[Voldar]

I will recommend you this : try to keep the instant consumption on the highway around 20 kW. If it is lower, it is even better. The battery is 60 kWh so... if going 60 mph is asking for 20 kW or less, you can then run without a problem 160 - 170 miles to reach the next DCFC charger. If you know the distance between the DCFC, you can very well predict the speed you should use based on the instant consumption. If you can lookup the elevation of the trip, it’s even better. As a rule of thumb, always start with a lower speed to see where you are with the consumption, then when you see that you can make it with a buffer, increase the speed and try to arrive at the DCFC at 15-20% SOC.

 

[OneEV]

I'd recomment you add a stop at the EA in Anthem on your way to Flagstaff for insurance. I'm planning a Mesa,AZ to Branson, MO trip to visit family. I usually fly, but with COVID I thought an EV trip would make my vacation more of an adventure. There's a couple of major climbs on the way to Flagstaff, so I'm adding a stop at Anthem to be safe. I may get braver as I get a feel for it, but I'm starting out on the safe side.

Flying out To Phoenix..yeah that's the only part I am concerned about as far as covid goes.. I will be wearing 2 masks..and throw a magazine over my face ...



Branson..my Family is from Springfield and Isabella Mo..we use to go to Branson vacation since the 1960's ...

 

[madmike]

Flying out To Phoenix..yeah that's the only part I am concerned about as far as covid goes.. I will be wearing 2 masks..and throw a magazine over my face ...



Branson..my Family is from Springfield and Isabella Mo..we use to go to Branson vacation since the 1960's ...

Not to change the subject but you might consider a face shield over a second mask. they are a few dollars on amazon

 

[davioh2001]

WOW looks like You landed a premier?! Congrats

 

[NewsCoulomb]

I will recommend you this : try to keep the instant consumption on the highway around 20 kW. If it is lower, it is even better. The battery is 60 kWh so... if going 60 mph is asking for 20 kW or less, you can then run without a problem 160 - 170 miles to reach the next DCFC charger. If you know the distance between the DCFC, you can very well predict the speed you should use based on the instant consumption. If you can lookup the elevation of the trip, it’s even better. As a rule of thumb, always start with a lower speed to see where you are with the consumption, then when you see that you can make it with a buffer, increase the speed and try to arrive at the DCFC at 15-20% SOC.

Instant consumption is a good thing to watch, but keep in mind that it is relative to speed. Really, you shouldn't be consuming 20 kW at 60 mph (that's really high), so let's say 15 kW at 60 mph. After one hour, you'll have traveled 60 miles and consumed 15 kWh of energy. That works out to about 4 mi/kWh, or 240 miles on a full charge. If you're consuming 20 kW at 70 mi/kWh (still a bit high, but I'll use it to keep the numbers simple), after one hour, you'll have traveled 70 miles and consumed 20 kWh of energy. That works out to 3.5 mi/kWh, or 210 miles on a full charge. Sure, you've lost 30 miles in the latter case, but if your first stop was 200 miles away, you'd still have enough range to make it and you'd get there 30 minutes earlier. That difference in time basically negates an entire charging session, but more importantly, it decreases the duration of your power draw (offsetting the higher consumption).

So if you're using instant consumption to track whether you'll make it to your next stop, you have to account for that difference in time. For instance, if my next stop is 150 miles away, and I'm consuming 24 kW at 75 mph, I know I need to expect to use 48 kWh (or 80% of my battery) to make it to my destination. If I slow down to 20 kW and 70 mph, I'm still going to use 43 kWh (only 5 kWh less) even though my instant consumption is less because I'm consuming that 20 kW for a longer period of time.

