DC fast charger

[marshallinwa]

Would you recommend the DCQC option to this person in Glendive, MT?

Yes, if one is buying the car. Not having it on the car will kill it's resale value. If leasing, then it doesn't really matter if you don't think you would use it.

However, I think very, very few people are going to buy a Bolt in Glendive, Mt. It looks like the Chevy dealer only sells the Cruze and Impala. So it's a non-issue.

 

[oilerlord]

However, I think very, very few people are going to buy a Bolt in Glendive, Mt. It looks like the Chevy dealer only sells the Cruze and Impala. So it's a non-issue.

Right...It's a "non-issue". :roll:

I think we both know that WetEV's point is about an overall picture a somewhat larger than Smalltown, MT. Take a look of this Plugshare map of existing CCS stations:

See any 200 mile gaps anywhere? It's all fine and good that GM intends to sell the Bolt in all 50 states, but If you can't even plug into DCFC, does it really make sense to force the customer to pay to have it on the car? Having the option of DCFC makes sense. Choice is good.

 

[Anonymous]

So far all we see are examples of Bolt EV owner/leasees who are upset that they do not have the DCFC option! If, as one member of this forum suggests, this forum is but a small example of all Bolt EV owners/leasees, then there must be many more who are upset!

There has not been one example of a Bolt EV owner/leasee praising their savings by obtaining one without the DCFC option brought to anyone's attention, here or elsewhere!

I can see how most people want DCQC. But not all.

Suppose you are not in California, but in Glendive, MT. The closest public charging station is in Canada, and that is a L2. 321 km away. 200 miles.

The odds of this person driving up to any DCQC in the next 3 years of your lease is just about exactly zero. Other than a Tesla supercharger, which the Bolt can't use, of course.

Would you recommend the DCQC option to this person in Glendive, MT?

I was married in Glacier Park Montana

My daughter was born in Missoula (sic) Montana

I am an (inactive) member of the state bar of Montana

So I have some particular insight on the state of Montana

You left out one important fact

GENERAL MOTORS DOES NOT SELL OR LEASE THE BOLT EV IN MONTANA, with or without the DCFC!

When it does, ask me the question at that time!

 

[Zoomit]

Take a look of this Plugshare map of existing CCS stations:

Your point is valid.

But don't use a 2-year-old map of CCS to represent today's build-out.

 

[Anonymous]

Take a look of this Plugshare map of existing CCS stations:

Your point is valid.

What IS his point?

In those states (Idaho, Montana, Dakotas, Wyoming), the Bolt EV is not for sale! And when they do go on sale, there will be no demand for a long range EV in those areas because of chicken and the egg! Might as well just wait for the Tesla Model 3 and the Superchargers which already exist in those states (conveniently left off both maps!)!

I suspect that Chevy dealers in those states will not preorder any Bolt EVs and just wait for someone to come out of the woodwork and ask for one!*

But there is no point in spending a lot of time and energy with hypothetical arguments about states with 800,000 people or less and their effect on Bolt EV sales with or without DCFCs!

This is just an attempt to otherwise support the argument that the DCFC port should be optional, which argument is made on this forum by two different class of members:

1) Those who already have the DCFC port on their Bolt EV; or

2) Those who do not have a long range EV!

NO ONE on this forum has a Bolt EV without the DCFC port and is arguing in favor of its optionality!

Because people in these two classes want "freedom to choice" ALL of us had to pay more to have the DCFC installed in our Bolt EVs!

Maybe if they would see the light, GM would correct their mistake and the 2018 Bolt EV would have it as standard equipment; and next year we won't be reading horror stories like we have so far in 2017 about unsuspecting newbies being sold/leased Bolt EVs without the DCFC and regretting it as soon as they were educated as to what the missing port meant to their lack of fast charging abilities!!!

*And this whole discussion misses the point that if Chevy really wants to sell Bolt EVs in these states, they will subsidize and install DCFCs at their dealers in these states!

 

[TimBolt]

Take a look of this Plugshare map of existing CCS stations:

Your point is valid.

What IS his point?

In those states (Idaho, Montana, Dakotas, Wyoming), the Bolt EV is not for sale! And when they do go on sale, there will be no demand for a long range EV in those areas because of chicken and the egg! Might as well just wait for the Tesla Model 3 and the Superchargers which already exist in those states (conveniently left off both maps!)!

I suspect that Chevy dealers in those states will not preorder any Bolt EVs and just wait for someone to come out of the woodwork and ask for one!*

But there is no point in spending a lot of time and energy with hypothetical arguments about states with 800,000 people or less and their effect on Bolt EV sales with or without DCFCs!

This is just an attempt to otherwise support the argument that the DCFC port should be optional, which argument is made on this forum by two different class of members:

1) Those who already have the DCFC port on their Bolt EV; or

2) Those who do not have a long range EV!

NO ONE on this forum has a Bolt EV without the DCFC port and is arguing in favor of its optionality!

Because people in these two classes want "freedom to choice" ALL of us had to pay more to have the DCFC installed in our Bolt EVs!

