Interested in the Bolt EV? What do you currently drive?
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SalisburySam
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I have a 2012 Nissan LEAF SL with about 11,000 miles in the almost five years I've had it using it as a local vehicle. After the costs of vehicle purchase, and the purchase and installation of my L2 charging station, this has been the least expensive car to operate I've ever had. Only ongoing expenses have been rotating tires and changing the brake fluid (at the dealer), and annually changing the cabin air filter and biannually replacing wiper blades (both by me).
Since I own the vehicle, I have no pressures to replace it but want to do so with another BEV with more range to eliminate more of my ICE vehicle use, particularly for the 100-mile round trips to the nearest "big city." I am seriously looking at the Bolt, a used Model S, and possibly a Model 3 though I did not register for one given that it is possibly two years away. However, by that time, the Bolt will have gone through its first iteration and may be an even stronger contender then.
What is most surprising to me is that today, five years later, the LEAF's really only uncompetitive factor is range. In my opinion, they got the other key issues right. Unfortunately that one factor is a biggie and hence why I'm investigating alternatives.
Just FYI, here are a few pro's and con's to my LEAF and BEV experience:
PRO's:
1- TERRIFIC first time electric vehicle experience. No gas stops, little-to-no maintenance, amazing acceleration, large enough to be comfortable for someone 6'2".
2- Spoiled by the heated steering wheel.
3- L3 DC charging is icing on the cake. Only have done it twice but fascinating to watch the high levels of voltage and current flowing (OK, maybe that's just me).
4- Love the handling...a perfect local vehicle and solid for short Interstate jaunts.
5- Remote pre-heat and pre-cool features triggered from my iPhone.
6- Love the back-up camera (remember this was in 2012, far less common a feature than today).
7- Bluetooth connection to my iPhone for phone calls, playing music through vehicle speakers.
8- Three-button HomeLink connections for my two garage doors and home lighting.
9- Includes seat heating for both front seats and back.
10- Very comfortable heating and cooling in the cabin, and yes I know, the heating is all resistance so sucks down the juice further reducing range. But I know I can't go far in the vehicle so I don't, but I go in comfort. Cooling has almost no effect on range.
CON's:
1- Cannot be used for trips of any length, so still need ICE vehicle.
2- The NAV is ridiculously poorly designed so as to make it, for me, unusable. The maps are over half a decade out of date, the clumsy user interface guarantees you'll never use it, the voice command is reliable only for the simplest phone calls and pretty much unusable for all else. But that's what WAZE is for.
3- Unknown at time of purchase, the overall vehicle's value has depreciated like a rock rolling off Mt. Everest. Definitely paid the "early adopter" premium for this unique (at the time) vehicle.
Since I own the vehicle, I have no pressures to replace it but want to do so with another BEV with more range to eliminate more of my ICE vehicle use, particularly for the 100-mile round trips to the nearest "big city." I am seriously looking at the Bolt, a used Model S, and possibly a Model 3 though I did not register for one given that it is possibly two years away. However, by that time, the Bolt will have gone through its first iteration and may be an even stronger contender then.
What is most surprising to me is that today, five years later, the LEAF's really only uncompetitive factor is range. In my opinion, they got the other key issues right. Unfortunately that one factor is a biggie and hence why I'm investigating alternatives.
Just FYI, here are a few pro's and con's to my LEAF and BEV experience:
PRO's:
1- TERRIFIC first time electric vehicle experience. No gas stops, little-to-no maintenance, amazing acceleration, large enough to be comfortable for someone 6'2".
2- Spoiled by the heated steering wheel.
3- L3 DC charging is icing on the cake. Only have done it twice but fascinating to watch the high levels of voltage and current flowing (OK, maybe that's just me).
4- Love the handling...a perfect local vehicle and solid for short Interstate jaunts.
5- Remote pre-heat and pre-cool features triggered from my iPhone.
6- Love the back-up camera (remember this was in 2012, far less common a feature than today).
7- Bluetooth connection to my iPhone for phone calls, playing music through vehicle speakers.
8- Three-button HomeLink connections for my two garage doors and home lighting.
9- Includes seat heating for both front seats and back.
10- Very comfortable heating and cooling in the cabin, and yes I know, the heating is all resistance so sucks down the juice further reducing range. But I know I can't go far in the vehicle so I don't, but I go in comfort. Cooling has almost no effect on range.
CON's:
1- Cannot be used for trips of any length, so still need ICE vehicle.
2- The NAV is ridiculously poorly designed so as to make it, for me, unusable. The maps are over half a decade out of date, the clumsy user interface guarantees you'll never use it, the voice command is reliable only for the simplest phone calls and pretty much unusable for all else. But that's what WAZE is for.
