How much winter testing was done with the Bolt?

[Anonymous]

I'm not so much interested in what affect cold has on an EV, but in the case of the Bolt I'm more interested on how it handles in snow and Ice.

 

[like2bike]

I think you'll have to wait a few months and ask after the west coast early adopters are able to try it in the snow. My LEAF is great in the snow. BEVs with the battery in the floor are heavy with good weight distribution.

 

[user 387]

Like most questions of this nature - the answer is largely dependent on the tires on the car. My guess is that the low rolling resistance tires on the Bolt are crap in the snow.

However, a good set of Blizzaks will cost about the same as your collision deductible and will likely transform the car into a great snow machine.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

My Leaf is great in the snow (with the right tires) - excellent weight distribution, low center of gravity, yet high ground clearance. The second two of those are impossible to get out of the ICE at the same time. I don't know yet, but I suspect the Bolt will be equally good.

However, a good set of Blizzaks will cost about the same as your collision deductible and will likely transform the car into a great snow machine.

This is a great way to put it.

I think of snow tires in another way - every mile I drive on them prolongs my summer tires' life. So I still get the 60k miles, or whatever, out of each set of tires. In the end, the cost of having two sets of tires is only a little more than the cost of the rims.

Another benefit in cold weather is motor performance. The electric motor puts out its full power with relative ease even when cold. By comparison, any ICE will struggle with reduced power until it warms up. That can take 10-15 minutes in sub-zero temperatures.

 

[Boltar]

So far, so good, will be doing a lot more snowy driving soon. My Bolt didn't leave the dealership before a set of Nokian R2s got put on, essential for any real snow driving. Seems to have good snow handling so far for a front driver. The heated steering wheel and seats are a very welcome addition, especially with pre-warming the car while it's plugged in.

 

[ASDL]

I drove my new Bolt in about an inch of snow three days ago - at night during the beginning of a big blizzard here in the Boston area. It was about 20 degrees, blowing a lot so visibility was pretty bad, but the Bolt handled it well. Defroster and wipers kept up with snow build-up on the windshield and the rear window.

Heat and defrosters blasting (plus heated seats and steering wheel) seemed to draw about 7 miles of range over an hour of driving.

But the traction was perfect - it tracked fine, and I only had the stock Michelin Energy Savers. Next fall I'll look to get some proper snow tires (and rims) like I have on all my other cars.

It wasn't a hard test but it certainly handled it decently.