Maybe if they would see the light, GM would correct their mistake and the 2018 Bolt EV would have it as standard equipment; and next year we won't be reading horror stories like we have so far in 2017 about unsuspecting newbies being sold/leased Bolt EVs without the DCFC and regretting it as soon as they were educated as to what the missing port meant to their lack of fast charging abilities!!!

*And this whole discussion misses the point that if Chevy really wants to sell Bolt EVs in these states, they will subsidize and install DCFCs at their dealers in these states!

Michael,

So now it's my fault that GM made the DCFC an option?

I didn't know I had so much influence over GM's marketing decisions, especially since Bolts were on sale for over six months before I even considered buying one!

It's very empowering.

I'm going to fix it so only Kinetic Blue Bolts are sold, hope everybody likes that color!

Also, what about your "GM wanting to hit a $29,995 price point" theory. Is that no longer in vogue?

I anxiously await your next theory as to why the DCFC is an option, and whose fault that is.

Please keep them coming.

Also, as of August 1 the Bolt is for sale in all 50 states, GM moved up the original roll-out date, which was September 1.

 

[oilerlord]

Your point is valid.

But don't use a 2-year-old map of CCS to represent today's build-out.

I didn't (unless Plugshare's own map is 2-years old). I went on Plugshare's site a couple of hours ago, filtered everything except CCS sites, and uploaded a screenshot. If it's in error, please feel free to correct it with updated data from another source.

 

[Anonymous]

Because people in these two classes want "freedom to choice" ALL of us had to pay more to have the DCFC installed in our Bolt EVs!

Michael,

So now it's my fault that GM made the DCFC an option?

I didn't know I had so much influence over GM's marketing decisions, especially since Bolts were on sale for over six months before I even considered buying one!

It's very empowering.

I'm going to fix it so only Kinetic Blue Bolts are sold, hope everybody likes that color!

Also, what about your "GM wanting to hit a $29,995 price point" theory. Is that no longer in vogue?

I anxiously await your next theory as to why the DCFC is an option, and whose fault that is.

Please keep them coming.

Also, as of August 1 the Bolt is for sale in all 50 states, GM moved up the original roll-out date, which was September 1.

Not exactly how I meant that sentence to be read, but I did get a good laugh out of the fact that you read it that way!

Where, by the way, are you located?

 

[Zoomit]

Your point is valid.

But don't use a 2-year-old map of CCS to represent today's build-out.

I didn't (unless Plugshare's own map is 2-years old). I went on Plugshare's site a couple of hours ago, filtered everything except CCS sites, and uploaded a screenshot. If it's in error, please feel free to correct it with updated data from another source.

The map I uploaded was from PlugShare today as well. I can't explain why yours had so few sites, especially along the west coast.

 

[oilerlord]

Maybe it was the zoom level, or screen resolution. I'll stipulate that both the east and west coasts have fairly decent DCFC coverage. Both maps show the relative lack of DCFC in the midwest, and rural areas. There are obvious gaps in the network of CCS charging sites.

 

[DucRider]

The Model 3 will have Supercharging, but has a different Achilles Heel.

Need service and live in Montana? Drive (or get towed if applicable) to Salt Lake? Denver? Portland or Seattle?

Lots of other large gaps as well. OTA software updates are great, but recalls/fixes for door latches, seals or airbags, etc would require a visit to (or from) a service tech.

Montana is unlikely to be a good place to own a Tesla.

 

[Anonymous]

My brother-in-law was an early Montana adopter of a Lexus. Although you'd think that a Toyota dealer could service one, not in the early years!

 

[SparkE]

Maybe it was the zoom level, or screen resolution. I'll stipulate that both the east and west coasts have fairly decent DCFC coverage. Both maps show the relative lack of DCFC in the midwest, and rural areas. There are obvious gaps in the network of CCS charging sites.

Zoom level. I have noticed that PlugShare doesn't show stuff that I think it 'should' (such as apparent empty areas) at a particular zoom level, but one zooms in and sites mysteriously appear where nothing was anywhere close before. The E and W coasts are pretty well covered (for 'locals' - not so much for a sizable number of EV long distance travelers), and other areas have very dense 'localized' hotspots (like Denver) which is good if you live there, but doesn't help you get anywhere outside the region. I am spoiled since I live in the SF Bay Area - the coverage here is amazing. Especially when I visit a friend and he plugs me in to his free corporate charging while we go to lunch (I take his spot when we leave, he takes it when we get back) :mrgreen: .

NASA (Mountain View, CA) just went live with a 8-bay public DCFC lot (not free for anybody) right off of US-101. EIGHT 50 kW (nominal) ChargePoint chargers in one lot. Right off the freeway. There's also a 4-bay 50 kW DCFC lot in San Carlos (off US-101 just 10 miles S of SF, near CA 92). That isn't counting the 15 or so 'singleton' non-EVgo DCFCs up and down the peninsula. I am spoiled. Spoiled rotten. I have no anxiety at all when driving from SF to SJ and back at almost any starting battery SoC. (Well, except for my wife - it's not technically 'range' anxiety - who gives me 'the look' when she has to wait 15 minutes in some random parking lot so we can get home.)

