[surgeonFWW]

Bought new Bolt 5/18. Started trip home (350 miles) on 5/19. Charged at a Level 3 station, adding 75 miles in 30 minutes. NO more Level 3s on route. Drove to next stop. I was then 220 miles from home & thought I would get 25 miles/hr charge at each of two Level 2 stations & get home in 11.5 hours (4 charge, 1.75 drive, 4 charge, 1.75 drive).

At this point (Chevy dealer, Level 2 charging) I added 84 miles in 7 hours (12 miles/charging hr). No one in the dealership could help. The "Getting to Know Your 2017 BOLT EV" says on page 12: "When using a 240-volt charging station, it will charge at a rate of 12 EV miles per hour at a 16-amp level (approximately 19 hours total), and at a rate of 25 EV miles per hour at a 32-amp level ..." I called Chevy {Bolt EV Customer Advisor, 1-877-486-5846} = NO help. Read some more to find, under Programmable Charging: "Touch the Charge Limit toggle button to select a different charge level." The ONLY "toggle button" visible to me toggled between 6-amp & 12-amp (must have been for Level 1 home charging). NO help!

Drove to the next planned stop. Got there nearly empty. Here (Chevy Dealer, Level 2 charging) I ALSO got only ~12 miles/charging hr. No one at that dealership knew how to set/change a charging (amperage acceptance) rate, either. I had to stay {overnight} plugged in for 13 hours & added only ~156 miles! Finally made it home, safe, but tired.

What am I doing wrong? I admit to being a novice, but 35 hours of charging to go 350 miles is NOT what I bargained for!! Help, please!

 

[SanFranTanguero]

Sorry to hear about the issues and major inconvenience.

Assuming there is nothing wrong with your car's charging system (always a possibility), I want to point out some things that might account for insufficient charge.

1. I think you are right about the amperage setting that it only visible for Level 1.
2. It's possible as you say, that the dealer's had only 16 amp chargers so indeed you were charging at the rate of 12 EV miles per hour. It sort of sounds like that is what happened.
However, there are some other gotcha's that could interfere with perceived charging times:
3. Making sure that you were in the right charge mode. If for example, your car was set up to charge between certain times (say off-peak hours) then even if you plugged it in, it would not charge until that window of charging opened up. You want to make sure that the charge mode is 'Immediate'.
4. Putting it in immediate should solve the problem, but other things to look for is that you have your charge timing correct (the 'Edit Electric Rate Schedule' screen).

I have a 240V 32Amp charger at home and it charges at the ~25EV miles/hour rate specified in the getting started book.
Hope this helps.

 

[David M O'Rourke]

Sorry to hear about the issues and major inconvenience.

Assuming there is nothing wrong with your car's charging system (always a possibility), I want to point out some things that might account for insufficient charge.

1. I think you are right about the amperage setting that it only visible for Level 1.
2. It's possible as you say, that the dealer's had only 16 amp chargers so indeed you were charging at the rate of 12 EV miles per hour. It sort of sounds like that is what happened.
However, there are some other gotcha's that could interfere with perceived charging times:
3. Making sure that you were in the right charge mode. If for example, your car was set up to charge between certain times (say off-peak hours) then even if you plugged it in, it would not charge until that window of charging opened up. You want to make sure that the charge mode is 'Immediate'.
4. Putting it in immediate should solve the problem, but other things to look for is that you have your charge timing correct (the 'Edit Electric Rate Schedule' screen).

I have a 240V 32Amp charger at home and it charges at the ~25EV miles/hour rate specified in the getting started book.
Hope this helps.

it's almost 99% certain you were using a 16 amp charger rather than a 32 amp circuit. Recommend you get the Plug-share application - you might have been able to find another public charger that offered more than 16 amps. For any road-tripping with an EV careful planning is require and verification of the actual AMP ratings for various chargers is advisable.

Most public chargers are 30 amps - (not 32) and 208 volts, not 220/240 - so they provide 6 kilowatt of charging or about 20 miles per hour of charge.

