[Fausty]

Picked up new Bolt Premier with all option packages last weekend, so far it has exceeded my expectations. Haven't found much fault at all, if I could wish for any improvements or added features they would be: power auto folding outside mirrors, adjustable rear hatch maximum height, slightly wider driver's seat, more intuitive CCS charger locating, adaptable cruise control, radiant heat in footwell.

Here's hoping for model year 2018 , how about everyone else out there, what else would you like to see on upcoming Bolts?

 

[Pete Blair]

adjustable rear hatch maximum height

I could have used that one already. Came from around the side of my car the other day while the hatch was open and was not looking so I hit my head on it pretty good. My own fault of course, but would be nice to be able to raise it so I don't hit my head. Though the down side of that would be that my wife couldn't reach it when it was open, lol.

 

[Fausty]

I'll watch out for that too, my issue is opening too high, it's hitting the inside of my (open) garage door

 

[David M O'Rourke]

* Homelink
* Better Front Seats - improve default comfort and more adjustment
* Better Charging metrics (volts and amps for current charge rate)
* Better UI for setting up schedule charging - current user experience is un-necessarily confusing/complex
* override charging amps for 240 volt charging - being able to "lower" the amp from the EVSE reported amps sometimes improves charging session reliability
* GPS aware charging options - hill top reserve, and schedule tied to geo-location so you can setup different charging options for different locations - 1 “home” location is too limiting
* Larger Battery option (68 kwh anyone?)
* Faster Charger (maximum rate 48 amp charger or at least 40 amps on a NEMA 14-50 plug) so that I can fully charge a Bolt in an 8-hour off-peak billing period
* Adaptive Cruise control
* Memory Seats/Mirrors
* Touchless entry and exit - no reason if I have the key with me my butt in the seat turns the car on, and getting out turns it off
* 1200 watt AC plug for utility
* Re-work the rear storage area to be more cubical - no reason that I can see for it to be rounded for a spare it doesn’t come with - turn it into a deep box for maximum storage.
* EV trip planning with charging routing with integrated navigation
* Moonroof option

 

[MauleGuy]

Kilowatt Hours consumed over time option in infocenter

The infocenter reports the number of KWh's consumed since the last full charge; however, if one wants to monitor how many KwH are consumed over time,say a month, the only option is to keep a notebook and write down the since last charge numbers every time. A: This is a pain in the tutu B: Probably will not happen.

I would really like to know how many KWh I am putting into the car from my home charger each month so I can get a realistic mile per KWh cost as well as seeing how it impacts my electric bill.

Seems as if all the components for this calculation is already collected by the car's software, but not made available in the KWh over time format.

 

[borkbork]

i learned to drive in a '77 nova. it didn't have a lot going for it, but one thing i always liked was that it had vents in the footwell that you opened and closed by pulling a rod. seems like that would be idea for the bolt - you wouldn't have wind noise directly in your ear, and it wouldn't take any power to get air flowing, like the vent does now.

but yeah, homelink, more onboard storage options, i think others have named all the things.

 

[Jesse Green]

One thing I think GM could do with future versions of the Bolt and any other vehicle that is going to use the shifting system the Bolt has now is that when the parking button is pressed the system doesn't put the vehicle in park unless the vehicle has come to a complete stop, and tells the driver if they try to make sure the vehicle has stopped and push the button again. That would prevent grinding noises and transmission damage. I make sure my Bolt is at a standstill before hitting the button, but there has been a couple times where I forgot and pushed it early, leading to the grinding noise.

I could see GM using this shifter with multiple vehicles, not just the Bolt. Maybe that Buick EV that's in the works now. So they should fix that.

For current vehicles I wonder if that's something that could be done via software update?

 

[Packard V8]

I'm 99% happy with our Bolt and enjoy driving it. Can't remember the ICE's last trip to the gas pump. It just sits.

Any car can be improved. My suggestions, in no particular order.

1. Power/memory seats and mirrors - yes, I realize the Bolt really isn't a $43,000 car; all the money used for bells and whistles in other cars in that price went into a larger battery for more range. It's a huge PITA to have to manually change the seat, mirrors and steering wheel when much less expensive cars do it electrically at the touch of one button.

2. Adaptive Cruise Control - absolutely no technical reason the Bolt shouldn't have this.

3. Why does the passenger's seat seem subjectively much more comfortable than the driver's?

4. Most all newer cars have a huge blind spot behind the center mirror and that even larger black space in the top center of the windshield, but the Bolt is the worst. A tall driver has to position the seat much lower than some of us prefer to be able to see under that impediment. I've had to learn cars approaching an intersection from my right can be hidden there much too easily/too long.

5. Four-wheel-drive option for those of us in the frozen north.

6. DC charging option should be standard or at least a dealer-installable option.

jack vines

 

[banksdad]

Here are some things I would like to see:

1) Better android auto. Sometimes I have to unplug / replug for it to work.

2) Adjustable sound levels by source. My android auto audio level is much lower than regular stereo. So when I unplug, the radio is extremely loud.

3) YES, someone else said it and I agree... there is no reason adaptive cruise control shouldn't be on this vehicle.

4) Better infotainment and an API for other apps to communicate other than on-star. Onstar takes forever to get vehicle status and is wrong a lot.