 

[SeanNelson]

And from reading some posts in this thread it's obvious that at least some people really do want the cheaper, non-DCFC cars.

Links please

HA! Nice try, after ignoring the supporting posts in the link I provided to you in the thread about the Bolt seats.

 

[oilerlord]

Montana is unlikely to be a good place to own a Tesla.
Need service and live in Montana? Drive (or get towed if applicable) to Salt Lake? Denver? Portland or Seattle?

Why?

Tesla offers mobile service anywhere in the US & Canada. If you have a problem, they will come to you.

Alberta is unlikely to be a good place to own a Mercedes B-Class Electric, yet, I'm driving one anyway. If I need service, my closest dealer is Seattle (local dealers aren't EV authorized, and won't honor the car's warranty). Worst case, I rent a U-Haul transport trailer, and truck it down to Seattle. A small price to pay for doing my part to save the planet, don't you think, Gary?

My wife and I love Seattle anyway, so no biggie. At least with folks buying a Tesla in Montana, they can drive to Seattle or Portland should a Tesla ranger not be able to resolve an issue with their car..

 

[DucRider]

Tesla offers mobile service anywhere in the US & Canada. If you have a problem, they will come to you.

True. But it's currently $3 a mile ( the flat $100 fee went away a couple of years ago)
If you lived in Billings, its a toss-up between Salt Lake and Denver. Either one will set you back $3300+ for them to come do warranty work.

 

[Anonymous]

And from reading some posts in this thread it's obvious that at least some people really do want the cheaper, non-DCFC cars.

Links please

HA! Nice try, after ignoring the supporting posts in the link I provided to you in the thread about the Bolt seats.

Sean, you are confused!

I read and acknowledged that 29 page thread you provided to me and made a substantive response to it; by acknowledging YOUR most helpful comment in that thread:

Real Bolt EV owners?

Links please?

This 29-page thread should get you started:
http://www.chevybolt.org/forum/162-chevy-bolt-ev-likes-dislikes/6506-front-seats-ouch.html

There are people who have paid several hundred dollars to have the seats reupholstered at an upholstery shop, and there's another fellow who's trying to swap in seats from another car. Owners who find the seats to be fine don't spend that kind of time and money to change them.

I have no doubt that many people, doubtless the majority, have no problems with the seats. But I've never seen as many negative comments about car seats as I have in Chevy Bolt threads, so it sure seems to me like there's some sort of design issue with them.

And another Bolt owner who said that after driving it for a while any problem was barely noticeable! And another kept saying he loved his seats!

And lots and lots of "lookyloo" posters who don't own Bolt EVs adding their 2 cents!!

But the comment that impressed me the most was:

Don't take somebody else's word on Bolt seat comfort. Go take an extended test drive and judge for yourself.

If there's anything that the seat controversy has taught us, it's that this is essential advice.

So I will leave it there!!

http://www.mychevybolt.com/forum/posting.php?mode=quote&f=10&p=23466

And from reading some posts in this thread it's obvious that at least some people really do want the cheaper, non-DCFC cars.

So, really: Links please!

 

[oilerlord]

True. But it's currently $3 a mile ( the flat $100 fee went away a couple of years ago)
If you lived in Billings, its a toss-up between Salt Lake and Denver. Either one will set you back $3300+ for them to come do warranty work.

While that's a true hypothetical, it's unlikely that any one of the handful of Model 3 owners in Billings would acutually choose to spend $3300 for Tesla to come out to fix a minor issue. My guess is most of them fully realize that service options could be limited in their area - but choose to buy the car anyway. We both know catastrophic failures are a rarity with EVs. People want this car, and to the point of this thread - would at least be able to use a capable network of fast charging sites to get their car in for service. If they did have to flatbed the car to Salt Lake, well, sometimes your number comes up with any car. It isn't Tesla's fault they live in Billings. There is at least some responsibility on part of the owner to fully understand how service would be delivered to their remote area.

Again, It's the same risk I took with my B250e. I wanted this particular car, and accept the responsibility of the consequences should they arise. It isn't Mercedes's fault that I live a long way from the nearest service center. That choice was mine.

 

[Seakyte]

I purchased the Bolt without the D.C. Fast charger and have no regrets. I installed the AV 32A 240v charge port in my house, and another 240 v Nematode 6-50 outlet in my condo 150 miles away. I regularly travel from the house in Denver to the condo in Breck, and seldom get below 100 miles of available range. Regen in the mountains is huge using L mode. So, as someone else pointed out, if most your driving is local and you plan on charging at home the D.C. Fast charger is not important. I do use a second car for longer trips, but all local trips (which constitue 90 percent of my driving) are in the Bolt. The 240 v charging is so quick I am at full charge (regularly about 300 mile) in about 4 hours. The best thing is blasting past the performance aspirated cars at 10,000 feet! However, I expect to be driving the Subaru in winter!

 

[drother]

Why does nobody think you can easily retrofit DCFC?

Here should be the required parts:
DCFC Charger = 24285895 or 24286351
DCFC harness = 42555649
DCFC receptacle = 24287239

You can readily buy everything except the harness. Also, the charger is on top, so its very easy to access.