2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV: Full Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ต.ค. 2024
- 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV production has resumed, and these cars are back on the menu. GM has also announced that 2023 production will be delayed until late July, so we'll still see several more months of 2022 production.
Overall, the 2022 Bolt EV is a solid offering that can easily replace an ICE commuter car and fit the needs of most single-car households. In addition to updating the exterior design, Chevy improved cabin comfort, design, and materials. Overall, the 2022 Chevy Bolt EV is best in class for the sub $40,000 EV segment; however, it has some new and persisting issues that GM still needs to address.
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With the new prices, $26,500 for the Bolt and $28,195 for the EUV, the Bolt is back on my radar. Thanks for the level-headed review. Without a doubt, the best commuter EVs you can buy.
Same here! I am definitely considering this as my 1st Electric car
Same I am trying to get the bolt euv
Yes I am definitely getting myself one soon too! I am an Internet Manager at a Chevy store so let me know if you guys would like to place an order for your own!
This will likely replace my last ICE car.
Dealership requires markup.
What a comprehensive review. It’s like going from listening to a Chevy salesman to an expert.
Bought a new 2022 EUV at the end of April. First Ev car and haven't made really long trips yet, but am looking forward too soon. However, love the car so far. Drove one day around the state and found a DC quick charger. Was around 30 % charge - hooked up and the wife and I went in Subway to have a sandwich. Came back and was at 80%. Drove home. I can live with charging thing. So happy new owner.
I just bought last night my 2023 Bolt EUV Premier trim. Thank Eric for honest reviews, because of you I bought it!
Awesome! Thank you, and congratulations!
When it comes to useful information about EV's in general and the Bolt in particular, you are the gold standard. The best.
Thanks!
Picked up a 2022 2LT a couple of weeks ago. Love it. Seats are fine, range is excellent. Love the ACC which I would not have paid extra for but it came with this car and from now on all of our cars will have it. Getting a bit over 4 mpkwh Hated to lose our 18 Volt but the trade value as 2k more than We paid for it in 2019. Couldnt pass up the deal and the Bolt is hard to come by right now. Drove to a dealer 200 miles from home to get it.
The new Bolt and Bolt EUV wouldn't be too bad if the DC fast charge speed wasn't so low. How could they redo almost everything and not update that?
That's a good question, but we can keep asking for an upgrade. Realistically, though, there will be a cap of about 66 kW if GM is sticking to the cell specifications, and that's probably their primary justification for not adding a 200 A charging port.
If they continue to offer the Bolt EV model, I expect to see a new battery at some point in the future. Either a new chemistry or higher power density cells.
Charging at home for us makes this a non issue
@@boomerbits2297 Yes, 95% of the time, this won't matter at all. The fact that I drove 215 miles at 70-75 mph on a battery that wasn't even full is ridiculous, and it means that many Bolt EV owners might never even need to use a DCFC.
@@newscoulomb3705 when you get the battery replaced you will be amazed..I drove 259 miles mostly 65 mph highway miles with 10 miles left. Temp 75 degrees....
Glad to hear your seat time in the 2022 was extended and enjoyable. I wasn't blown away by the interior of the EUV we tried last year but it was only a short city drive. With your road warrior status, I'm more than convinced it's a significant enhancement if you found it more comfortable than your own Bolt.
The 11kW AC is also a really nice upgrade. With a relatively small and efficiently used pack, that extra 4kW is providing an additional 12-20 miles every hour on a capable EVSE.
Excited to watch the upcoming 1k challenge vid!
11kW OBC for such a small pack is a really big deal for someone with a quick overnight turnaround or workday. Hotel stays are usually not more than 8-10 hours so that's plenty of time.
Thanks, Steve! I didn't have a chance to look at the cloth interior, but I don't know whether that's even available in the EUV. I'll try to see whether I can get an EUV soon.
@@anthonyc8499 Yes, and a very real use case for me would be making a longer trip down to Southern California and stopping at Hearst Castle. By the time a 3 to 4 hour tour is done, I could be leaving with a battery that's close to full.
Thanks as always Eric, great review.
That this car is still so good, dependable and competitive in the market is a testament to what went into its design. My second Bolt lease is up in about 6 mos. and I'm very likely going to get another Bolt. Sorry the adaptive cruse isn't great, I've been happy without it but I do want the HD rear view mirror.