If you invest in a good mobile charger - you may have been able to find a 30 amp dryer/water heater plug, or a 40/50 amp NEMA 14-50 or NEMA 6-50 plug and charged at 32 amps. Camp grounds and RV parks tend to have NEMA 14-30 and 14-50 hook up for RV's and with the appropriate portable charger in the car you could've charged at 24 or 32 amps using one of these plugs at a camp ground. When I got my first EV over 4 years ago I was surprised once I started looking at how many there actually are, they typically go un-noticed until you bother looking.

also I don't know what source you consulted for your Level 3 charging sources but you may have been able to find another one.

To my knowledge (and I've spent several hours reviewing the software)…the only control on charging amps provided by Chevy is for 120 volt charging, for 220 Volt charging there is _NO_ adjustment or switches that need to be thrown. The Bolt will charge at the maximum rate advertised by the charger you're plugged into - up to 32 amps.

Sorry to hear about your troubles but it's pretty common for dealers to be clueless and you can't expect Chevy to know very much when they plan to sell thousands of EV (less than 10) and sell millions of gas cars - you won't find much help from the big car makers as there is very very little incentive for them to invest in this technology.

 

[David M O'Rourke]

based on your profile I'm assuming you were trying to find chargers in West Virginia?

I'm looking at West Virginia in Plug-share is pretty sparse for level 2 and level 3 chargers - and much of the infrastructure that does exist is for Tesla's - if you're going to road trip with the Bolt my recommendations are as follows:

1. download and use the plug-share app and any other EV charging app you can find - sometimes you're blocks away from a better charger but there is no way to find it if you don't consult multiple sources.
2. you're going to need to invest in a good portable mobile 240 volt chargers (like the Tesla Universal Charger) that can plug into various types of 120/240 volt plugs that you might encounter in the wild - this force multiplies the EV charging infrastructure available to you since now you can charge from a J-1772 charger _OR_ any 240 volt plug you happen to encounter.
3. I recommend obtaining a Tesla to J-1772 adapter from http://shop.quickchargepower.com/JDapter-Stub-Tesla-Charge-Station-Adaptor-JDPTRSTB.htm - this plug will let you charge from ANY AC Tesla Charger that is around - they are typically 40-80 amp chargers so the Bolt will charge at 32 amps from them. There are quite a few because Tesla will give them away to businesses/locations that are willing to install them and make them available - YMMV on if the owners are willing to let you use them, but it's an option. (this adapter will NOT let you use Tesla superchargers - only 40-80 amp level two chargers).
4. Review the various sources of charging infrastructures and make sure you have an account with all of them - this again will multi-ply your charging choices and may be the one time you need that network's charger is the one time it gets you out of a jam.
5. plan ahead and verify your data on charging - call ahead and verify chargers are working, look for check ins from other EV drivers that have a recent date/time stamp - and see if you can find a report about the charging station's actual volts/AMPs.

You didn't do anything wrong, it's simply that West Virginia seems to be a sparse at the moment with EV charging infrastructure - so your long distance travels are going to be more challenging while the EV infrastructure is filling out - but it will come.

again sorry for your frustration but 3 years ago there were less than 30 Tesla Destination chargers and less than 20 superchargers, now there are hundreds of superchargers all over North America and thousands of destinations chargers- and less than a year ago there were fewer than 30 Chademo/FastDC chargers in California, and now there are hundreds. So the infrastructure is coming, but if you own and EV in 2017 you're a bit early to the party and we're not yet to the point where traveling with an EV is a no brainer. It takes motivation, planning and sometimes some creative problem solving to achieve effect road tripping. If that's not what you're invested in then the Bolt or any other EV may not be the car for you.

Tesla really is way ahead of everyone else in this space. Elon and his gang realized effective charging infrastructure is the _KEY_ to an electric car future. The _ONLY_ other vendor that I've seen truly discussing fast charging infrastructure is Porsche with their upcoming Mission E sedan. But most of the other manufactures seem content to adopt one of many charging standards - but they really aren't pushing to get the deep infrastructure of high quality level 2 and level 3 charging. It would be nice if Ford/Chevy were actively investing in rolling out deep and highly accessable Level 3 charging infrastructure - but they aren't truly motivated to move in that direction since the petrol based business is 99.999999999% of their profits and that infrastructure already exists.

so your choices are:

1. don't road trip with the Bolt - when you need to go long distance rent a gas car
2. plan and realize road tripping requires more effort than with a gas car, and right now more time (even with a Tesla)
3. wait patiently for the infrastructure to get better - it's exploding based on my data and the sheer number of chargers is amazing to see vs. even 2 years ago
4. get rid of the Bolt and buy a gas car - then when the charging infrastructure meets your needs reconsider the dinosaur killer in your life

good luck and I hope your next trip goes better.

