[Bolts Neck NJ]

I got my EUV in late 2022 and have about 5500 miles on it. I love almost everything about it, except for the lack of reliable fast chargers on road trips in the Northeastern U.S. I’ve read what others have posted about their long trips and the strategizing that goes into what was once pretty straightforward with my old ICE vehicle. With that in mind, I think renting an ICE vehicle is the most practical way for me to travel by car for a few hundred miles.
Anyone else already reached the same conclusion?

 

[drdiesel1]

I can average 200 plus miles in the winter, so why bother renting an ICE for a 200 mile trip ?
Charge it overnight to get back. It's not a big deal to hit a DCFC if needed. I use Charge Point to locate DCFC stations and plan accordingly.

 

[MisterJJ]

Yes and no. I had always planned on renting an ICE for longer trips. Then Covid screwed up the rental car business and I drove the Bolt and put up with long charging times. Now that the rental cars are more normal I think it's a great way to go. Heck, even before I got an EV I would rent a car for long trips just to not put the high miles on my car. Even with a long range Tesla, there was a long trip that would have required going pretty far out of the way and adding hours to a vacation. So instead I rented an ICE and no worries.

 

[Bolts Neck NJ]

“I rented an ICE, an no worries.”

 

[Indy Mart]

To average 200 miles in winter requires efficiency of about 4 mi per kWh, assuming the trip starts at 80 percent SOC. Given Midwest temperatures and even a modest highway speed of 65, that’s a stretch.

 

[GJETSON]

assuming the trip starts at 80 percent SOC.

Why on earth would you start a preplanned trip of 200, or more, miles, with an 80% charge?

 

[Voldar]

To average 200 miles in winter requires efficiency of about 4 mi per kWh, assuming the trip starts at 80 percent SOC. Given Midwest temperatures and even a modest highway speed of 65, that’s a stretch.

As @GJETSON said, why would anyone start a 200 miles trip with 80% ? Noob or hasn't yet the battery replaced, thus, the limiting patch, are the only two reasons I can think of one would do it.
I agree that 200 miles can be a challenge in -4F or less to do them without a charge, but not in 30F.

 

[Dimitrij]

Why on earth would you start a preplanned trip of 200, or more, miles, with an 80% charge?

Because if one said "with 50% charge", no-one would believe

I got my EUV in late 2022 and have about 5500 miles on it. I love almost everything about it, except for the lack of reliable fast chargers on road trips in the Northeastern U.S. I’ve read what others have posted about their long trips and the strategizing that goes into what was once pretty straightforward with my old ICE vehicle. With that in mind, I think renting an ICE vehicle is the most practical way for me to travel by car for a few hundred miles.
Anyone else already reached the same conclusion?

When I had my first Bolt I entertained myself with DCFC-hunting, but that got boring pretty soon. Luckily, I have always had a "real car" in addition to the Bolt, so didn't have to rent anything. As with any consumer item, if we use the Bolt for its intended purpose (for local travel and commuting in good wether conditions), it's going to be a fantastic value for money. Force it to do something it wasn't designed to do, and you might get disappointed.

 

[H8cloz]

I got my EUV in late 2022 and have about 5500 miles on it. I love almost everything about it, except for the lack of reliable fast chargers on road trips in the Northeastern U.S. I’ve read what others have posted about their long trips and the strategizing that goes into what was once pretty straightforward with my old ICE vehicle. With that in mind, I think renting an ICE vehicle is the most practical way for me to travel by car for a few hundred miles.
Anyone else already reached the same conclusion?

I just take my truck for long trips. I can go 500 miles non-stop with a good reserve and it has a full size spare tire. Anything over 250 or off major highways is a no-go for the Bolt. If I were you, I'd rent a car with a spare tire if possible.

 

[jmcbrew]

Yes... assuming you charge at home, you start a trip with 100% SOC. Home is where you get the cheap electrons. No reason to waste that extra 40-50 miles of range.

 

[jefro]

I have a F150 just in case. Other than pouring a lot of money in gas it is a relief to drive 80mph and drive 380 miles knowing gas is every mile.

