[PaPaSteve]

Thanks. Made me read. Just the 100+ mile range achieved is bad enough, and a loaded 13' Scamp (new or old) wouldn't do any better. But IMO, she is also loading her motor/drive assembly more and for longer than designed. AGAIN, no problem with lower power/weight European style, ICE towing with vehicles otherwise up for it. But personally, this painful to even imagine....

Frankly . . . Hats off to the explorers who are brave enough to try new things.
It would be a nice feature if the Bolt had a real time motor temp gauge to see how well the cooling system is holding up.
There must be a phone app that shows motor temps ?
Unfortunately . . . Torque Pro on my iPhone 13 with vLinker MC+ OSB2 does not function.

Edit : YouTube videos confirm that motor temp is an option.
Now to find an app that will open for me, going to try EngineLink next.

 

[Victor P]

Seems nowadays some people think a 1 ton is the right tool for sole daily commutes to the office and back with no cargo.

I really get a kick out of people using 1 ton duallys to get around.

 

[Victor P]

One of my concerns would be doing damage to the Bolt’s drive train. I understand ICE drive trains fairly well, EV drive trains not so much. I’d feel comfortable towing a 500 lb utility trailer at slow speeds around town with a Bolt, but not a 1,500 lb camper.

 

[bigoilbob]

I really get a kick out of people using 1 ton duallys to get around.

Equally inappropriate, but at least safe.

 

[evtinker]

Equally inappropriate, but at least safe.

Maybe safer for them, but often at the cost of everyone else. Pedestrians, cyclists, and those in appropriately sized vehicles are too often lost in the blind spots. Then there is the question of collisions that might have been avoided altogether in a more nibble vehicle with a smaller footprint.

But back to the trailer subject: Towing a small utility trailer, say less than 750 pounds fully loaded, at city speeds, behind a Bolt with maybe one passenger a few miles to the big box store or brush drop-off is one thing. Something the size and aerodynamic drag of a Scamp, loaded for camping, behind a car filled with passengers and luggage is a whole different kettle of fish. Assuming nothing breaks and charging stations are close enough to get around the severe range impacts, the stress alone would ruin the trip for me.

 

[Victor P]

I wonder, do any of you folk wringing your hands about danger and liability ever drive over the speed limit? Build or use anything that’s not 100% to code? Ignore or postpone a safety recall? Smoke, drink alcohol, use any type of drug?

I believe there might be instances of all of those things harming people. But I can’t recall an instance of that due to someone towing with a Bolt.

You left out eating meat, dairy and highly processed food.

Per the NIH, the Western Diet is the number one cause of death in the US, killing over half of us early. Since it’s over half, that makes it higher than all other causes of death combined.

Towing a Scamper with a Bolt probably has a lower impact on all cause mortality than eating a cheese burger and frys.

 

[jmcbrew]

Maybe safer for them, but often at the cost of everyone else. Pedestrians, cyclists, and those in appropriately sized vehicles are too often lost in the blind spots. Then there is the question of collisions that might have been avoided altogether in a more nibble vehicle with a smaller footprint.

Agree 100%

But back to the trailer subject: Towing a small utility trailer, say less than 750 pounds fully loaded, at city speeds, behind a Bolt with maybe one passenger a few miles to the big box store or brush drop-off is one thing. Something the size and aerodynamic drag of a Scamp, loaded for camping, behind a car filled with passengers and luggage is a whole different kettle of fish. Assuming nothing breaks and charging stations are close enough to get around the severe range impacts, the stress alone would ruin the trip for me.

If you aren’t comfortable with it, then definitely don’t do it. If it will stress you out, then definitely don’t do it. I can say from actual experience that towing a Scamp, which is pretty aerodynamic compared to most crappy American-made campers, behind my subcompact, 1.8 liter, 128 horsepower Scion/Toyota/Daihatsu was not stressful and I even got pretty good fuel economy — about 28 MPG.

 

[jmcbrew]

As far as safety… today, while driving for Uber, I picked up four young men from one house and dropped them off at another. With 100% certainty my Bolt was over its GVWR in pure human mush. I don’t think many people on here would admonish someone for carrying five passengers in a vehicle designed for five passengers… but it was certainly over its “designed” weight limit. But you know what? It was fine. The car accelerated, braked, and handled just fine.

 

[bigoilbob]

Agree 100%

If you aren’t comfortable with it, then definitely don’t do it. If it will stress you out, then definitely don’t do it. I can say from actual experience that towing a Scamp, which is pretty aerodynamic compared to most crappy American-made campers, behind my subcompact, 1.8 liter, 128 horsepower Scion/Toyota/Daihatsu was not stressful and I even got pretty good fuel economy — about 28 MPG.

I "don't agree 100%", becuase I was more wrong than you said. Pickups are not "maybe safer". Between the higher c.g's and self selection by those with less safe driving habits, pickups are more dangerous.

I stand fully corrected.

 

[LittleBlue2-2]

I really get a kick out of people using 1 ton duallys to get around.

Who cares?

I don't.

That's what they bought and have to pay for it. Some of them got the same tax credits for purchasing a big vehicle back then as we get now.

They probably have the same opinion of us EV drivers.