 

[David M O'Rourke]

strange fact - dealership's don't know squat about EV charging infrastructure and most of them simply install what ever is cheap/fast - and don't bother to max out their charging infrastructure - which for the Bolt would a good sold 32 amp charger on a 40 amp circuit.

But many of those same dealership will probably have a NEAM 6-50 somewhere in their service shop for welding, or maybe even a NEMA 6-30 or 14-30 plug for some high end electric tools. If one owns the proper mobile charger you can plug into a NEMA 6-50…

Once near Porterville, ca (which has a very very sparse nonexistent EV charging infrastructure) I was able to use a mechanic's shop NEMA 6-50 plug (mechanic had a welder that was plugged into the 6-50 plug) to charge for a few hours to get enough range to get to the Level 3 charger in Visalia (at the Nissan dealership).

NEMA 6-50 can provide 40 amps of charge (32 for the bolt)
NEMA 14-50 can provide 40 amps of charge (32 for the bolt)
NEMA 6-30 can provide 24 amps of charge (24 for the bolt - and way better than 16 amps)
NEMA 14-30 can provide 24 amps of charge (24 for the bolt - and way better than 16 amps)

NEMA 14-30 plugs are often found for electric water heaters and electric dryers…and again will offer 24 amp continues charging rate with the appropriate mobile EV chargers.

sometimes it's better for forgo the low amp EV chargers (I've seen public chargers with 8 amps - I mean what's the point?) and look around for work shop or car repair shop and see if they have some 240 volt plugs you can beg/borrow/barter/steal to get a better charge rate.

 

[surgeonFWW]

Sincere thanks to all respondents. My rudimentary knowledge (and I am asking for correction if I am wrong) of electricity tells me that voltage is a "source" characteristic, i.e. "how much 'pressure' is on the line". Amperage is an "appliance" characteristic, i.e. "how much current does it 'draw'." The "source" does not "apply" amperage, it "allows" it. A 32 amp charging unit can allow 32 amps to flow through without damage. It does not "provide" 32 amps. Amperage limits are actually "wire" & "component" restrictions, because current produces heat. We put a "breaker" or "fuse" in the system so it will disconnect before a fire, or a jump to ground, is created. So I thought this "restriction" was in my "appliance" (vehicle) not in the charging unit itself. Yes, a 208 volt line may be called "Level 2" but it IS misleading. However, my reasoning may be wrong, and I wish to be corrected if so. If my Bolt can accept the amperage provided by 400 DC volts, it can certainly "accept" 30 amps from a Level 2 charger.

To some respondents: I did plan the trip as well as could be done, never having made one. I should have purchased another 30 minutes at the Level 3 EvGo in Hagerstown, MD. I still could not have made it home to Huntington, but would have had to stop only once. STILL, if nearing empty at a charging stop, it had better be a "destination" stop with 9-19 hours to "fill the tank"! I would always like to gain 25 miles/hr, not 12, but cannot "plan" on it! I AM planning to install a 240 volt circuit and charger in my garage (thankfully, only 16 inches for the service panel). Wish me luck!

 

[DucRider]

Chevy dealer L2's were almost always installed for the Volt and will be 16A (3.3 kW) units. That is what the Volt was capable of - that was what was installed.

The DCFC in the service areas of Bolt dealers will be 24 kW - a definite step up, but still not a good way to travel long distances.

L1 & L2 charging is indeed dictated by amperage. The J1772 standard dictates that the EVSE broadcast the available amperage (voltage is considered irrelevent). The charger (it's in the car for AC charging) will know the maximum amperage it can draw and control the charge rate accordingly.
More here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAE_J1772

Some EVSE's are adjustable to adapt to the wire/breaker size available when installed. Lower cost units have a fixed max charge rate and must be matched to an appropriate circuit when installing them (you can of course put a 16A unit on a 40A circuit, but can't put a 32A unit on a 20A circuit).

