Thinking of doing a moderately long trip with Chevy Bolt. Driving distance will be around 650 to 700 Miles.
(With family)
Can I be solely dependent on fast charger Network in east coast?
If you have done similar trip can you please share your learnings?
Which fast charge network is cheaper? EVGO? Any tips and tricks?
My other option is to rent a cheap car on Turo ($100 for 3 days plus gas) but I really want to try out Bolt to address the EV range anxiety. Is it worthwhile to do this experiment?
Charge time is your biggest factor here.
The Bolt tapers at 55%, 67%, and 80% on DCFC.
Use your apps to check charger status - you do not want to be left stranded if a DCFC charger is down, and you have no back up options. Plugshare/Electrify America/EVGO should be relatively accurate.
Don’t. PM me if you want a detailed explanation why.
edit:
This is part of the reason why. But the charging curve is nothing short of awful on these cars – It really is designed to sit at 55 on the right lane for 3 hours at a time and pull off to charge for an hour.
Go for the rental. A Tesla is still the only EV where a road trip is practical. Longest range and there are more superchargers than all of the other DCFC networks combined by a large margin.
I live in California, and recently purchased a 2021 Bolt LT. I saw one of the bloggers who is fairly active on YouTube post a video about his range test on the New Jersey Turnpike. On a full charge, traveling at a consistent 70 mph with head wind he got over 200 miles. Actually 224 miles. I find that pretty impressive
I may have seen the same, or a similar video. I think he may have been in North Carolina?
224 miles for the Bolt (when it is out of its element so to speak) when cruising on the highway is pretty good. I use mine as a commuter where speeds are generally 35 to 50 mph and it is consistently in the 5.x miles per kWh area with the AC on, with an indicated range of about 320-330 miles.
Update: The person whom I was communicating with had their posts moderated…
I too had your mentality at one point. However I was in a recent rear ended crash and I needed to replace my Jeep Grand Cherokee. By the way I also have a Porsche 911. Living in California, there are chargers everywhere! I invite you to take a look at PlugShare and place in your ZIP Code and see what’s in your neighborhood and surrounding areas… You may be surprised, I don’t know where you live but being as cynical as you come across, your attitude towards EVs may not be long lasting.
Yes, EV technology is changing, body styles are changing. And… performance is there look at the Porsche, Audi and Tesla lineups.
EV technology is expanding rapidly. I decided to get on the bus now, as you state I’ll be one whom will be working out the kinks. However, I’ll do so with a smile on my face.
The Tesla model Y was my first choice but at $55,000 out the door and technology changing so rapidly I felt the bolt was a good way to introduce myself to the EV market and see if I like the experience. So far it’s been a short time, and I have been enjoying it
In a few years time, ranges will be much greater and charging time will be greatly reduced.
I just thought it made sense for me. Enjoy your vacations, and I’ll enjoy my road tripping experience
I went about this in a relatively similar manner. I ended up leasing a Volt in 2018. The security of the ICE engine made it palatable. I am now leasing a Bolt, and am all in. Today, if I wanted to go on a long road trip, a little extra planning is all that would be necessary. However, in another 5-10 years you can bet that won’t even be needed. The infrastructure is being put in place. Have fun with the new Bolt!
