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Anonymous
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picasso said:
Correct. Neither Volt nor Bolt will have power seats. Strange decision on a $40K car...
roundpeg
Well-known member
It's the interior/exterior color options that make me scratch my head. You can get the light gray/white interior with any exterior color except Arctic Blue? What's up with that?
The Volt and Bolt both prioritize efficiency over creature comforts. When you're designing for minimum weight, power seats and a sunroof are the first things to go.
It's one of the tradeoffs for 53-mile and 238-mile EV ranges, respectively.
It's one of the tradeoffs for 53-mile and 238-mile EV ranges, respectively.
I noticed this unavailability of light blue/grey, too. And that might well have been my favorite combo.
It's also unclear what exactly is "dark galvanized". I'm thinking it's the very dark, but not black, grey like in my Spark EV. And what is the associated "sky cool grey" color?
I'm really irritated about the extensive use of black, with small areas of contrast, in lots of cars. I dislike black Interiors - and many cars, including my Model S, offer only black carpet, dash top, steering wheel, door sills, seat backs, and most of the door panels. Any interior color is only seats and small door panel inserts. This might be ok in a $15k economy car but it's unacceptable in a premium car. I'm hoping the Bolt will have a lighter, fully color keyed, interior choice.
It's also unclear what exactly is "dark galvanized". I'm thinking it's the very dark, but not black, grey like in my Spark EV. And what is the associated "sky cool grey" color?
I'm really irritated about the extensive use of black, with small areas of contrast, in lots of cars. I dislike black Interiors - and many cars, including my Model S, offer only black carpet, dash top, steering wheel, door sills, seat backs, and most of the door panels. Any interior color is only seats and small door panel inserts. This might be ok in a $15k economy car but it's unacceptable in a premium car. I'm hoping the Bolt will have a lighter, fully color keyed, interior choice.
roundpeg
Well-known member
elpwr said:
I second that emotion. I have never understood the appeal of black (or very dark gray) interiors. Black vinyl or leather are the worst. They seem highly impractical, maybe because I live in sunny California, but I don't think so. Sun and summer happen everywhere. All those dark colors also make the cabin feel more cramped and cave-like.
The publicity photos of the Bolt picture a light-colored cabin, with a lot of off-whites and light grays, but it seems the colors named in the order guide don't match up to what we've seen so far. What's in a name? I guess we are going find out when the cars begin to ship or maybe when the complete specs are published on the Chevy web site.
NeilBlanchard
Well-known member
Do we have a picture of the LT model, yet?
I'm not all bent out of shape for the loss of NAV (i'd rather use my phone). The heat pump is mildly irritating, but where I live it probably doesn't matter.
No Homelink is really irritating. It means I need to keep my stupid clicker on the visor.
No Homelink is really irritating. It means I need to keep my stupid clicker on the visor.
Maybe the rear vision mirror precluded Homelink on the mirror, but then why couldn't GM install something like this on the headliner:Schnort said:
https://www.amazon.com/HomeLink-60-HMLKV5BLK-Wireless-Control-Headliner/dp/B00A79G9FY
Anyone know how hard that one is install yourself?
Cheers, Wayne
Tesla model S uses resistive heating - along with a very minor contribution from the recaptured heat of the motor and inverter. The Bolt is said to have a glycol heating loop which the Tesla supposedly does not even have and can improve resistive heating considerably. Heat pump efficiency drops off drastically at extremely low temperatures. Sometimes resistive heat is the better choice.
Usually, not always. And then you have to install both systems adding expense, complexity and weight to gain moderate efficiency improvements of a heat pump over it's limited range of operation.
You can certainly make a case for heat pumps. But you can also make a compelling one for the simplicity of resistive heat. I really like the idea of recapturing wasted heat from the propulsion mechanism. However, there is generally not enough there to be very useful.
I'm not trying to be argumentative here. Just presenting another line of reasoning that you will frequently see.
