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[GetOffYourGas]

Hey guys. I've been around the forum for a while, learning as much as I can about the Bolt. Thank you to all of the owners who have shared their experience.

After much deliberation between the Bolt, the newly announced Leaf 2, and the upcoming Model 3, I have decided that a Bolt is for me. I put a deposit on a Bolt Premier with DCFC, and will take delivery of it on Tuesday. On Thursday, I am travelling 327 miles (one-way) from Syracuse NY to Amityville, NY (talk about jumping in head-first, right?). I have 5.5 years of EV experience in a Leaf, but zero with the Bolt. I have scouted PlugShare for CCS locations. I know it is doable, but I would love any input from owners and those who have taken long trips (greater than 1 charge).

The CCS chargers are a combination of Greenlots and EVGo. I looked a little into both networks. It seems like I don't need an account with Greenlots, but I do with EVGo, just to charge at all. Can anyone confirm/deny that? And if I join EVGo, will I have instant access, or do I need to wait for an RFID to arrive (which it probably won't in time for my trip)?

The posted speed limit on the highway is 65MPH. I typically drive around 70, but I could easily find a truck going 60-65 and hang out behind him. For those with experience - what kind of efficiency do you get at 60/65/70? What is my real range at those speeds?

Google Maps puts driving time at 5 hours. I will budget 8 hours so I'm not rushed, and can easily spent more time at chargers than I need (to keep a good buffer). I'm also driving through NYC, so there is some time to allow for traffic. Is that enough?

What else should I be aware of for such a journey?

Update: The trip was a success. I ended up going to Newport rather than Amityville, which is even farther. I created a new thread about the trip itself.

http://www.mychevybolt.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=7268

 

[JAL1]

Welcome on board.

On my first trip I would travel at 65 and plan a CCS charge based on a 200 mile range. Climate control usage and mountain passes can create a lot of variability.

https://sites.google.com/site/jalcomputing/home/chevy-bolt-goes-to-portland

Jeff

 

[sgt1372]

At 65-85 on the freeway, I never got better than a total estimated range of about 190-200 miles -- 120-130 miles driven and 50-60 remaining at about 25% SOC left before recharging. The ave rate of use was around 3.2 kwh/m.

Since I stopped driving on the freeway and only drive locally at speeds mostly at/below 45 mph (but still sometimes at 50-55), my total estimated range is now 290-295 -- 235-245 miles driven and 50-60 miles remaining w/about 12% SOC left). The ave rate of use is now about 4.8 kwh/m.

When I drive at or below 45mph, the estimated range of the car increases and when I drive over 45, the estimated range of the car decreases. Obviously, the slower I drive the greater the range, the faster I drive the lower the range. It's not rocket science.

I now try to keep my speed at or below 45 whenever possible but there are still local roads in my area posted at 50-55 where that is not possible to do w/o impeding traffic.

I am trying to increase the estimated range to 300+ but every time I get close, I have to drive somewhere at 45-55 which knocks the range back down to 290-295.

Given that the battery is rated at 60 kwh and I'm getting 4.9 kwh/m or an estimated 294 miles at best, I don't think it's possible for me to get 300+ but I'm still trying.

 

[DNAinaGoodWay]

I have a Greenlots app and it works like ChargePoint, automatically keeping money in your account. If the stations are free you may not need it.

Evgo will work without a card, you just have to call to start the unit.

You are an adventurous soul.

 

[oilerlord]

What else should I be aware of for such a journey?

As you've got a lot of seat time with a Leaf, I doubt the Bolt is much different in terms of trip planning (aside from the larger battery & Chademo vs CCS).

If Thursday is freakishly cold for some reason, you could consider scheduling to drive the car on a warmer day if possible. Regardless if you use the heater or not, you won't be getting anything near the EPA 238 miles at 40F - especially at 70 mph. Same goes for a very windy day, unless of course the wind is at your back. I'm sure you already know this stuff...but you asked.

Congratulations on your new car. This is an exciting time for you. Enjoy it. Post a few photos when you get it.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

Welcome on board.

On my first trip I would travel at 65 and plan a CCS charge based on a 200 mile range. Climate control usage and mountain passes can create a lot of variability.

https://sites.google.com/site/jalcomputing/home/chevy-bolt-goes-to-portland

Jeff

Thanks, Jeff. That's very useful to know. I won't need climate control (heated seats/wheel at most), and there aren't any mountain passes per se, just a few larger hills.

At 65-85 on the freeway, I never got better than a total estimated range of about 190-200 miles -- 120-130 miles driven and 50-60 remaining at about 25% SOC left before recharging. The ave rate of use was around 3.2 kwh/m....