 

[Voldar]

Instant consumption is a good thing to watch, but keep in mind that it is relative to speed. Really, you shouldn't be consuming 20 kW at 60 mph (that's really high), so let's say 15 kW at 60 mph. After one hour, you'll have traveled 60 miles and consumed 15 kWh of energy. That works out to about 4 mi/kWh, or 240 miles on a full charge. If you're consuming 20 kW at 70 mi/kWh (still a bit high, but I'll use it to keep the numbers simple), after one hour, you'll have traveled 70 miles and consumed 20 kWh of energy. That works out to 3.5 mi/kWh, or 210 miles on a full charge. Sure, you've lost 30 miles in the latter case, but if your first stop was 200 miles away, you'd still have enough range to make it and you'd get there 30 minutes earlier. That difference in time basically negates an entire charging session, but more importantly, it decreases the duration of your power draw (offsetting the higher consumption).

So if you're using instant consumption to track whether you'll make it to your next stop, you have to account for that difference in time. For instance, if my next stop is 150 miles away, and I'm consuming 24 kW at 75 mph, I know I need to expect to use 48 kWh (or 80% of my battery) to make it to my destination. If I slow down to 20 kW and 70 mph, I'm still going to use 43 kWh (only 5 kWh less) even though my instant consumption is less because I'm consuming that 20 kW for a longer period of time.

My experience showed me although yes, the instant consumption Is speed related, it’s not only it. It’s also the road elevation, the wind speed, the road surface, the temperature outside. And yes, I agree that 20 kW is high for 60 mph, but it was only used as an exemple.
My experience in tough winters taught me that for a given trip of a given length, if I keep the instant consumption under a certain level, I’ll make it without needing to charge before I arrive to the destination. And I love the way the GOM on the Bolt EV works : giving the estimated range based on the last trip. This is awesome, because if I know I went 75 mph last trip and the next trip I will rarely go over 65 mph, I can very well "guess" what the real range should be for the next trip, because the GOM gives not only the range, but a minimum and a maximum ! Awesome stuff that none of the competitors have. In my Volt, it was a mess, because the GOM was based on the history of the runs and it was never easy to predict the moment when you should use the battery so that you arrive home with 0% SOC (on long trips and when you want to use the battery in city and not on the highway, if you get home with battery available, it means that you used too much gas). I use a lot MyChevrolet app, which for whatever reasons works flawlessly for me. Seeing the % of battery in real time helps a lot to learn how your Bolt EV works and, more important, to know what are its capabilities.

 

[boltco]

wow..thats expensive .. View attachment 30089


So If I get the pass + it will probably charge at 125KW ..60 minutes x .42 = $25 for a full tank .. 230 Miles

to be clear, you will pay .15/minute if you subscribe to pass+. (Which you should, you can cancel anytime). Your typical charging session for best efficiency (cost and time) should take around 30-40 minutes and get you to 60-70% SoC. This will cost $5-7 each session. This is because the car charges a lot less quickly above 65% SoC. (And progressively slower as you approach 100%, so you never want to charge to 100% on a fast charger unless it’s the only way to make it to the next one)

 

[Voldar]

to be clear, you will pay .15/minute if you subscribe to pass+. (Which you should, you can cancel anytime). Your typical charging session for best efficiency (cost and time) should take around 30-40 minutes and get you to 60-70% SoC. This will cost $5-7 each session. This is because the car charges a lot less quickly above 65% SoC. (And progressively slower as you approach 100%, so you never want to charge to 100% on a fast charger unless it’s the only way to make it to the next one)

To add to what Boltco said above, with experience, you will learn to charge enough to get to the next DCFC. The GOM should be your guide - usually charge enough so that the minimum is equal to the distance to your next DCFC. When you’ll be more confident and learn your car, you will see that even the minimum isn’t necessary to match the next leg you need to cover.

 

[Fivedoor]

I will recommend you this : try to keep the instant consumption on the highway around 20 kW. If it is lower, it is even better. The battery is 60 kWh so... if going 60 mph is asking for 20 kW or less, you can then run without a problem 160 - 170 miles to reach the next DCFC charger. If you know the distance between the DCFC, you can very well predict the speed you should use based on the instant consumption. If you can lookup the elevation of the trip, it’s even better. As a rule of thumb, always start with a lower speed to see where you are with the consumption, then when you see that you can make it with a buffer, increase the speed and try to arrive at the DCFC at 15-20% SOC.