It sounds like everything functioned exactly as designed. Chalk it up to a learning experience.

If, as suggested earlier, you use plugshare to locate L2 charging you can often discern between L2 charge rates available. You want to look for 30+A or 6.6+ kW capable EVSE's.

 

[Ferrari222]

Not charging fully

I have a 2017 Chevy bolt it is 1 month old it was giving me 245 miles full charge sometime more on the charge120 now is only given me 225 miles and I’m charging it with a 240 V What am I doing wrong is going to be less and less miles?

 

[XJ12]

I have a 2017 Chevy bolt it is 1 month old it was giving me 245 miles full charge sometime more on the charge120 now is only given me 225 miles and I’m charging it with a 240 V What am I doing wrong is going to be less and less miles?

Doesn't look like you're doing anything wrong. Everyone calls the range estimate the Guess O'Meter (GOM). Meaning it is a guess/estimate of your range based on previous driving habits, climate control settings, and outside temperature. If you previously traveled on the highway with the air conditioner on, the next charge will show less range.

 

[TimBolt]

I have a 2017 Chevy bolt it is 1 month old it was giving me 245 miles full charge sometime more on the charge120 now is only given me 225 miles and I’m charging it with a 240 V What am I doing wrong is going to be less and less miles?

There’s probably nothing wrong with your Bolt. The range estimate is variable based upon your most recent driving efficiency and current temperature. In a year of driving I’ve had range estimates of nearly 300 miles, and range estimates of only 170 miles, all when fully charging using the same level-2 240 volt EVSE.

Before charging, note the miles per kilowatt average in the instrument cluster. If it’s around 4 miles per kilowatt and the outside temperature is moderate a full charge should show around 238 miles, which is the EPA rated Bolt range.

If the miles per kilowatt average before charging is greater or less than 4 the range estimate will be higher or lower.

Note that once you start driving the range estimate is dynamic, showing a wide potential maximum and minimum range based on driving efficiency.

Also, check that the battery charge gauge on the left of the instrument display is all the way to the top when charging is completed. If it’s not, check to make sure that the optional hilltop reserve setting hasn’t been turned on. That setting limits charging to about 90% of capacity, allowing better regen when initially driving, especially if a lot of that driving is downhill, hence the feature name.

 

[borkbork]

I have a 2017 Chevy bolt it is 1 month old it was giving me 245 miles full charge sometime more on the charge120 now is only given me 225 miles and I’m charging it with a 240 V What am I doing wrong is going to be less and less miles?

i think the main problem is the run-on sentence.

 

[Chwkev]

i think the main problem is the run-on sentence.

 

[quirkySquirt]

I have a 2017 Chevy bolt it is 1 month old it was giving me 245 miles full charge sometime more on the charge120 now is only given me 225 miles and I’m charging it with a 240 V What am I doing wrong is going to be less and less miles?

i think the main problem is the run-on sentence.

I think the poster does not speak english as their first language. The sentence does look run on but many "it is" sections sounds like how a non-english speaker translates thoughts into english.

 

[MauleGuy]

+1 on Plugshare app choose the appropriate filter for DC-Combo if you need fast charging.

In Chargepoint+ app you need to be sure to un-click the CHAdeMO filter and click only the DC-Combo filter.

EVGo seems to have the corner on the Combo chargers in the Pacific NW. They are a bit more expensive but are quoted at a much higher Amperage than Chargepoint (where they actually exist).

Tesla had the right idea. If you want to play in the electric car market, you need to supply a charging infrastructure to charge your vehicles. The competing standards CHAdeMO and Combo mean when you search for fast charging is more complicated.

I am not certain how a Tesla to J-1772 adapter would do any better than a level 2 32 amp charging station since the Bolt determines the amount of juice it will take from the J-1772 connector.

 

[MauleGuy]

One more thing to remember on mileage. Cold weather markedly reduces your mileage per charge.

 

[silverone]

Interesting to see how much easier this trip would have been this year. I’m hopeful that we might see a CCS in Charleston area sometime soon. It would open up an easier southern route for me to leave the area.