 

[jefro]

The dually that I had got better mileage than most SUVs of the time. If I wasn't pulling a trailer I was getting 25 miles per gallon average.

 

[bigoilbob]

The dually that I had got better mileage than most SUVs of the time. If I wasn't pulling a trailer I was getting 25 miles per gallon average.

Make and model? Trust but verify.

And I corrected myself on safety. They are documentably less safe than cars. Both for those inside and outside, in their paths.

 

[jefro]

6.2 Chevy dual cab C30 with HO injection pump and high pressure injectors. I put that Teflon stuff in oil and rebuilt turbo 400.
My wife was getting that in GMC 2500 LLY between San Antonio and El Paso
.

 

[PaPaSteve]

Perspective.
We typically take a 5 ~ 6 week adventure traveling between 7,000 ~ 10,000 miles every year in a 1995 VW powered Winnebago.
A nice smallish RV about the same length of a full size pickup.
Front wheel drive that's powered by a inline 5 cylinder rated at 109 hp @ 4,500 rpm, 140 lb-ft @ 2,200 rpm.
Typical travel weight with 2 passengers is 7,000 pounds.
It really doesn't like to go much over 65 mph and any sort of hill pulls the speed down to 40~45 mph with some climbs at elevation (Pikes Peak and Eisenhower tunnel on I-70) it only does 25 mph.
The brakes were not upgraded from the original vehicle design of 4,000 pounds . . . it has weak brakes.
In it's favor it does have RPM and temperature gauges to keep an eye on.

Perhaps a 2023 Chevy Bolt rated at 200 hp, 266 lb-ft and with regen for better downhill braking . . .
might, maybe, somehow, do a better job.
We hope to try someday.

 

[BoltOutOfHell]

Make and model? Trust but verify.

And I corrected myself on safety. They are documentably less safe than cars. Both for those inside and outside, in their paths.

"Trust but verify". I hear you, I'm the same way. But...I did have a 2003 Dodge Cummins dually that got 23 mpg highway, while our 1987 Suburban, 350 V8 got about 17 or 18 if I recall. The Suburban got 7 mpg towing, the Dodge got 12-13 mpg.

 

[LittleBlue2-2]

6.2 Chevy dual cab C30 with HO injection pump and high pressure injectors. I put that Teflon stuff in oil and rebuilt turbo 400.
My wife was getting that in GMC 2500 LLY between San Antonio and El Paso
.

The old 6.2L got incredible fuel mileage. . . empty.

We had several customers that had them in the 1500. Mostly traveling sales men. One was a Red Wing shoe sales man. He would put 100K a year miles on his.

Another was a rep for 3M. He carried products for body shops. . . sand paper, discs, tape, adhesives, safety equip. (glasses, face masks, respirators, etc.)

Both where getting 20+ MPG back then. An Astro van could not even touch that kind of mileage with a 4.3L

But, for pulling anything with a 6.2L (trailer/RV) or putting a load in the bed (camper or utility body) they sucked.

Nice thing about an old 6.2L is. . . when WW3 breaks out or some rouge nation launches a nuke for an EMP. . . .your truck is going to still run. On left over restaurant oil.

 

[jmcbrew]

The old 6.2L got incredible fuel mileage. . . empty.

We had several customers that had them in the 1500. Mostly traveling sales men. One was a Red Wing shoe sales man. He would put 100K a year miles on his.

Another was a rep for 3M. He carried products for body shops. . . sand paper, discs, tape, adhesives, safety equip. (glasses, face masks, respirators, etc.)

Both where getting 20+ MPG back then. An Astro van could not even touch that kind of mileage with a 4.3L

But, for pulling anything with a 6.2L (trailer/RV) or putting a load in the bed (camper or utility body) they sucked.

Nice thing about an old 6.2L is. . . when WW3 breaks out or some rouge nation launches a nuke for an EMP. . . .your truck is going to still run. On left over restaurant oil.

Impressive… until we get to the year 2000. I had a 2003 Sprinter van with the 2.7L turbo diesel. I would drive it from MD to OH three times a month to pick up brewing supplies. We would shove four pallets into it, which almost always took it way beyond the GVWR. It was rated at 9,990 lb, but I stopped at a CAT scale once and it was well over 12k. Fully loaded, it got 24 MPG. That was traveling at 75 MPH on the turnpike.

Oh, and we were running it on homemade biodiesel. The processor I built would make about 400 gallons at a time. I still have all that stuff in storage.

 

[LittleBlue2-2]

Impressive… until we get to the year 2000. I had a 2003 Sprinter van with the 2.7L turbo diesel.

Also remember in 2003 yours had a turbo charger and electronic fuel injection. And probably at least a 6 speed transmission with a lock up torque convertor.

Back in the 80's, manual pump, no turbo, 3 speed transmission. Mid 80's got a 4 speed transmission and lock-up torque convertor. Still no turbo until the 6.5L

 

[jefro]

Poor old 6.2 had little power when you stack against current monsters.

 

[redpoint5]

No matter how safe it may be, I'd be concerned about liability. Obviously, one could be liable if an accident occurs when towing a trailer that exceeds the rated towing capacity of the vehicle.

You're liable for any wreck you cause regardless of tow ratings or anything else. Insurance covers that liability regardless of how stupid of an idea something was.