[ibedoughboy]

I picked up a new 2020 Bolt LT last week. I had been eyeing electric cars for a few months since I drive 60mi a day round trip to. My neighbor has a Model 3 and loves it; I figured a Bolt was a pretty cheap EV to experiment with. I inquired on about 6 of them within 4 hours of me and stumbled across the exact one I was looking for at the local Chevy dealer. LT, Blue, Diver Assistance I & II, Comfort and Convenience pkg, and DC fast charge.

Sticker was $40185; OTD was $27800; then $1875 tax credit next year on top; plus they gave $2k over everyone else on my '17 Ram trade.

The dealer was nice enough but the salesman knew nothing about the Bolt. They just want them off the lot. Hopefully it will be a fun and informative experiment.

 

[madmike]

Well you came to the right place for informative. Just let us know what you can't find using the search function and welcome!

 

[micantony]

Nice Bolt. Welcome!
Greenville, SC?

Will be nice to see more popping up in the southeast.

Bolt EV Stats! Tracking real world usage of Chevy Bolt EVs in the wild...

Volt Stats polls real world Volts multiple times daily through OnStar, tracking interesting stats like MPG and EV miles driven.

www.voltstats.net

 

[KrazyEd]

I have had various Hybrid, Extended range Electrics, Electric motorcycles, bicycles and scooters. With Chevrolet working to get rid of as many as they can before the final part of the tax credit runs
out, I came across a 2020 Bolt that worked for me. Premium with all the goodies. Just drove it home from Phoenix to Vegas

 

[p7wang]

Wow, I see no DCFC between Phoenix and Vegas. How long did you spend charging enroute and how many stops?

 

[surgeonFWW]

Since you purchased the "Diver Assistance I & II" package, are you planning to drive it underwater (like James Bond)?

 

[Packard V8]

Welcome to the forum. By waiting three years, you got a great OTD deal while we early adapters paid way too much, but got some of that back in the full $7500 tax credit. Having said that, the cost was worth it. We've enjoyed our almost three years of the Bolt.

It's interesting that some local and internet friends cautioned us against buying a 2017; that there would be new and wondrous breakthroughs in BEVs and the Bolt would soon be obsolete. Now, they're wishing they'd bought when we did and are admitting the Bolt is still the sweet spot in BEVs.

jack vines

 

[The Other Tom]

Hey, Congrats!! I bought mine from the same dealer you did almost a year ago. Same color, too. Nice to see some more Bolts in our area.

 

[ibedoughboy]

Thanks everyone! I've only driven it for a week but I'm enjoying it so far. From my quick hand calcs, it cost me about $7.50 to drive the Bolt to work this week. My TDI Golf would have been about $22 in fuel. Now, driving a new car v a $7k 8 year old Golf isn't apples to apples. But, whatever. I can't wait until they get the L2 chargers up and running at work. For now I'm stuck with my portable 110v charger until I get a L2 for home.

So there are a few other Bolts in the Greenville, SC area? I haven't seen any others as of yet...I'll keep my eyes open. As a mechanical engineer, most of the workings of the Bolt are kind of black magic. Luckily my good friend and neighbor is an electrical engineer. So he's been a good teacher. He has a Model 3, of course, lol

 

[Packard V8]

As a mechanical engineer, most of the workings of the Bolt are kind of black magic. Luckily my good friend and neighbor is an electrical engineer. So he's been a good teacher. He has a Model 3, of course, lol

FWIW, the workings of the Bolt were designed to be idiot-proof/engineer-proof. I find it interesting GM put much thought and effort into making the Bolt the simplest, easiest possible transition from ICE into BEV. However, they've attracted very few of their target customers. Most of the buyers seem to have been very technically savvy early adapters. This forum has mostly engineers and enthusiasts who get frustrated because there's so little which needs doing to the Bolt and even less which can be done to improve the performance.

jack vines

 

[JohnnyEV]