 

[fungus]

My nitpick list:
1. Auto play Bluetooth device on connect, or at least remember last used audio source.
2. Extendable sun visors
3. Adaptive Cruise Control
4. More stable/reliable myChevy app
5. OTA software updates
6. Wireless Android Auto/Carplay
7. Visible indicator of heated seat status when in AUTO mode
8. Add some new display sections for the customizable infotainment home screen (quick audio source switch, charge rate, etc)

 

[ibboltin]

Supercruise
Wider / Better Seats
Heated Wiper System
center console improvements from floor to dash with more storage area.
more horsepower with more battery ( I have already requested a Bolt SS be made with bowtie mode )

 

[ibboltin]

The infocenter reports the number of KWh's consumed since the last full charge; however, if one wants to monitor how many KwH are consumed over time,say a month, the only option is to keep a notebook and write down the since last charge numbers every time. A: This is a pain in the tutu B: Probably will not happen.

I would really like to know how many KWh I am putting into the car from my home charger each month so I can get a realistic mile per KWh cost as well as seeing how it impacts my electric bill.

Seems as if all the components for this calculation is already collected by the car's software, but not made available in the KWh over time format.

Thats why I bought a chargepoint L2, I get all that from them online. Too bad I cant enter the mileage for each session.

http://www.chevybolt.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16073&thumb=1

 

[Sean Nelson]

2) Adjustable sound levels by source. My android auto audio level is much lower than regular stereo. So when I unplug, the radio is extremely loud.

The Bolt will remember the sound volume for each source. The trick is to adjust the volume while that source is actually playing some audio. So to change the volume for Android Auto, just adjust it while AA is saying something. For example, you could ask: "OK Google ... what's the weather?", and adjust the volume as it's reciting the weather.

 

[hatchy]

4. Most all newer cars have a huge blind spot behind the center mirror and that even larger black space in the top center of the windshield, but the Bolt is the worst.

This bugs me too, but I have had worse. My last car didn't even have a dual pivot stalk for the mirror. The Bolt at least has the duals so you can raise the mirror up higher. But yes I still have to move neck around like an OWL to clear the blind spots created by the black out square on the windshield. And the huge roll over pillars.

 

[floridabolt]

wishlist

Would like to hear a sound and not just see the yellow hazard in the mirror when lane changing. My alternate ride Merc E350 bluetec makes three beeps and also puts the yellow or red visual in the mirror. It just helps.

Would also love to add some items to the main screen. Couple of shortcuts for calls, even sms listings with ability to have them read aloud or voice reply.

i precut some rubber to put in the door pockets to stop rattling but seems like this should be part of the car when you buy it.

the strings going from the hatchback to the cover behind the rear seats looks like it can not handle much duty. I would think a small cable would have been a better solution

Im with everyone else on the adaptive cruise.

 

[keeperchris]

Agree on having beeps in addition to mirror lights for "blind spot warning"
Agree on having adaptive cruise control.
Agree on standard fast-charge.
Disagree on the sight-lines notes. This is the best car I have ever driven for good sight lines and lack of blind spots. Somehow that changes with body height over 6'?


Here is my list:
Would like a pressure sensitive horn. Since this car is so quiet, there are times when I'd like to emit a little beep (say to unaware pedestrian) and not a blare.
Better suspension. When on a bumpy road, I most certainly aware of it.

 

[beeguz]

I would like to have a regen pedal that works more like applying a brake, smooth and gradual.
The pedal that we have now works as though you applying the brake on a car with a sticky caliper or a drum brake with grease on it.


We used to call it brake grab back in the days of cars with all drum brakes, one brake drum with grease on the shoes or a week return springs, one wheel would grab suddenly as the car was braking.


I would also like to see a heater that didn't punish you for using it, using the traction batteries excess heat might be one way.

If we could use the excess heat from the battery cooling system in the heating system might work

 

[Enzeder]

I would like to have a regen pedal that works more like applying a brake, smooth and gradual.
The pedal that we have now works as though you applying the brake on a car with a sticky caliper or a drum brake with grease on it.


We used to call it brake grab back in the days of cars with all drum brakes, one brake drum with grease on the shoes or a week return springs, one wheel would grab suddenly as the car was braking.

Try grabbing the regen paddle without lifting off the throttle, then lifting off the throttle gradually. Basically, you use the throttle to modulate the regen force.

 

[Fivedoor]

If we are going into fantasy land wish list, I want 100+ KW DCFC. Gaining 200ish miles of range in a half hour would be a lot better than the 90 miles we are currently theoretically getting.

Getting 80% charge in half an hour is pretty much the standard by which EV's are judged, to achieve that we need an average of 96 KW, so peak would have to be higher with tapering down as you approach 80%.

The only CCS station going on line in my area (not yet operational) is an Electrify America 150 KW DCFC unit, and from what people have said I may get around 55 KW peak from it rather than the 45 or 46 KW peak we get out of a 50 KW unit.

I plan on doing a charge session from close to zero to 100% on it when it comes on line with full recording of entire charge session to see what charge rates are at various SOC, and how long it takes to reach various SOC's

Later,

Keith

 

[bbg523]

i learned to drive in a '77 nova. it didn't have a lot going for it, but one thing i always liked was that it had vents in the footwell that you opened and closed by pulling a rod. seems like that would be idea for the bolt - you wouldn't have wind noise directly in your ear, and it wouldn't take any power to get air flowing, like the vent does now.

but yeah, homelink, more onboard storage options, i think others have named all the things.

Yep, love'd my 77 Nova for a first car as well as those vents( no AC). Pulled the straight six and put in a V8, slotted dish mags, booster shocks in back for a raked look. Ah youth


Now I won't go back to ICE, Had my fill of working on them, BEV for me.