Thoughts on a Chevy Bolt

[jmueller065]

Instead of polluting the Tesla Model 3 thread I'll start my own.. LOL

Picked up my Bolt today: https://spareelectrons.wordpress.com/20 ... -a-bowtie/

So far I've mostly played around with all the charge settings/configuration/etc. I'll have to make a blog post about comparing it to the FFE, but my initial thoughts about comparing it to the FFE:

• Ford seemed to want to design things so they look luxurious and fancy (the twisty charge cover, the sensor lock unlock on the door handles). GM took a different approach: design for simplicity,longevity, durability, and cost savings (the charge cover is similar to a fuel filler door, the lock/unlock on the door handle is a mechanical button)
• The screens to setup "value charging" (GM doesn't call it that but its the same functionality) seem to be a bit more confusing and not as logically laid out as the FFE (very similar functionality, however).
• A lot more torquey than the FFE (FFE: 0-60 in 8s, Bolt 0-60 in 6.5s--yeah its no Tesla but a bit zippier)
• In a lot of ways its clear this is at least a generation 2 (or 3) EV where the FFE is a generation 1

[jmueller065]

How far can you really drive on a single charge in a Bolt?

https://spareelectrons.wordpress.com/20 ... e-highway/

[JTCalif]

Bolt has real advantages (range, better seat height adjustment, turning radius, ...)
but there are still aspects of the FFE I like better: it is quieter (Bolt added what sounds like a pump going most of the time), it gives me a few options missing in the Bolt (turn head lights on/off only when I want such, adjust day/night modes of the inside rear-view mirror manually [not automatically], better backup camera view on-screen,
and especially the Navigation function (missing in the model of Bolt we got). FFE has nicer storage in some ways (like seat back pockets, little slots for parking tickets). I like its radio controls better than the Bolt's.

Bolt has bigger trunk, and better elbow rest on the right (the 2012 FFE was better that way than the 2015 FFE I have, too). It lets you run the fan with or without use of heater/AC. I have the impression that its heater makes less of a dent on the range, but that could be just 'cause the range is 3x as much to start with. Bolt adds the ability to view the rate of power in or out of the battery in kW, rather than just an analog bar which only gives the Ford driver a Very rough idea of such power.The reservoirs for under-hood fluids are easier for me to read than those in the FFE.

[jmueller065]

Bolt has real advantages (range, better seat height adjustment, turning radius, ...)
but there are still aspects of the FFE I like better: it is quieter (Bolt added what sounds like a pump going most of the time), it gives me a few options missing in the Bolt (turn head lights on/off only when I want such, adjust day/night modes of the inside rear-view mirror manually [not automatically], better backup camera view on-screen,
and especially the Navigation function (missing in the model of Bolt we got). FFE has nicer storage in some ways (like seat back pockets, little slots for parking tickets). I like its radio controls better than the Bolt's.

Bolt has bigger trunk, and better elbow rest on the right (the 2012 FFE was better that way than the 2015 FFE I have, too). It lets you run the fan with or without use of heater/AC. I have the impression that its heater makes less of a dent on the range, but that could be just 'cause the range is 3x as much to start with. Bolt adds the ability to view the rate of power in or out of the battery in kW, rather than just an analog bar which only gives the Ford driver a Very rough idea of such power.The reservoirs for under-hood fluids are easier for me to read than those in the FFE.

Turn off the "pump" sounds by removing the PFAF fuse under the hood ("Passenger Friendly Alert Function"). Note that will also disable the chirps when you plug the car in. With the fuse removed the Bolt is as silent as the FFE is/was. The noise is the pedestrian alert although its so quiet I'm not sure how much alerting it does.

Navigation: No Bolt has navigation--you're supposed to use Android Auto or Apple CarPlay for that (I've been using Android Auto with great results).

I don't like the Bolt's center elbow rest as its always sliding on me (I like to keep it all the way back--not sure if there is a way to lock it in place). When its moved even slightly forward you can't open the compartment there.

I think the heater is only slightly more efficient than the FFE was--either that or they don't run it as much as I don't think the interior gets as warm as the FFE did for the same temp setting on the HVAC (although this is offset by the seat heat and steering wheel heat automatically turning on in cold temps).

I don't think I ever measured the summer/winter difference in the FFE for power consumed on a leg of my commute (I may have--have to scan old blog posts). For the Bolt, however, since that display is right there: Summer I'm using about 4kWh for my morning drive with no preconditioning, in winter, so far, this has risen to 6.5 kWh with a plugged in precondition and my GOM morning range has dropped from about 250 miles to 150 miles.

[Heima]

So, after approximately 2 years of ownership, what are your feelings about the seats? I hear that is a point of contention with a lot of people. I was curious about a bolt, but the seat comfort needs to be there. I had a 96 metro 3 cylinder with very supportive and comfortable seats. In my 99 metro LSI, the seats were too soft and not supportive at all. I owned both cars at the same time, so I could do on the spot comparisons and not just remembering.

[JTCalif]

Seats felt quite OK to us, and our body shapes & leg lengths are Very different (my wife's legs are much shorter). No complaints about them. (Don't know about the rear seats: almost never used, aside from packages.)