[bro1999]

http://insideevs.com/chevrolet-bolt-ev-equipped-with-80-kw-dc-fast-charging-owners-manual-now-online/#comment-1111865

 

[Bazinga]

Great find!
Kind of makes you wonder how many people tried to drive away with the car still plugged in for Chevy to put that in the owner's manual.

 

[Roth33d]

Sometimes the elderly forget, i've seen it a few times, them passing by me on the road with the gas cap hanging off its wire and flapping away.
One of the next steps for the automotive industry is wireless charging, at least when that happens it'll weed out the small things like that.

 

[DaV8or]

I have to wonder, how common are these "at least 80kw" charging stations? It seems kind of disingenuous of GM to be advertising "90 miles in 30 minutes" if nobody can actually find one of these stations.

 

[DrZip]

We must all live for the future, when cars are made to exceed current charging capacities of most stations, new stations will arise (If you build it they will come).
There were no charging stations when I bought my first EV in the 70's, and we have come a long way in recent years in building an EV infrastructure for the public.

I have to wonder, how common are these "at least 80kw" charging stations? It seems kind of disingenuous of GM to be advertising "90 miles in 30 minutes" if nobody can actually find one of these stations.

 

[DaV8or]

We must all live for the future, when cars are made to exceed current charging capacities of most stations, new stations will arise (If you build it they will come).
There were no charging stations when I bought my first EV in the 70's, and we have come a long way in recent years in building an EV infrastructure for the public.

Sure, trailblazers, pioneers, early adopters, etc, but when you're trying to sell this new technology to Mr. and Mrs. Average car buyer and you tell them that they can charge 90 miles in 30 minutes but there is no practical way for them to actually do this once they buy the car, then that's a bit of a swindle. I just hope sales people can be honest about this capability.

 

[DucRider]

Sure, trailblazers, pioneers, early adopters, etc, but when you're trying to sell this new technology to Mr. and Mrs. Average car buyer and you tell them that they can charge 90 miles in 30 minutes but there is no practical way for them to actually do this once they buy the car, then that's a bit of a swindle. I just hope sales people can be honest about this capability.

We'll see when they actually are delivered and owners try it, but the math suggests the 90 in 30 is with a 50 kW DCFC - which are the most common out there. GM has a recent track record of under promise/over deliver on EV specs.

As to salespeople, they're more likely to divert the potential customer to an ICE vehicle than over-promise on the charging capabilities of the Bolt.
"I'm concerned about charging the Bolt"
"You're right!. Let me show you the Cruze/Malibu/Tahoe. You can get gas anywhere and don't have to worry about it!"

 

[DaV8or]

We'll see when they actually are delivered and owners try it, but the math suggests the 90 in 30 is with a 50 kW DCFC - which are the most common out there. GM has a recent track record of under promise/over deliver on EV specs.

As to salespeople, they're more likely to divert the potential customer to an ICE vehicle than over-promise on the charging capabilities of the Bolt.
"I'm concerned about charging the Bolt"
"You're right!. Let me show you the Cruze/Malibu/Tahoe. You can get gas anywhere and don't have to worry about it!"

That's true. Most car dealers really don't want anything to do with EVs. I have often thought that GM should launch a new division like they did with Saturn just to sell it's EVs and PHEVs. Make them more like the old Saturn dealers that everybody loved. In states that allow it, they could even be factory direct.

This way, everybody gets what they want. The crusty old dealerships don't have to feel any pressure to sell something they don't want to sell, the EV buyers get a positive, informative sales experience like they get at Tesla and used to get at Saturn and the more progressive existing dealers can always add the brand to their other GM brands if they want to join the 21st century.

It's not just a GM problem either. My uncle was interested in a LEAF and went to the Nissan dealer and when he inquired, was flat out told by the salesperson that he didn't want a LEAF, they were POS and would be sorry if he bought one. I think in the end he bought a standard Prius.

 

[Bazinga]

I thought GM was going to give dealerships incentives to sell the Bolt so this doesn't happen? It's pretty well known by now that salespeople don't want to sell EV and the Bolt won't do well if the dealerships aren't going to make an effort at all.

 

[Zoomit]

On the Norwegian Opel Ampera-e website, it says (Google translated): "With 50 kW DC fast chargers enter 150 km [93mi] reach in 30 minutes!" This matches what has already been demonstrated by a 50kW/125A charger in the US a few weeks ago (119mi in 39 min => 92mi in 30 min).

Norway has a diverse DCFC network and certainly has 100kW chargers. In the highlights section of the Ampera-e webpage, it says "DC Fast Charging 50kW" (translated). In the specs sheet, it lists 50kW for DC Fast Charging.

If the car could accept more than 50kW, in a market that has greater than 50kW chargers, why wouldn't they say it there??

 

[reeler]

Are there any 80KW CSS stations around to see if the Bolt charges faster.

 

[Zoomit]

None that I know of in the US that are public and currently active. One site in Baker CA is slated to come online this summer.

Norwegian charging of the Ampera-e may be the first we see at a charger above 50kW.