 

[GJETSON]

I have a F150 just in case. Other than pouring a lot of money in gas it is a relief to drive 80mph and drive 380 miles knowing gas is every mile.

Driving 80 mph in a pickup truck, for 380 miles, sounds like cruel and unusual punishment to me. I'd ask for solitary confinement instead.

 

[ARob]

I got my EUV in late 2022 and have about 5500 miles on it. I love almost everything about it, except for the lack of reliable fast chargers on road trips in the Northeastern U.S. I’ve read what others have posted about their long trips and the strategizing that goes into what was once pretty straightforward with my old ICE vehicle. With that in mind, I think renting an ICE vehicle is the most practical way for me to travel by car for a few hundred miles.
Anyone else already reached the same conclusion?

Last year, I put around 11K trip miles on my Bolt over 3 trips. One was Coast to Coast (7100 miles) and two were regional 1800-2100 mile trips. I used DCFC over 100 times, and although a few headaches with units out of service on occasion, I was able to charge at every stop. So, no, I have not reached the same conclusion. I am planning a few 2-3K mile trips this year as well.

 

[liresong]

….. the lack of reliable fast chargers on road trips in the Northeastern U.S. I’ve read what others (and) their long trips and the strategizing that goes into what was once pretty straightforward with my old ICE vehicle. With that in mind, I think renting an ICE vehicle is the most practical way for me to travel by car for a few hundred miles. Anyone else already reached the same conclusion?

I hope I can afford a Chevy Bolt next year. I’ve been going over the “reliable charger” fiasco that has developed. Whether the “pay-a-lot” chargers or the “free“ chargers, there are many weak CHARGERLANDS in the USA. With lots of planning for my happy EV travel times, they may NOT be as happy as I envision.
I note a number of charger sites have “passed away”. But, I now see other new chargers in areas I would do some “walk about”. We’ll see after I get an EV, if my future will be happy times, or “lost another charge” times.

 

[GoElect]

I bought an EUV for urban driving and an occasional trip up to 150 miles away. All else is plane, train, bus, or Avis. I have no desire to spend hours burning gas on an interstate.

 

[AFXCAR]

Definitely have to get creative and research planned stops for the time being. Two of the Ultium 360 sites on my most common destinations are endlessly "under construction". Hopefully this Summer. Early adopted charge sites are proving problematic, they are scrambling to keep alive or replace.

Alternative consideration for you -- stay off the freeway. I have a charted a few Country routes which were the primary roads before the Interstates. Yeah, will take an extra hour each way but DCFC is minimally 30 minutes right? looking forward to 70 degrees to see my range @55-60 -- 4 miles/kW is attainable while enjoying the Countryside!

 

[Indy Mart]

To average 200 miles in winter requires efficiency of about 4 mi per kWh, assuming the trip starts at 80 percent SOC. Given Midwest temperatures and even a modest highway speed of 65, that’s a stretch.

Why on earth would you start a preplanned trip of 200, or more, miles, with an 80% charge?

Fair point. But recent experience on 700 mile round trip at 20 degrees F leaves me highly skeptical of any claims of >3 mi/kWh at even modest highway speeds.

 

[GJETSON]

Fair point. But recent experience on 700 mile round trip at 20 degrees F leaves me highly skeptical of any claims of >3 mi/kWh at even modest highway speeds.

'
Yup. The Bolt has a resistance heater mounted under the hood. I am still mystified why they didn't put it in the cabin, like the Leaf did. I get that they weren't going to put a heat pump in a car they are still losing money on.

 

[ARob]

Fair point. But recent experience on 700 mile round trip at 20 degrees F leaves me highly skeptical of any claims of >3 mi/kWh at even modest highway speeds.

My CO to Los Angeles trip in November:

About 60% of the trip was with temps between 20-30F, including snow for about 40-50 miles. Speeds were 65MPH in the CO mountains, 75-80 for much of the trip. SoCal and NV were a bit warmer, 50-70F.

 

[BoltEUV]

I haven't came to that conclusion. I still have a full size diesel pickup truck that are used for truck duties, towing, hauling, etc. But any trip less than 300 miles can be easily done with a single DCFC for about 30-40 minutes session. Even in the charging desert of rural Ohio, I can still find a fast charger.