Don't forget to set the location based charging. It will then instantly charge when you are not home and delay charge for best rate when charging at home. This is a feature that some overlook. If you need to charge immediately at home, just plug in a few seconds, then unplug it and plug in again it it will start to charge right away. Without this you need to remember to set it to charge immediately when you are at a public or charger away from home.
I really like the nice blue....it is a good color. You also got the essential options. You may need the heated seats and the forward collision warning and low-speed emergency braking is a good feature. The lane keep assist works so-so (at least on the 2017) but it is fun to let it auto stear and pretend it has autopilot on a well marked highway. I also like the auto high beams. I don't have to fumble to dim the high beams at all anymore.....
Welcome to the forum.

 

[James Alfred]

Whic

I have had various Hybrid, Extended range Electrics, Electric motorcycles, bicycles and scooters. With Chevrolet working to get rid of as many as they can before the final part of the tax credit runs
out, I came across a 2020 Bolt that worked for me. Premium with all the goodies. Just drove it home from Phoenix to Vegas

h dealership did you purchase from? I live here in Phoenix. Very interested in buying a Bolt locally.

 

[James Alfred]

Typo *Which dealership ...

 

[micantony]

...If you need to charge immediately at home, just plug in a few seconds, then unplug it and plug in again it it will start to charge right away. ..

Did not know that, i just use the my chevrolet app to start immediately from my couch.
thank you for that enlightenment about unplugging and then back in as another option; great to know.

 

[The Other Tom]

So there are a few other Bolts in the Greenville, SC area?

Yes. Post here is you need some local help.

 

[BayCityBoy]

Just signed up for another tour of Bolt duty. Traded my 2017 Cajun Red Premier for a 2020 Cajun Red Premier. I bought the 2017 to avoid the waitlist for the Tesla Model 3; bought the 2020 to avoid the waitlist for the Model Y. Coming from a BMW, the Bolt was a very easy transition, since the shift lever is nearly identical. Now if the non-Teslas would build a useful charger network...

 

[ibedoughboy]

Don't forget to set the location based charging. It will then instantly charge when you are not home and delay charge for best rate when charging at home. This is a feature that some overlook.

Oh man I didn't know about this. That happened last weekend when I went downtown and plugged it in at the parking gargae and it didn't start charging. I got in the car and changed it to "immediate". I need to read the book.

My neighbor/ electrical engineer friend came over today and installed a L2 charger in my shop (he has a Model 3). While there, he was going through the charge settings in the Bolt and suggested changing the max charge level to 75% for normal driving. He said Li ion batteries (at least the Tesla ones) are happiest b/n 20%-80% charge to maximize their life.

 

[KrazyEd]

Typo *Which dealership ...

Wow, I see no DCFC between Phoenix and Vegas. How long did you spend charging enroute and how many stops?

Sorry for delayed reply.
I left AutoNation Chevrolet Gilbert with a full Charge. Stopped in Nowhere I believe for a two hour Level II top off. I probably could have made it the rest of the way home
but stopped in Laughlin again for a few hours " just to make sure ". I forgot how steep it was getting back out of Laughlin so probably wasted most of what I gained.

 

[p7wang]

Sorry for delayed reply.
I left AutoNation Chevrolet Gilbert with a full Charge. Stopped in Nowhere I believe for a two hour Level II top off. I probably could have made it the rest of the way home
but stopped in Laughlin again for a few hours " just to make sure ". I forgot how steep it was getting back out of Laughlin so probably wasted most of what I gained.

Wow, charging in the middle of Nowhere. I think there are no doubt now that EVs can do long trips.

 

[KrazyEd]

Surprisingly, Nowhere is the name of the city. Charged at City Center I believe. I take it that you have all of the Charge locator apps?
I charge mostly at Level I or Level II rates. I will only be using DCFS on road trips. I plan my trips around chargers. Plug in, then walk
to nearby businesses to get steps in and accomplish what I need done. Killing multiple birds ( I didn't kill any REAL birds PETA ) with one stone.
This is how I will be outfitted for most road trips.