Chevrolet Bolt EV Owner Review - Convenient, Practical, and Fun

Chevrolet Bolt EV Pros and Cons

Pros:

Ingress/Egress
Visibility
Price
Upright seating position
Safety Systems
Stereo
Comfort
Efficiency
Utility - storage, options, etc.
Regeneration / Drive Mode options
Acceleration
Handling
Styling

Cons:

Rapid charging speed
Heating System Efficiency

Owner Review

Convenient, Practical, and Fun

This is my 3rd electric vehicle. I do everything with my Bolt - tow a utility trailer, load it up with camping gear, take my mountain bike to the trail head, and go on long road trips. Everything about how it works makes sense, and whenever I go for a drive, it always puts a smile on my face. It has plenty of power, a good usable range, great visibility, tons of interior space (and more importantly cargo storage), excellent handling, and nice safety features. The Bolt definitely has a 'sleeper' vibe to it as very few people expect it to be a quick accelerating machine, but it definitely goes when you want it to :)

There are lots of comments from people who find the front seats to be uncomfortable. I have done several one day and multi-day trips in the car and find no issue with the comfort on the front seats. At 5'10" I also find the rear seating area to be a very nice place to be. As with anything you have to try it for yourself.

If I could improve the car, my ask would be to put a faster charger on it. I have the ability to charge at my primary residence so this isn't a normal inconvenience, it is only when I go on longer road trips that I wish the rapid charger was faster. Cold weather range performance is also an area that could be improved. Every EV should have some kind of heat pump system, as the cold sucks tons of range out of the car. Not having to spend so much energy to heat the cabin is a win/win situation.

There is no 'one' car for everyone, but I would encourage you to check out the Chevrolet Bolt if you are in the market. It's a fun, capable, efficient machine that may surprise you as much as it has me.

Permalink for this article: https://www.myevreview.com/60c7d4dcac920

See Tech Specs - Chevrolet Bolt EV

Bolt EV 65 kWh (150 kW)

Chevrolet Bolt EV Photos

Chevrolet Bolt EV - Image 1 from the photo gallery

Chevrolet Bolt EV - Image 2 from the photo gallery

Chevrolet Bolt EV - Image 3 from the photo gallery

Chevrolet Bolt EV - Image 4 from the photo gallery

Discussion

Leaf AT

2021-06-22 16:19:35 UTC

EVs

Thanks for the awesome review of your Bolt. What other electric cars have you had? What has been your experience with them?
- DustinB CA [Chevrolet Bolt EV]
  
  2021-06-24 15:00:47 UTC
  
  Re: EVs
  
  My first EV was a new old stock 2012 Nissan Leaf SL purchased in April of 2013. It was used as a commuter only car, which it did quite well. There were a few pain points with it though. The brakes sometimes had a mind of their own (varying engage points regardless of state of charge), and the battery capacity loss was staggering. In Canada the SL trim had the rapid charger as an option still, which mine did not come with. We strictly charged using 240, but I will admit I charged to 100% most of the time. It was on the verge of losing its second bar when I sold it in 2019. I wasn't a big fan of the infotainment system, and the cargo storage was awful (pre 2013 models had a big hump in the rear for electronics).
  
  A year after buying the Leaf, I bought a used 2011 Chevrolet Volt. That car was absolutely incredible. It was our do-everything machine similar to what my Bolt is now. I pulled a utility trailer, loaded it up with a rooftop box for camping gear, took it on massive drives from British Columbia to Southern California and back, and used it as get-around for everything else. I bought it with 64,000km, and sold it in mid 2020 with 114,000km. My average was 1.9 liter of gas for every 100km. I do appreciate not having to use any gas now, but I very much liked the Volt styling inside and out, and how it drove. I don't miss the abysmal ground clearance :)
  - EVolution
    
    2021-06-24 15:28:21 UTC
    
    Re(2): EVs
    
    Thank you sir, what a comprehensive answer! Changing my rating of the review from 9 to 10 :-)
  - Leaf AT
    
    2021-06-24 16:26:04 UTC
    
    Re(2): EVs
    
    Thanks for the detailed description of both cars :)