Rather than instant consumption, if I need to maintain a certain mile per kWh to reach my next charging stop I rely on the 50 mile average on the efficiency history screen. It gives a much better handle on your consumption than watching the instant by instant value on the main instrument panel. If you do a long down hill running into regen for long enough it fubars this screen and you have to re-set it... other than that flaw it works great for checking your consumption over time.

Keith

 

[ButchAZ]

Please be aware that MANY (in my experience, the vast majority) of roadside DCFC chargers are either completely offline and not available, or are screwed up to the point that it can take literally hours on the phone with tech support to get them working. That applies to all brand names out there. Don't count on any of them being available at any given time.

I'll never take my Bolt outside of the Tucson metro area where I'm within home recharging range. Maybe five years from now it will be different, but right now, at least in the Southwestern US, the Bolt isn't a road trip car.

 

[NewsCoulomb]

My experience showed me although yes, the instant consumption Is speed related, it’s not only it. It’s also the road elevation, the wind speed, the road surface, the temperature outside. And yes, I agree that 20 kW is high for 60 mph, but it was only used as an exemple.
My experience in tough winters taught me that for a given trip of a given length, if I keep the instant consumption under a certain level, I’ll make it without needing to charge before I arrive to the destination. And I love the way the GOM on the Bolt EV works : giving the estimated range based on the last trip. This is awesome, because if I know I went 75 mph last trip and the next trip I will rarely go over 65 mph, I can very well "guess" what the real range should be for the next trip, because the GOM gives not only the range, but a minimum and a maximum ! Awesome stuff that none of the competitors have. In my Volt, it was a mess, because the GOM was based on the history of the runs and it was never easy to predict the moment when you should use the battery so that you arrive home with 0% SOC (on long trips and when you want to use the battery in city and not on the highway, if you get home with battery available, it means that you used too much gas). I use a lot MyChevrolet app, which for whatever reasons works flawlessly for me. Seeing the % of battery in real time helps a lot to learn how your Bolt EV works and, more important, to know what are its capabilities.

Yes, I'm not saying there isn't value in monitoring the instant power consumption (I do it all the time). As you noted, it's a good way to know whether other factors are affecting your efficiency. All I'm saying is that it is speed dependent. A 25 kW instant draw might be worrisome at 65 to 70 mph, but it's perfectly acceptable at 75 to 80 mph.

 

[ARob]

wow..thats expensive .. View attachment 30089


So If I get the pass + it will probably charge at 125KW ..60 minutes x .42 = $25 for a full tank .. 230 Miles

Get Pass+, you can drop down to Pass plan after the trip if you will not be using EA at least 1X per month.

Keep in mind, all EV have a curve, DC charging slows at higher State of Charge (SOC). Bolt will charge fastest <57% SOC, then dropping again at around 80%. Never wait to get to 100% on EA chargers that use /min billing, from 90-100%, you will be charging at roughly Level 2 speeds, If you really need to get to 100%, find an L2 charger. And don't forget to check if there is an idle fee for remaining plugged in after charging completes, most L3 chargers and some L2 use this to keep plugs free for the next guy.

As others have said, EA pricing is based on the cars max charge rate, not the rating of the plug. So, if you plug a Bolt (55kW max) into a 350kW EA plug, you will pay $.15/min on Pass+.

Ideally, you would start each day at 100% using overnight L2 charging. Then, run down to 10-20%, charge to ~60%, repeat. Of course, it never works out ideally, so occasional longer charge stops for longer runs between stops may be necessary. What you are trying to do is balance the number of stops with the length of stops. It will likely result in less elapsed charging time to stop more often for shorter durations, than to stop less often for longer durations.