3- Unknown at time of purchase, the overall vehicle's value has depreciated like a rock rolling off Mt. Everest. Definitely paid the "early adopter" premium for this unique (at the time) vehicle.
A
Anonymous
Guest
Hey, I am new to the forum. I was originally mesmerized by the initial volt concept. I closely followed that car for about 3 years up to production. I leased volt #136 in December 2010, without previously seeing the car - interesting times! I considered and nearly bought a RAV4 EV in late 2013, however the quality issues and the pricing that was so volatile from Toyota, I just couldn't get myself to commit to it. I continued to follow the volt and traded in my 2011 MY for a 2014 in Dec 2013. My lease will be up again in December. I love to drive electrically and have gotten used to the HOV lane (2nd volt). My commute is 22 my each way with some hills, so in the 1st Volt, only under the perfect conditions would I make the roundtrip without gas. In the 2014, with slightly more range, I could have a gas free commute if it was not for the higher speeds I drive in the HOV lane 
. Over the years I have driven nearly all production EVs including the Tesla Model S - that was incredible.
So, moved on the Bolt and got the order going 11/18/16 because I love driving electrically and can't wait for any other real options in my price range like the impending Model 3.
. Over the years I have driven nearly all production EVs including the Tesla Model S - that was incredible.So, moved on the Bolt and got the order going 11/18/16 because I love driving electrically and can't wait for any other real options in my price range like the impending Model 3.
oilerlord
Well-known member
CaliBolt, welcome to the forum. I considered a used RAV 4 EV too, but got concerned from reports of failures, and very long waits at Toyota dealerships to fix them. The RAV wasn't inexpensive either, even on the used market, so I didn't want to pay big dough on vehicle that Toyota had clearly abandoned. I ended up with a similar car - a Mercedes B class with a Tesla battery & power train. I've only put 5000 miles on it since June, but love it so far.
I'm sure you're going to love your new Bolt. Latest gen tech going into that one, and (from what I've seen in pictures), pretty decent packaging too. Can't wait to get behind the wheel and take one out for a spin.
I'm sure you're going to love your new Bolt. Latest gen tech going into that one, and (from what I've seen in pictures), pretty decent packaging too. Can't wait to get behind the wheel and take one out for a spin.
Other Michael also has Corvettes: a '62 and a '67 427 tripower
I drove a Focus Electric for three years, covered 54,000 miles, lease now ended. It was a pleasure but range was limited. My wife and daughter both drive Volts. Daughter is away a school so I'm using the Volt until I can get hold of a Bolt at a reasonable price.
I've steered several friends into Volts. They are great cars if the interior space is sufficient for one's purposes. Electric car that automatically becomes a hybrid...no need to ever worry about range...why wouldn't anyone want a car with those capabilities?
I used to be a BMW guy...no more!
I drove a Focus Electric for three years, covered 54,000 miles, lease now ended. It was a pleasure but range was limited. My wife and daughter both drive Volts. Daughter is away a school so I'm using the Volt until I can get hold of a Bolt at a reasonable price.
I've steered several friends into Volts. They are great cars if the interior space is sufficient for one's purposes. Electric car that automatically becomes a hybrid...no need to ever worry about range...why wouldn't anyone want a car with those capabilities?
I used to be a BMW guy...no more!
oilerlord
Well-known member
michael said:
GASP....You mean...you enjoy driving old, smoking V8's, and you're actually STEERING people into buying cars that use gasoline!! OMG...the environmental horror of it all is almost too much to take, and posting it on a Bolt forum...Don't you realize just how offensive that is?
Now that the politically correct statement is out of the way, wait two years; there will be plenty of used Bolts around at a reasonable price.
oilerlord
Well-known member
montreid said:
Looking at pictures, probably not; especially with Golden in crate. Crate with our Wheaten Terrier just fits in the back of our B250e, and the Bolt's trunk appears much smaller than mine. Flipping the back seats down is of course an option.
oilerlord said:michael said:
GASP....You mean...you enjoy driving old, smoking V8's, and you're actually STEERING people into buying cars that use gasoline!! OMG...the environmental horror of it all is almost too much to take, and posting it on a Bolt forum...Don't you realize just how offensive that is?
Now that the politically correct statement is out of the way, wait two years; there will be plenty of used Bolts around at a reasonable price.
I'm embarassed to admit the old V8s haven't moved from the driveway in years...I really should sell them to someone who will appreciate them more than I now do.
I'm hoping that when the lease on the first Volt runs out, beginning of March, that I can replace it with a Bolt.
oilerlord said:
You're probably right, but we're hoping without the crate it'll be okay. I'm hoping someone will be able to actually MEASURE the trunk space along with the opening without the privacy cover when the hatch is closed--want her to be able to poke her head over and annoy the kids during the drive
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