lot of miles on in your average day, this is a workable strategy. If you drive more, consider a Level 2 charger ($599 plus installation). Working from a 240 volt line, it will fully charge the battery in about 10 hours. Plug it in at night, you’re full by morning. Buyers can also avail themselves of DC Fast Charge capability for $750. This includes an industry-standard SAE Combo connector, so you can use any public, Level 3 (400V) charging station, while traveling.
Working from a 240 volt line, it will fully charge the battery in about 10 hours
These can provide up to 100 miles of range in 30 minutes time, which makes longer trips more practical.
A sport wagon it is not, but Bolt is not without a fun factor. The big battery pack centered below the floor makes for a low center of gravity. Bolt handles easily and rides agreeably. It feels larger than it is. There’s even a certain amount of entertainment to be had from braking (bear with me). Regenerative braking allows you to capture some of the energy expended in the stopping process, and return it to the battery pack (thereby increasing range). When you take your foot off the accelerator, the car slows, rather than coasts. The rate of recapture is adjustable, and you soon learn the art of one pedal braking. You can also control the amount of regenerative braking manually by pulling on a steering wheel mounted paddle. I like to be actively involved in whatever vehicle I’m driving, and I’ll gladly take a stick shift when I can get it. No such luck here, but Bolt’s fingertip braking is interesting, as it adds an element of sport to the otherwise mundane (but necessary) braking process.
Bolt is considered a small station wagon by EPA. Its cargo capacity ranges from 16.9 cu.-ft. to 56.6 cu.-ft., depending on how you arrange the seats. The TPI (our cutting edge metric for the number of toilet paper four packs that will fit in the cargo bay) is 272. Bolt feels more like a hatchback than a wagon, so while you can find models offering more stowage space, what’s here is usable large, aided by flat folding rear seatbacks, and an adjustable load floor (std. on Premier, $100 on LT). Cabin storage spots are in good supply. The interior design functions well, but the quality of some of the materials is tough to square with the $44,000 price point of a loaded example like my test car.
Head and legroom is good for its size; six footers can just fit in back, with like-size passengers in front. No onboard navigation system is offered. But, the infotainment system (10.2” touchscreen) is compatible with Android Auto and Apple Carplay, so drivers can BYOA (Bring Your Own App).
Bolt has an impressive amount of available, visual support for the driver. I’ve driven any number of larger, more sight-line challenged vehicles that would’ve benefitted from this. Premier trim models include a bird’s-eye view camera, as well as a high definition, reverse camera, and a rear camera mirror. The latter can be switched from a traditional, rearview mirror view, to a panoramic video display. The high resolution screen gives you a 4X greater field of vision than the conventional mirror, unobstructed by rear passengers, headrests, or roof pillars. As I’ve observed previously, the technology is impressive, but not perfect. In pano video mode, you can’t see anyone in your back seat. You can, however, still hear them.
Bolt is a victim of GM’S success, in one respect. Sales of GM EV’S collectively crested the 200,000 level, and the federal tax credit