You can certainly make a case for heat pumps. But you can also make a compelling one for the simplicity of resistive heat. I really like the idea of recapturing wasted heat from the propulsion mechanism. However, there is generally not enough there to be very useful.
I'm not trying to be argumentative here. Just presenting another line of reasoning that you will frequently see.
As one who has owned an EV for three years in a relatively mild climate, I can tell you that resistive heating is horrible. That's why Nissan, Kia, and BMW, at least, provide heat pumps.
My resisitive heater can easily draw 6 kW. While that's less of an issue with a 60 kWh battery, in the case of my Focus, that means in a hour drive, about a third of my battery is wasted on heating the stupid car.
At the same time the battery has less capacity (due to cold), you need to waste large amounts on heating.
Yes, it may be true that in some situations a heat pump doesn't work, but that's not an excuse for not providing one for the many cases in which it is advantageous.
Since the car has an air conditioner, it already has most if not all the parts needed for heat pump heating. A heat pump is basically an air conditioner operating in reverse.
My resisitive heater can easily draw 6 kW. While that's less of an issue with a 60 kWh battery, in the case of my Focus, that means in a hour drive, about a third of my battery is wasted on heating the stupid car.
At the same time the battery has less capacity (due to cold), you need to waste large amounts on heating.
Yes, it may be true that in some situations a heat pump doesn't work, but that's not an excuse for not providing one for the many cases in which it is advantageous.
Since the car has an air conditioner, it already has most if not all the parts needed for heat pump heating. A heat pump is basically an air conditioner operating in reverse.
wwhitney said:
A lot harder that if they had simply offered it as an option.
Ford did the same stupid cheap trick on the 2013 and later Focus Electric. So people would simply buy the sunvisor for 2012 models (about $100 at Ford parts) and install it
michael said:
And I own two EV's (Spark and Model S) through two winters in a relatively mild climate and had no real problems with them - and they both use resistive heat. I sure wouldn't classify it as "horrible". But I don't expect to keep the cabin toasty warm and I accept the reduced range due to heating and especially the cold battery's reduced capacity. Different expectations, I guess.
NeilBlanchard
Well-known member
I think the Bolt EV has a heat pump, and that is a good thing. The i MiEV has a resistance heater, and our '15 Leaf S has one - the range hit in colder weather is significant. Like up to 25% loss - which includes the battery heater, as well.
If we get a Bolt EV (which is very likely), it will have heated seats and steering wheel - as this can largely negate the need for the cabin heater, most of the time. And those have negligible affect on range - like it is not noticeable at all.
If we get a Bolt EV (which is very likely), it will have heated seats and steering wheel - as this can largely negate the need for the cabin heater, most of the time. And those have negligible affect on range - like it is not noticeable at all.
GetOffYourGas
Well-known member
I still have reservations about the lack of Nav. I hate the idea of requiring data from your cell phone, let alone service in the first place. I try to keep my cell phone bill in check by using the lowest data package and keeping most usage to wifi. Plus, with 238 miles of range, the Bolt would definitely be driven in remote places without cell service.
Do these phone-based nav options allow you to download the maps ahead of time, when you have a wifi connection? That would help mitigate the issue, but still wouldn't solve the cases of an unexpected change in course, such as happened a few years ago. I got to the Crown Point bridge to VT, only to find it had been demolished. I had to take a large detour and drive around Lake Champlain, through areas with little to no cell service.
I guess it's a good thing I never got rid of that old Garmin (with lifetime map updates, to boot!). Seems a shame to need it in an otherwise high-tech car, though.
Do these phone-based nav options allow you to download the maps ahead of time, when you have a wifi connection? That would help mitigate the issue, but still wouldn't solve the cases of an unexpected change in course, such as happened a few years ago. I got to the Crown Point bridge to VT, only to find it had been demolished. I had to take a large detour and drive around Lake Champlain, through areas with little to no cell service.
I guess it's a good thing I never got rid of that old Garmin (with lifetime map updates, to boot!). Seems a shame to need it in an otherwise high-tech car, though.
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