How I Love My Battery-Electric Chevy Bolt – Let Me Count The Ways

Join daily news updates from CleanTechnica on e mail. Or follow us on Google News!

GM determined it might be greatest to take away its oh-so-popular Chevy Bolt from manufacturing and to focus as a substitute on its Silverado EV and Equinox EV. For a wide range of causes, together with loyal buyer outcry, that will not have been the most effective GM company choice ever. Nonetheless, for anybody now seeking to buy a used Chevy Bolt, the time is right to take action.

A used Chevy Bolt is an effective automobile to drive due to its cheap buy value, reliable battery-electric drivetrain, battery guarantee, completely acceptable vary, and cozy styling.

Chip in just a few {dollars} a month to help support independent cleantech coverage that helps to speed up the cleantech revolution!

For these of you who observe my writing, you keep in mind how I struggled final summer time about whether or not to maintain my Honda Si with its pleasant 6-speed transmission or to change to an environmentally-friendly electrical automobile for my summer time cabin within the CT woods. Finally, I made a decision to commerce it in for a used EV, and I bought a used 2017 Chevy Bolt. I’ve discovered rather a lot concerning the Bolt over two summers of driving it, and I completely love the automobile. The Bolt has been reasonably priced to personal, keep, insure, and run.

All Bolts function a 65 kWh battery pack, affording the EV a 259-mile vary. The Bolt EV returns a 120 MPGe or 28 kWh per 100 miles mixed vitality consumption estimate. Right here’s an summary that may persuade you too, so as to add a used Chevy Bolt to your fleet.

Media Stories About EV Curiosity: They Do Protest Too A lot

I do know, I do know. I’ve additionally learn that a number of EV fashions are shedding their worth rapidly after buy. HPI knowledge offered to Wired not too long ago by Parkers UK revealed how six completely different EVs are all projected to halve in worth after 12 months and 10,000 miles. These embody the Audi e-Tron GT, the Ford Mustang Mach-E, and a Polestar 2.

However the used automobile market is an entity unto itself, and what occurs within the UK doesn’t at all times mirror again to the US. The common used automobile previous to the Covid-19 pandemic would lose 50% of its worth inside 5 years, however that sample modified by 2023 — the loss was diminished to 38.8%. The Chevy Bolt saved comparatively near the pre-pandemic fee, although, as a result of firm’s battery issues.

The Cars.com industry report for July is stuffed with excellent news in the event you’re contemplating a used EV. They conclude that, 12 months over 12 months, used automobile costs decreased 6% and stock edged up 1%, primarily pushed by a rise within the inventory of automobiles below $30,000. Costs for used automobiles below $30,000 have dropped by 3% 12 months over 12 months, with stock on this phase rising 9%. They are saying that new EV costs down 2.1% YoY and 0.6% MoM, whereas new-EV demand has declined 20% YoY, used-EV demand is up nearly 20%. Each used EV provide is up, 31% YoY, used EV costs have declined 10.4% YoY and 0.2% MoM for a mean checklist value of $36,674.

So you’re in place to purchase a used Chevy Bolt in the event you’re monitoring completely different websites. The truth is, in the event you’re savvy sufficient to discover a used Chevy Bolt within the Hertz selloffyou then’ll find yourself spending much less for a 2023 mannequin than I did for my 2017. Your win can be Hertz’ loss because it reversed course on electrification and determined to unload its 20,000 EVs. However good for you! My automobile’s worth has been value each penny to me.

And don’t overlook: in case you are the first owner to applya used Chevy Bolt is eligible for the Used Clear Car Credit score, which may cut back the acquisition value by $4,000.

A Model New Battery — What A Coup!

Right here’s the actual worth rub. In the event you’re shopping for a used Bolt EV from a Chevy supplier, be a self-advocate due the mannequin’s earlier in depth battery recall crisis. There’s a flood of Bolts returning to market that had been repurchased by GM as a result of battery recall. As I perceive it, the automobiles both have a brand new battery or a software program monitoring system on the present battery to identify any potential failures, which will likely be changed with a brand new battery (only a few of those automobiles ever caught hearth as a result of defect).

If you store for a used Chevy Bolt, ask if the automobile has a brand new battery or not. Once I purchased mine, the salesperson was fairly dismissive of that query, insisting that every one supplier automobiles with a recall had to be repaired before sale. Nonetheless, ask the salesperson to print out the service historical past on any Bolt that pursuits you.

You possibly can check yourself for the age of your battery in the event you’re shopping for from a former proprietor outright. Discover the hole between the back and front door, go straight down and again a bit bit. Deliver a flashlight, because it’s a darkish place to work. There’s a sticker on our new battery.

Mine is a brand new alternative battery, and meaning I’ve a model new battery with an 8-year/ 100,000-mile guarantee. It’s actually like driving a brand new automobile.  The unique manufacturing unit guarantee remains to be in impact and was not restarted, to be clear.

Vary? No Nervousness Right here With A Used Chevy Bolt

The vary on my used Chevy Bolt has been very good. The truth is, the projected vary on the sprint has elevated over the 12 months I’ve owned it, which sorta is senseless once I give it some thought. When my battery was model new, it might examine 200 or so miles on a full cost. Early in my possession it additionally diminished the anticipated remaining miles fairly rapidly. Now that it’s the second summer time, the battery — in a approach that also strikes me as a bit psychic — has elevated the quantity of miles that I’ve on a full cost, and it doesn’t appear to scale back miles as rapidly as all. I’m guessing that it’s as a result of the vast majority of driving I do is on wooded again roads, and the automobile has adjusted its guess-o-meter primarily based on analyzing my accrued driving knowledge.

The Chevrolet Bolt EV gives a tremendous vary on a single cost, making it sensible for every day commuting and longer journeys. The truth is, my expertise this summer time with roadtrip charging has improved significantly since summer time 2023. Meaning the mixture of vary and charger availability provides an actual feeling of calm when driving a used Chevy Bolt.

Listed below are some charging time numbers for a used Chevy Bolt. FYI, most EV drivers don’t let the battery capability fall beneath 20% earlier than they recharge, and we rarely cost past 80% except we’re on the street once more for lengthy prolonged durations.

• Stage 3 DC 440V charging time (20-80%), 60 minutes, 200 miles/hour — Be sure to purchase a Bolt that has a quick charging capability! Not each Bolt does.
• Stage 2 AC 240V charging time (20-40%), 1 hour, 25 miles/hour — I usually add only a schtickle at a city corridor or neighborhood middle charger. It’s sufficient to get me to my residence or pal’s residence, the place I can plug it in and go away it in a single day.
• Stage 1 AC 120V charging time (20-80%)40 hours, or about 4 miles/hour — This appears terrible, proper? Manner too lengthy? However, please keep in mind: you’re parking the automobile in a single day whenever you wouldn’t be driving the automobile anyway. If it’s worthwhile to run an errand, you unplug, zip round city, and plug again in whenever you return.

The Chevrolet Bolt EV was one of the vital economical fashions earlier than GM waved bye-bye to this mannequin — at the least briefly — in its catalog. In the event you resolve to hitch our cohort of EV homeowners, you’ll be glad you probably did.