Good numbers to know, thanks. From reading your writing, you drive much faster than me (which is fine, BTW, I'll stay out of your way, and you are free to pass me by). I have no problem whatsoever taking this particular trip at 60MPH if I need to. But normally I would drive at 70. Either way, that's the low end of your cruising speed. It sounds like I can conservatively bank on 200 miles, like Jeff said.

<span>I have a Greenlots app and it works like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?field-keywords=ChargePoint&tag=myelecarfor-20" class="interlinkr" target="_blank">ChargePoint</a>, automatically keeping money in your account. If the stations are free you may not need it.</span>

Evgo will work without a card, you just have to call to start the unit.

<span>You are an adventurous <a href="http://www.mykiasoulev.com" class="interlinkr">Soul<span class="tip">Visit the Soul Forum</span></a>.</span>

Thanks, DNAinaGoodWay. This is what I thought based on the Greenlots website, but I wasn't sure if it was necessary. These stations are not free, so I guess I'll just go ahead and set up an account. It's just annoying that there is one more thing that needs to carry a standing balance.

I am feeling adventurous. That is a major part of the draw of a Bolt for me; being able to take these longer journeys. If all I wanted to do was use the Bolt how sgt1372 describes, I would simply keep the Leaf that I already have. It helps in this case that I will be alone and I can afford taking the extra few hours. I am treating this as a learning experiment. I will certainly learn a lot about travelling with the Bolt!

What else should I be aware of for such a journey?

<span>As you've got a lot of seat time with a <a href="http://www.mynissanleaf.com" class="interlinkr">LEAF<span class="tip">Visit the LEAF Forum</span></a>, I doubt the Bolt is much different in terms of trip planning (aside from the larger battery & Chademo vs CCS). </span>

If Thursday is freakishly cold for some reason, you could consider scheduling to drive the car on a warmer day if possible. Regardless if you use the heater or not, you won't be getting anything near the EPA 238 miles at 40F - especially at 70 mph. Same goes for a very windy day, unless of course the wind is at your back. I'm sure you already know this stuff...but you asked.

Congratulations on your new car. This is an exciting time for you. Enjoy it. Post a few photos when you get it.

I haven't done many long trips with the Leaf. Mine doesn't even have CHAdeMO - just 3.3kW J1772.

I can't move the day of the trip. I can, however, take the CMax (a PHEV), which was my plan before I bought the Bolt (I planned this trip months ago). Forecast for Thursday is a near-ideal 71F, though, so I should be fine there. Wind is a wild card. It can get windy this time of year.

I will certainly enjoy the Bolt. From the Leaf, it is a huge upgrade. And the Leaf 2 left me lukewarm. I will take notes and pictures, and share my experience here if I remember!

 

[DNAinaGoodWay]

Looking forward to your report.

I too am planning much more adventure in this car. We have family in Philadelphia and there's plenty of CCS en route. Should only need one stop. The Leaf would have needed 3, maybe 4.

 

[michaellax]

I once posted here my workaround for EVGo's 30 minute timer so that you can go get a meal and restart your next 30 minutes by remote control. It takes about 1-2 restarts on an EVGo to get to 80% on a depleted Bolt EV.

[Edited by WETEV as MOD: Please be respectful.]

 

[DNAinaGoodWay]

Couldn't you just call EVgo from the restaurant and they'd restart it for you?

 

[WetEV]

Long trip discussion:

http://www.mychevybolt.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=4889

My thoughts on this trip (Note, I am not a Bolt owner!):

This trip looks like two legs with perhaps a single charging stop near Albany. Perhaps at Hannaford Supermarket, 5239 Western Turnpike, Altamont, NY
There is a lot of rolling hills. EV Trip Planner gives 10086 ft of climb, and 9709 feet of descent. Assuming near sea level at start, perhaps 380 feet net altitude change. I DO NOT trust EV Trip Planner's energy consumption for the Leaf, much less the Bolt, and charging times are just wrong, but use it as a route information tool and a starting spreadsheet. Using the Tesla S 60 (not quite a Bolt!) and not starting with a full charge:

https://evtripplanner.com/planner/2-8/?id=954q32w6

No plan survives contact with reality, so include some checkpoints to see if the plan is still good enough. Have a battery level calculated so you know that you have enough to make it to your destination, and check this level before you pass each checkpoint. While I usually have checkpoints planned in advance for any trip challenging range, I almost never actually use them. Also think about how conditions are changing, a storm moving in perhaps, or changing road speeds. I suggest using the battery bars rather than GOM, and if you use the GOM use the minimum range estimate.

I'd include checkpoints at:
Plattekill Rest Area Northbound (very unlikely to need, unless you don't start with a full battery)
Malden Travel Plaza Northbound (Greenrace suggests you need this one. Perhaps plan on a half hour stop here?)
You will need a long stop in Albany. Note the rate vs SOC chart in the above post. Charging the bottom half of the battery is much faster than the top half. Short stops are
Utica. Note: L2, and very unlikely to need.
Verona. Note: L2 (and also have the option to switch to slower side roads)

 

[GetOffYourGas]

Thank you for all the details, WetEV. I am on a similar page to you with regards to planning.

