[Voldar]

There is a test done in cold conditions (-19 C) with 2 Bolt EV who have the same tires, same tire pressure, same AC conditions, same speed used, same SOC at charging and... the Bolt EV 2020 is charging faster up to 55% (looks like the cold temperature of the battery doesn't have an influence), then it slows down giving the Bolt EV 2019 the time to recover and even surpass it if charged up to 80%.

So what does it says ? Well, during winter time (cold weather), the Bolt EV 2020 is best to be charged up to 55% then move to the next DCFC. Don't charge it up to 80% unless you really have no options.

The video is in french :

 

[The Other Tom]

Many thanks for posting this. Looks like the 2019 Bolt maxes out around 110 amps at about 50% SOC and the 2020 does about the same but gets to 50% maybe 5-8 minutes quicker than the 2019. So yeah, the 2020 charges faster in cold weather up to the taper point, which is what Chevy said in their press release. Again, it's good to confirm with data and thanks for posting.

 

[Verkehr]

Too soon to call this one but if the taper is repeatably more restrictive on the 2020 it would make sense since we're talking about 10% higher energy density within the same cooling envelope (which is already restricted by delta T).

 

[GetOffYourGas]

The 2019 never surpasses the 2020 in absolute energy added. At 78 minutes, the 2019 is at 80%, having added 37kWh. The 2020 is at 78%, having added 39.7kWh.

I look forward to seeing the normal-temperature charging taper curve of the 2020 Bolt.

 

[Voldar]

The 2019 never surpasses the 2020 in absolute energy added. At 78 minutes, the 2019 is at 80%, having added 37kWh. The 2020 is at 78%, having added 39.7kWh.

You are right about that. What I was refering to was about who's the first to get to 80%.
And even though I was expecting Bolt EV 2020 to be there, it looks like the Bolt EV 2019 surpasses it by 3 mins. I am not talking about the kWh added, where it is definetly the Bolt EV 2020 the winner.

I wonder though what would have been the results if the battery of the 2019 was warmer (it started to charge at around 18 kW if my math is good). A test of both models with the 2019/2020 battery warmer (35-38 kW charge start) would be interesting to see.

 

[ggtronic]

good idea to post here Voldar ! the interesting result is 35 minutes with 25% gain over the 2019 !
why 35 minutes : this is the reasonable time to wait at -20degC LOL

the 25% gain is from the 2020 better battery conditionning/heating or the battery chemistery ?

any 2020 owner here has OBD2+Tork App ?

 

[Voldar]

...why 35 minutes : this is the reasonable time to wait at -20degC LOL

You are totally right ! I can deal with 35 minutes charge up to 55% during -20 C temperatures !!
I am doing rather frequently 450-500 km round trips and instead of waiting 50 minutes to get to 61% I rather wait 35 minutes to 55% and move to the next DCFC.
That's A BIG plus !!!

 

[rlhammon]

You are right about that. What I was refering to was about who's the first to get to 80%.
And even though I was expecting Bolt EV 2020 to be there, it looks like the Bolt EV 2019 surpasses it by 3 mins. I am not talking about the kWh added, where it is definetly the Bolt EV 2020 the winner.

I wonder though what would have been the results if the battery of the 2019 was warmer (it started to charge at around 18 kW if my math is good). A test of both models with the 2019/2020 battery warmer (35-38 kW charge start) would be interesting to see.

Uh... why compare SOC when it's apples to oranges? The 2020 and previous models do not have the same capacity... I think you're missing out on that point based on the way you are doing your comparison. 80% SOC means nothing, when the battery capacities are different. That's why someone else already pointed out you need to look at total energy instead.

 

[Sean Nelson]

Uh... why compare SOC when it's apples to oranges? The 2020 and previous models do not have the same capacity...

Yeah, this always bothers me when I hear people describing charging stations as "Fully charging the car in x hours" when it's obvious that they're using 24kWh Leafs as the benchmark.

 

[bro1999]

Yeah, this always bothers me when I hear people describing charging stations as "Fully charging the car in x hours" when it's obvious that they're using 24kWh Leafs as the benchmark.

There was some guy on one of the EV sites that always harped on his Spark EV being the "fastest charging EV" out there and that it spanked the Bolt. I was like "dude, the Spark's battery is like 22 kWh so of course it charges faster to 100%...because the battery is 1/3 the size!". He never really got it though.

 

[GJETSON]

There was some guy on one of the EV sites that always harped on his Spark EV being the "fastest charging EV" out there and that it spanked the Bolt. I was like "dude, the Spark's battery is like 22 kWh so of course it charges faster to 100%...because the battery is 1/3 the size!". He never really got it though.

