[wesley]

Hello, everyone.

I got my own 2018 Bolt EV early last month and have mostly been trying to get information from the local (i.e. Korean) forums. However, I had been hitting some walls (figuratively, of course) lately. So to broaden my horizons, I decided to sign up today.

Unlike the other new poster, I was in luck and my Bolt did not have much of a show-stopping issue to speak of so far. The majority of the disappointment is related to the features that were omitted completely in the Korean version without an option to add back later.

For an example, there's the lack of any long-range communication capability like OnStar. About the only KeyPass function I find useful is checking the amount of battery left in percentage numbers. Another one missing is the 360-degree surround view.

Still, the government and local subsidies did bring the price of the car down to US$26,940, including all taxes and fees, which I think was pretty sweet considering it was the top-tier trim with all options tacked on (Premier + Safety).

I hope to post more stuff about the situation of Bolt EV in Korea, if anyone is interested.

 

[Dimitrij]

This forum is probably the best for Bolt people to congregate (a lot of practical info and minimal noise).

$27K is very good price, so congrats on getting it for the Premier configuration.

 

[CallMeBoltDriver]

Welcome! Is there a reason for the omission of the 360 view? While not a necessity, it is helpful when pulling into a parking spot to align the car in the middle of the lines.

 

[wesley]

Welcome! Is there a reason for the omission of the 360 view? While not a necessity, it is helpful when pulling into a parking spot to align the car in the middle of the lines.

I want to ask Chevrolet that question myself, really. Parking spaces in Korea are particularly narrow, so this is probably quite handy. Yet, none of the models made available to Korea come equipped with the feature.

 

[GJETSON]

Welcome to the forum.

You got a great price. We have an LT with DC fast charge, and heated seats/steering wheel....no other options, and we don't pay for/use OnStar. We paid $36,509.

 

[quirkySquirt]

Still, the government and local subsidies did bring the price of the car down to US$26,940, including all taxes and fees, which I think was pretty sweet considering it was the top-tier trim with all options tacked on (Premier + Safety).

That is a pretty sweet deal considering it's an import. I'm jelly. Congrats, though, on a fine looking Bolt! I'm a little nervous with that fancy brickwork (faux brick work?) around that charger. Pretty, but does it make a lot of sounds as you drive over it? That's one of the things you might find yourself unconsciously doing: avoiding rough-surfaced streets to enjoy the quiet EV ride.

I hope to post more stuff about the situation of Bolt EV in Korea, if anyone is interested.

Interested! No pressure, though. You are among enthusiasts so any day-to-day joy you experience in your Bolt, feel free to let loose with the excitement on the forum!

 

[wesley]

I'm a little nervous with that fancy brickwork (faux brick work?) around that charger. Pretty, but does it make a lot of sounds as you drive over it? That's one of the things you might find yourself unconsciously doing: avoiding rough-surfaced streets to enjoy the quiet EV ride.

The brickwork was done pretty well, with minimal bumpiness. You’re right that you become more conscious of the surface quality as you drive a Bolt, but this was hardly the worst I’ve run into (over?), fortunately. Thank you for the warm welcome!

 

[Joule]

Hello, everyone.

I got my own 2018 Bolt EV early last month and have mostly been trying to get information from the local (i.e. Korean) forums. However, I had been hitting some walls (figuratively, of course) lately. So to broaden my horizons, I decided to sign up today.

Unlike the other new poster, I was in luck and my Bolt did not have much of a show-stopping issue to speak of so far. The majority of the disappointment is related to the features that were omitted completely in the Korean version without an option to add back later.

For an example, there's the lack of any long-range communication capability like OnStar. About the only KeyPass function I find useful is checking the amount of battery left in percentage numbers. Another one missing is the 360-degree surround view.

Still, the government and local subsidies did bring the price of the car down to US$26,940, including all taxes and fees, which I think was pretty sweet considering it was the top-tier trim with all options tacked on (Premier + Safety).

I hope to post more stuff about the situation of Bolt EV in Korea, if anyone is interested.

Welcome to the forum. That is an excellent price. Just curious, how much are the total subsidies offered in SK?

 

[shotel]

I hope to post more stuff about the situation of Bolt EV in Korea, if anyone is interested.

• What is the public charging infrastructure situation there?
  
• From what you can tell, is there a high demand for BEV's like the Bolt?
• If any, what are the alternatives?
  
• Why did you decide on an BEV in general, and the Bolt in particular?
  
• How much is the government involved in pursuing EV adoption?

Thanks in advance! :nerd:

 

[bro1999]

LOTS of new Bolt owners in SK lately.
https://insideevs.com/south-korean-chevy-bolt-ev-sales-crush-u-s-for-june/

 

[wesley]

Welcome to the forum. That is an excellent price. Just curious, how much are the total subsidies offered in SK?

Government level: Up to KRW 12 million (US$10,700), varied by the EV's summer/winter range (Bolt gets 12 million, Ioniq gets 11 million)
Municipal level: Between KRW 5 million to 11 million (US$4,500 - $9,800), varied by what city/county you're living in (I got 8.8 million)

On average, you can expect about KRW 18 million (US$16,000) for the total subsidies.

 

[wesley]

• What is the public charging infrastructure situation there?
  
• From what you can tell, is there a high demand for BEV's like the Bolt?
• If any, what are the alternatives?
  
• Why did you decide on an BEV in general, and the Bolt in particular?
  
• How much is the government involved in pursuing EV adoption?

Thanks in advance! :nerd:

The government is pushing for a rapid expansion of the EV, both the vehicle itself and the charging infrastructure.

There are currently 6,304 public EV chargers (not charging stations, as there may be more than one charger per station) in Korea as of today (July 8, 2018).
Of those, 3,643 chargers are "AC Slow" type, meaning they charge @ 220V 32A, or 7kW.
The remaining 2,661 chargers are quick chargers capable of 50kW charging or faster. Of those, 2,384 of them are triple-standard: CCS, CHADeMo, and AC 3-Phase.

There is a lot of interest in EV for the early adopter crowd, sufficient enough to outstrip the government subsidy cap (about 20,000 vehicles for this year). Bolt EV has been popular because it's currently only one of the two models available capable of 300+km range, and the other one, Hyundai Kona, has just gotten out on May 18 and is still in the ramping up stage. Kia Niro is still in the government approval process limbo and is expected to be out by late July or early August. Chevrolet's strategy seems to be to soak up all the government subsidies before Hyundai or Kia fully ramp up the production.

Personally, I've always been interested in EVs as I work in the energy sector (my company runs the country's entire power grid). But I vowed to stay off until one had a range of 400km. Bolt came pretty close, was already "proven", and it became evident that subsidy reached its peak in terms of amount-per-vehicle, so I felt that it was a perfect time to grab one.

 

[shotel]

There are currently 6,304 public EV chargers (not charging stations, as there may be more than one charger per station) in Korea as of today (July 8, 2018).

6,000+ Public EV chargers in a country that has about the same land mass as the State of Utah. That computes to 1 public charger per 14 square miles.

California is the only U.S. State I know of that can match that many public chargers/square mile.

Government funded charging infrastructure. Generous Government funded EV incentives. Korea expects 30% EV adoption in just the next few years. How can this be? (Rhetorical)

 

[wesley]

Government funded charging infrastructure. Generous Government funded EV incentives. Korea expects 30% EV adoption in just the next few years. How can this be? (Rhetorical)

I agree the government is pretty enthusiastic about boosting EV adoption, but 30% is tad high. There were a total of 22.53 million vehicles registered in the country as of the end of 2017. The government is targeting for 350 thousand EVs by 2022. So that’s roughly 1.5% of total.