[Packard V8]

I've been driving my Bolt in Winnipeg since 2017. In the summer, I can go 500km on a charge in the city. In the winter, that drops to half of that (heater, defog, heated seat, etc). The guess-o-meter that is being talked about takes a lot of things into consideration and mine will change overnight. It appears to consider battery conditioning (when it's cold out) as a loss in mileage - expecting that it will need to keep warming the battery even when you're not plugged in.
I've attached what the car draws from my 220v charger. You can see that once it's charged, it takes a 10A draw a couple times and hour for about 15 min (this is at -25C)

Lastly, although I'm no expert on batteries, my understanding is that 110v is the best for preserving your battery. 220v is the next best and you should avoid the fast DC charging unless you really need it. Kinda like the RC modellers who charge their batteries at higher rates - it gets them flying faster, but they don't survive as many charge cycles.

Possibly, but all the above is yes, no, maybe conjecture based on maybe not exactly the same chemistry. Since GM has all the Bolt charge data, they made some deductions/educated guesses that the Bolt fires could be traced to two manufacturing defects made more likely to fail by repeated deep discharges and recharging to 100%. It may never be conclusively proved if those batteries without the defects are being harmed by that cycle. Maybe yes, maybe no.

jack vines

 

[Frank's bolt]

Possibly, but all the above is yes, no, maybe conjecture based on maybe not exactly the same chemistry. Since GM has all the Bolt charge data, they made some deductions/educated guesses that the Bolt fires could be traced to two manufacturing defects made more likely to fail by repeated deep discharges and recharging to 100%. It may never be conclusively proved if those batteries without the defects are being harmed by that cycle. Maybe yes, maybe no.

jack vines

Agree. I was only meaning in the context of gradual degradation of the battery pack itself. Not so much catastrophic failure.

 

[Packard V8]

Agree. I was only meaning in the context of gradual degradation of the battery pack itself. Not so much catastrophic failure.

Agree, one might hypothesize DCFC might put more strain on the battery. However, the progressive wing here dumps on the Bolt for a slow charge rate and huzzahs the vaporware for the supposed instant charge. How are we to understand this?

I've predicted here there will be some fireworks before the rapid recharge technology is perfected.

jack vines

 

[ComputerDoc]

….In very cold temperatures, you will see a lower range estimate for a variety of reasons, including reduced capacity of Lithium Ion batteries in cold temperatures, and increased use of energy for heating the cabin and heating the battery pack.…"

here’s another quirk that can lead to a sudden drop in the reading you see on the GOM When you come out in the morning:
I noticed that if the GOM is seeing the climate controls simply set to "ON" It automatically subtracts from the estimated available range. If I just touched me climate control (and this is with the car just sitting in the garage) And turn off that button the GOM will quickly add p, say, 40 miles to the estimated range. Touch it once more and it subtracts that 40 miles.

 

[NortonCommando]

For normal urban/suburban driving in winter, the Bolt is by far the most comfortable car we've owned in fifty years. Prior to use, the Bolt cabin can be warmed while plugged in, driven with full use of heat, defrost, seat heaters, steering wheel heaters and smile all the way.

I agree!

I like to start the Precondition while exiting the car at a short stop, like groceries.
That keeps the cabin nice and comfy!
If it's a longer stop, restaurant, I'll use the app to start a Precondition. It's worth paying Onstar $15/mon for that service, especially this time of year!

Use that Precondition all you can!
The car doesn't sit there in a cloud of its own stink doing it, like a gasser.

 

[MichBolt]

...Use that Precondition all you can!
The car doesn't sit there in a cloud of its own stink doing it, like a gasser.

Being able to precondition the car in the morning while it's in the garage and plugged into house power (so no battery use) is one of my favorite features.

 

[thejeffkeeran]

Hello,

Two weeks ago, I got myself a bolt 2019 with a brand new battery (2022). I still don't have my 220v charging station at home. So I'm using my 110v. I do 110km daily and mostly charge in 110v at work + home. Every 4 days i need to charge in 220 due to 110v not charging the battery enough.
Now since yesterday, my battery life says it caps at 114 miles, down from 242 miles (from 2 weeks ago).

Now I'm really getting pushy for an electrician to install my 220v charging station at home. But I'm wondering, did the battery permenently degraded from that? I saw in the recommendation to charge using 220v every week, which I did.

To give some context, I also live in a cold area of Canada where it's often around -5F.

I have the same experience and have contacted the Dealer.

 

[jefro]

I might be tempted to test the actual voltage on that 120VAC outlet when in use. Not supposed to drop more than 10% total. If one did try to charge using the stock and almost any world model they'd usually be able to run 87-250 50/60hz. So if you were loosing power or not fully getting the 12Ax120V minus losses charge rate. Cheap killowatt meter should work to monitor all metrics.

 

[mgoleta]

Just checking:
Do you know about setting it to charge at 12Amps when on 120V?
You can set your 'home charging location' to charge at 12A automatically.
Everywhere else you have to poke it in settings to get it to charge at 12A, everytime...

Life will be so much easy for you when you get your home L2!

GM defaulted the L1 charging to 8A. Yes, you MUST select the 12A setting everytime you want to charge at 12A. The justification for this has nothing to do with charging effieciency or effects on the battery. The logic behind this was if you plug into a 120V 15A outlet were the circuit may be shared with other loads (lights, fridge, little toy monkeys, ...) then 8A is likely the only safe current draw that will not trip your breaker. A continous load above 12A should always result in a trip of a 15A breaker since this exceeds the 80% continuous load specification for a 15A breaker. I.E. If you are charging at 12A and the little toy monkey needs 0.5A it will likely trip the breaker.

 

[MichBolt]

GM defaulted the L1 charging to 8A. Yes, you MUST select the 12A setting everytime you want to charge at 12A. The justification for this has nothing to do with charging effieciency or effects on the battery. The logic behind this was if you plug into a 120V 15A outlet were the circuit may be shared with other loads (lights, fridge, little toy monkeys, ...) then 8A is likely the only safe current draw that will not trip your breaker. A continous load above 12A should always result in a trip of a 15A breaker since this exceeds the 80% continuous load specification for a 15A breaker. I.E. If you are charging at 12A and the little toy monkey needs 0.5A it will likely trip the breaker.

If you turn on location based charging, and set your home location, the Bolt will remember your 12 amp setting for 90 days.

 

[NortonCommando]

....A continous load above 12A should always result in a trip of a 15A breaker since this exceeds the 80% continuous load specification for a 15A breaker. .

Good advice, except ^this^ part....
12A is 80% of 15A. That's why it was chosen.
You should be fine on a 15A circuit, if the EV is the only load.

I don't think 15A circuits are that common these days, but to be safe, most EV manufacturers choose 12A as a default for 120V charging.

 

[BobBolt]

I don't think 15A circuits are that common these days, but to be safe, most EV manufacturers choose 12A as a default for 120V charging.

Standard in the Canadian Electrical Code with the exception of kitchen receptacles which are 20A. Meaning garage or outdoor receptacles would be 15.

 

[jefro]

"Good advice, except ^this^ part....
12A is 80% of 15A. That's why it was chosen.
You should be fine on a 15A circuit, if the EV is the only load. "

Yes,

The second part I think is backwards???

"I don't think 15A circuits are that common these days, but to be safe, most EV manufacturers choose 12A as a default for 120V charging."