It is definitely true for two otherwise identical batteries, that the larger capacity battery will gain more miles per minute at the same C rate. But C rate is still hugely important. A 60 kW battery that can charge near 1C, briefly and average 0.5C, like the Bolt's, is no match for a similar sized battery that can charge at 3C briefly and average 1.5C, like the Tesla SR+ Model 3.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

There was some guy on one of the EV sites that always harped on his Spark EV being the "fastest charging EV" out there and that it spanked the Bolt. I was like "dude, the Spark's battery is like 22 kWh so of course it charges faster to 100%...because the battery is 1/3 the size!". He never really got it though.

Yeah, I remember conversations with that guy. It was like talking to a wall. He even admitted that his Spark maxed out around 44kW while the Bolt can charge up to 55kW. The Spark's charge taper was impressive, though - something like full power to over 90% (or so he claimed). Could you imagine the Bolt charging at 2C (120kW) up to 90%? Travelling with it would be totally different.

 

[GJETSON]

Could you imagine the Bolt charging at 2C (120kW) up to 90%? Travelling with it would be totally different.

Yes. It would be the Tesla Model 2, or world car, or whatever they are calling it today. I am hoping to see a five door hatch for $25K, at a profit, in five years, from somebody. I am guessing that will be Tesla, if it happens at all.

 

[Fivedoor]

The 2020 didn't have a more severe taper point... it just reached the taper point sooner because it was charging faster!

At the 35 min point, the 2020 tapered down to 91 KW because it was at 54% SOC, the 2019 was at 111 amps because it was only at 46% SOC. It does look like the 2020 was slightly slower by 10 amps after the taper than the 2019, probably due to higher battery temperature due to charging faster for the first 35 min.

One of the annoying things for me is that my 2017 reaches taper points before other Bolts... I taper at 49%, 65%, etc. I am jealous of people that taper at 55%, 68% etc. I suspect it is a firmware difference in my car

Keith

 

[bro1999]

Interested in seeing the complete 0-100% charging plot for a 2020. Looks like that perhaps the 2020s taper a little sooner than the 2019s (see the 91 amps at 41% SOC). A 2017-2019, assuming the battery is up to temp, should be pulling at least 125 amps at 41% SOC. I'm assuming 125A charging stations were used for this test.

 

[GJETSON]

One of the annoying things for me is that my 2017 reaches taper points before other Bolts... I taper at 49%, 65%, etc. I am jealous of people that taper at 55%, 68% etc.

Our 2017 tapers pretty quickly too. But I am only jealous of people who ever actually had 60 kWh usable. We never saw higher than 58 kWh.

 

[Fivedoor]

Interested in seeing the complete 0-100% charging plot for a 2020. Looks like that perhaps the 2020s taper a little sooner than the 2019s (see the 91 amps at 41% SOC). A 2017-2019, assuming the battery is up to temp, should be pulling at least 125 amps at 41% SOC. I'm assuming 125A charging stations were used for this test.

Max on that station was 120 amps, and the 2020 didn't taper to 91 amps until 54% SOC... not sure how people are not seeing this.

Keith

 

[JPT]

Yesterday I went to a charger that was occupied by a Spark EV. The charger showed that it was just starting and I thought I'd drive to another charger rather than wait. That is until I saw the estimated time to finish. It said 7 minutes (to 80%). I thought it was wrong. With outside temp around 3C this thing was charging at 40kW+ and it kept it up until almost full. I couldn't believe it.

 

[bro1999]

Max on that station was 120 amps, and the 2020 didn't taper to 91 amps until 54% SOC... not sure how people are not seeing this.

Keith

My bad, meant 100A, not 91. So it was charging at 100A at 41% SOC, after starting out at the full 120A at the beginning. So does the 2020 ramp down to 100A quicker than the 2017-2019s or was that just a fluky reading when the photo was snapped?

 

[bro1999]

Yesterday I went to a charger that was occupied by a Spark EV. The charger showed that it was just starting and I thought I'd drive to another charger rather than wait. That is until I saw the estimated time to finish. It said 7 minutes (to 80%). I thought it was wrong. With outside temp around 3C this thing was charging at 40kW+ and it kept it up until almost full. I couldn't believe it.

Yeah, the Spark EV could suck in electrons! Basically full pull past 80%. That's what made me believe the Bolt could also charge full throttle to 80% before it was released, so was a bit disappointed to find it had the aggressive taper.