You seem to have mapped out my return trip (which I also need to do, a few days later).

For the trip down, I was thinking about heading first to Hanaford in Albany (which is EVGo), even though I don't need it on the way down. I will want it on the way back, so it's partly to make sure it works. I was also going to stop at either Ulster or Modena southbound (which are Greenlots). That's my key charging stop. I was also going to hit the 7-Eleven in Flushing (also EVGo) right before my destination. I don't know whether I can charge at my destination, and if I do it may only be 120V / 8A. I want to play it very safe.

This is a learning trip, and I'm going to play it very safe. I don't yet know how to read the SoC display on the Bolt to confidently know my remaining range for a given situation. I'm going to charge more often than I need to, even if it costs a little more. I'm trying to keep my expectations low, with the hope of being pleasantly surprised.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

The end point of my trip is possibly changing from Amityville, NY to Newport, RI. So I reran the planning exercise on the new trip. I am blow away by the number of DCQC points around. On paper, the utility of the Bolt is darn near close to that of an ICE. Let's hope that my real-world experience doesn't disappoint!

 

[DNAinaGoodWay]

Have only QC'd once so far, two consecutive sessions on EVgo. First half hour got 22.6 kWh, second 18.6 kWh, 41.2 kWh total, after arriving with 28 miles showing. Left showing 186 miles but that based on my last driving of 80 mph carefree down the highway. Some Greenlots are only 25 kW, watch out for that.

 

[michaellax]

Couldn't you just call EVgo from the restaurant and they'd restart it for you?

Yes, but my previous post had instructions plus a step by step re-creation of how to do just that; kind of a "Reset EVGo by Remote for DUMMIES!"

You don't want to do it incorrectly at that point, off-site! When you call EVGo, they have no idea initially who you are!

And to WetEV: the Moderator who took the action to remove my previous history of posts (pre-September 6th) was not doing a very respectful thing to me, as we now see, for I am unable to easily find that post to share with the OP!

Since I have not done this sequence of events in some time now, and I am past "retirement age," I don't have those steps in my memory. Perhaps DNA can list the steps for us.

As I recall, I had not tested it on EVGo machines that have "Start/Stop" buttons on it.

 

[DNAinaGoodWay]

I don't know any steps, other than just calling EVgo. I had to do it the other day because I had left my cards in my other EV. I walked outside to do it when the first session ended, but I could have done it from the table just as easily.

They ask for your email and zip code for verification.

 

[michaellax]

... as long as you have memorized the Station Code of their charger!

When you call then at the restaurant, they will have no idea who you are; where you are, or which charger you are using. Plus their system assumes you are right their watching the machine start up; so you much use the MyChevy app to confirm startup.

All this is written out step by step somewhere in the belly of the beast!

 

[DNAinaGoodWay]

Nah, I didn't find the station number sticker until after they looked it up by location alone. Only took a minute. But in future I would take a photo of the sticker. Or better yet, keep a card in my wallet. They should finally have an app soon too.

 

[boltage]

Regarding efficiency at 65mph, I did a cruise control run on a long flat freeway on a day with no or minimal wind and saw 18kW consumption at 65mph with no heat or AC (and no roof racks or exterior cargo). The nominal 60kWh battery capacity would give 216 miles of range at that level of consumption.

Of course, roads are not perfectly flat for that long, and you may use the heat or AC. You may also drive at different speeds depending on traffic conditions.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

Regarding efficiency at 65mph, I did a cruise control run on a long flat freeway on a day with no or minimal wind and saw 18kW consumption at 65mph with no heat or AC (and no roof racks or exterior cargo). The nominal 60kWh battery capacity would give 216 miles of range at that level of consumption.

Of course, roads are not perfectly flat for that long, and you may use the heat or AC. You may also drive at different speeds depending on traffic conditions.

Awesome data point, thanks!

So if you drove at that rate for 1h, you'd burn 18kWh and travel 65 miles, for an efficiency of 3.6miles/kWh. This is pretty much the same as the Leaf's efficiency at 65MPH. My guess is that the Bolt's efficiency will fall off at higher speeds in a very similar pattern to the Leaf.

 

[michaellax]

Nah, I didn't find the station number sticker until after they looked it up by location alone. Only took a minute. But in future I would take a photo of the sticker. Or better yet, keep a card in my wallet. They should finally have an app soon too.

How will they look it up at a multiple charger machine when you are in a restaurant? So, exactly my point of offering a step by step helpful instruction list (which included taking a photo) to help out the OP and others to do these steps without having to think about it from scratch!

It's here on the forum; just lost to us until someone finds it!!