Good luck! And welcome to the Bolt family!

 

[PhilBo]

I'd recomment you add a stop at the EA in Anthem on your way to Flagstaff for insurance. I'm planning a Mesa,AZ to Branson, MO trip to visit family. I usually fly, but with COVID I thought an EV trip would make my vacation more of an adventure. There's a couple of major climbs on the way to Flagstaff, so I'm adding a stop at Anthem to be safe. I may get braver as I get a feel for it, but I'm starting out on the safe side.

Great advice on adding an extra stop just to be safe. At a charging stop on a recent 315 mile trip I calculated I could make it the rest of the way without needing a second charge however, I didn't feel comfortable cutting it that close. Turns out I somehow made a wrong turn taking me miles out of my way. Sure glad I erred on the side of caution!

 

[OneEV]

Wow ..Check it .. $30 a month and I can go 1,800 Miles.. 30 minute sessions ...90 miles or so right? x 20 days working(uber/lyft) = 1,800 miles .06 cents a mile

Then I can top off at home for 11cents Kw

 

[Voldar]

Rather than instant consumption, if I need to maintain a certain mile per kWh to reach my next charging stop I rely on the 50 mile average on the efficiency history screen. It gives a much better handle on your consumption than watching the instant by instant value on the main instrument panel. If you do a long down hill running into regen for long enough it fubars this screen and you have to re-set it... other than that flaw it works great for checking your consumption over time.

Keith

Hi Keith,

I use the Canadian units (kWh/100 km) which is great, but in long trips, as we all know, the more you drive, less this indice is reliable IF it isn’t reset after each charge. I never used the efficiency history for whatever reason. Thanks for the tip.

 

[NewsCoulomb]

Wow ..Check it .. $30 a month and I can go 1,800 Miles.. 30 minute sessions ...90 miles or so right? x 20 days working(uber/lyft) = 1,800 miles .06 cents a mile

Then I can top off at home for 11cents Kw


View attachment 30105

I'm not familiar with ZEF, but one thing I'll say is that you should also keep the value of your time in mind. One thing I never understood is LEAF owners who would literally just sit in their cars for 30 minutes to take advantage of 30-minute free EVgo charging sessions. It's one thing if you're on a trip or would be in that location anyway (say, if you were doing your regular shopping), but it doesn't make sense to me to spend 30 minutes of your time just to take advantage of a free session.

In this case, you're paying the ZEF subscription upfront, so you're somewhat compelled to use their service.

 

[OneEV]

I'm not familiar with ZEF, but one thing I'll say is that you should also keep the value of your time in mind. One thing I never understood is LEAF owners who would literally just sit in their cars for 30 minutes to take advantage of 30-minute free EVgo charging sessions. It's one thing if you're on a trip or would be in that location anyway (say, if you were doing your regular shopping), but it doesn't make sense to me to spend 30 minutes of your time just to take advantage of a free session.

In this case, you're paying the ZEF subscription upfront, so you're somewhat compelled to use their service.

It is the ONLY charging station in St Cloud other than dealership... and I take a break every day about the same time ..so For me, it will work out great (driving Uber/Lyft)

Since it is the Only charging Station in town I figured it would be more expensive.

I have a 2014 LincolnMKZ hybrid well..excellnt MPG for a larger sedan 40MPG... but still that same 1,800 miles ..my work miles in te Lincoln would costs $90

So right off the bat I save $60 a Month ...$720 a year x 4 = $2,880 !

 

[NewsCoulomb]

Yeah, if it works for your needs, then great!

 

[OneEV]

I Pick up the Bolt Tomorrow... I'll post updates on my Trip


The only thing I know for sure is I will be grumpy after 3 days on the road and will crash when I get home for 10-12 hours

 

[OneEV]

Northern or Southern Route.. ? Which do you think more efficient? Too me it seems like the Northern Route would be worse because I would need to drive through Denver