Three weeks ago, I excitedly picked up my new Chevy Bolt EV from the dealership. The moment I sat in the driver’s seat, the dashboard greeted me with a fully charged battery and an estimated range of 241 miles. While it also displayed maximum and minimum range figures, I was eager to experience the advertised range firsthand and didn’t dwell on those extra numbers.
Driving home, a journey of 120 miles, provided my first real-world range test. Upon arrival, the dashboard accurately reflected my trip, indicating 120 miles still available. Impressed by the car’s initial range estimation accuracy and keen to dispel any “range anxiety,” I decided to further investigate the range on my Chevy Bolt under various driving conditions.
According to FuelEconomy.gov, the Chevy Bolt boasts an impressive 131 MPGe in the city and 109 MPGe on the highway. These figures are calculated based on the energy equivalence of 1 gallon of gasoline to 33.7 kWh of electricity. However, my local electricity rates paint an even more favorable picture. Charging at home costs me just $0.15/kWh, while a gallon of gasoline currently sits at $6. This means that for the price of a single gallon of gas, I can purchase approximately 40 kWh of electricity, effectively increasing my MPGe to 155 in the city and 129 on the highway. Prospective EV owners should definitely calculate these numbers based on their local energy costs to understand the true running cost benefits.
To delve deeper into the Chevy Bolt’s range performance, I conducted several short trips around town. Before each drive, I diligently recorded the estimated range displayed and the odometer reading. After each trip, I compared the projected range depletion with the actual miles driven. The results were a pleasant and somewhat anticipated surprise.
The range on the Chevy Bolt display is clearly an average, reflecting a mix of driving conditions. However, my city driving tests revealed the Bolt’s efficiency in urban environments. Utilizing regenerative braking extensively, I observed that for every 20 miles driven in the city, the indicated range only decreased by approximately 30 miles. This suggests that the “max” range figure displayed alongside the average – often exceeding 300 miles when the average shows 250 miles – is indeed achievable in pure city driving scenarios.
I also undertook two longer journeys, each around 250 miles. For charging on the go, I utilized both EVgo and ChargePoint stations. At each station, a 30-minute charging session, costing approximately $12, replenished the battery with an estimated 70–80 miles of range. Interestingly, this charging speed surpassed the factory estimate of adding 100 miles of range per hour, effectively doubling it in my experience. Throughout these longer trips, the Chevy Bolt’s range estimation proved remarkably accurate, aligning almost perfectly with the actual driving distance. A significant portion of these highway miles were covered using Super Cruise at a steady 65 mph.
While the factory-estimated range on the Chevy Bolt is 259 miles, after several full charge cycles, my dashboard now consistently displays 266 miles. On a subsequent 33-mile trip, approximately 25 miles of which were on the highway, I further tested the range. Driving at a faster pace of around 75 mph with traffic flow on the 280 freeway on the outbound leg, and a more relaxed 65 mph on the return, the total 35 mostly highway miles consumed only 33 miles of indicated range.
Even with a single mile of range reduction, the dashboard promptly displays a “Plug in to charge” message. This prompts an interesting observation: it’s likely that General Motors incorporates a safety buffer, preventing the battery from fully charging to 100% in order to prolong battery lifespan. This aligns with online consensus, and therefore, I consistently charge my Bolt to the indicated 100%.
My Chevy Bolt consistently achieves an average energy consumption of 3.9 miles per kWh. With my home charging cost of $0.15 per kWh, this translates to a mere 3.8 cents per mile – a fraction of the cost of gasoline and without the need for oil changes! I am thoroughly enjoying my Chevy Bolt and its impressive range capabilities.
Looking ahead, I am scheduled to have a Level 2 charger installed next week. This upgrade promises to significantly boost my home charging speed from a leisurely 4.5 miles per hour to a much more convenient 35 miles per hour. Stay tuned for further updates and measurements once the Level 2 charger is operational.