As far as charging, we're older and we don't do much traveling these days. What is important to me is efficiency, I charge at home from my paid off PV which covers the house and the car so I've been driving for free the last five plus years. In order for that to happen I need a car with excellent efficiency not fast charging. If you look at the weight of EV's they are getting very heavy, I think the Mustang comes in at over 2 tons which drops the efficiency down. Give me less battery, a lighter car and better efficiency - that's what the Bolt is about for me.
Thanks! I absolutely agree. The Bolt EV is a super efficient car, and just slowing down 5 to 10 mph makes it a ridiculously good road tripper, too. My job is to push things hard and see the results, but I think too many people take that as an everyday experience.
I like the way you think. Rivian weighs 7,000 pounds, imagine getting hit by that in any vehicle.
Honestly, this has been the most useful review I have seen on the 2022, period! With the battery issues, most experienced reviewers have come across as very skeptical, while less experienced reviewers gush without context. I definitely know your experience with the Bolt, having followed your channel, and it played a significant part in my purchase in 2019. Thanks for all you do. Two years in and a recent battery swap, I am still excited everytime I drive it.
Every EV company should have a 24-28k base model so that regular people can afford one. The Bolt and EUV are the best EV's on the market currently because of their feature list and price point.
Nice review. I liked that you mentioned the good AND the bad stuff about this latest model. I still can't believe they still dont show battery % on the dash board somewhere, you have to go into their app to see battery %? But wow, I didnt know they now have 11kW L2 charging speed.. that's pretty good, better than Hyundai's 10.9kW L2 speed. And its range still beats my Kia Niro EV 2019.
Thank you, Eric! I watched this video a few times before I picked up my 2022 Bolt EV 1LT. I had in interest in the Bolt from day one and have enjoyed all your videos over the years. The Bolt fits my needs perfectly so far. Such a great, inexpensive car. I love it! Thanks again for all the valuable information you provide.
Thank you, and congratulations!
Great review as always Eric. On charging, my 2017 Chevy Bolt EV never got over 47kW to my knowledge, and also ramped up very slowly even from 5% or below. So you might have got an unfortunate sample?
And yes,I was also disappointment that they didn't increase DC fast charging with the refresh, even though it's not a feature I use a lot.
Thanks! I suppose it's possible that this specific Bolt EV isn't functioning well, but I tested it a number of times before the trip. It was charging at 50+ kW like normal.
I'll have to do some more testing with my 2017 Bolt EV before and after the upcoming battery swap.
My 17 with the new battery routinely exceeds 50.
Got it done..
th-cam.com/video/ZWRgHdBYvqc/w-d-xo.html
Here's an unbiased review of 2017 Bolt does at charging.... With a new battery...
Still thinks it's 2015... Has to offer cash off to sell $500.00...
Now for the Lyric ev it is a tank at heavier than an Escalade ....
Sold Out, but how many??? 500 cars 1000 cars Who knows ???
Mary in Wonderland...
Thank you so much for this review. We are considering our first EV and have a lot to learn- this answered many of our questions. Much appreciated!
When it comes to Bolt EV.. You are the knowledge KING... Most other car channels just pass the car buy like it never existed.
I like the exterior design better except taillights as you mentioned.
the interior looks better, but I think I prefer the old shifter.. I don't want to have to look at the button to find it...
I use cars for rideshare.. so lots of parking lot.. lots of shifting and at night. I would rather have the old shifter.
The regen paddle change also .. would not be good for me.
I think the best bet.. is buy a used 2020 or older for less money. Not enough change to be worth the price.
You can get an ID4 base model for $42K. its better in almost every aspect. except its a VW..
My brother hasn’t complained about the radio issue with his new 2022 Bolt but he had a very similar issue with his 2013 Volt. The issue wasn’t that it turns the radio on even when you had it off. Every car tries to resume with the stereo power and source/input you were last using. The issue was that it would switch the stereo input/source to the radio from Bluetooth when you started the car. That’s because it takes time for Bluetooth to connect at start up while the stereo infotainment system is programmed to skip inputs like Bluetooth if there is nothing connected. In other words, it doesn’t wait for your device to reconnect before defaulting to the next input. If you were using AUX when you turned the car off and still had something plugged into AUX then it would come back on and stay on AUX. It also has jack-sensing so it would go to the radio if you unplugged your AUX cable before turning it on.
His solution to this problem was to use a Bluetooth to AUX adapter for his cellphone, which had much lower latency anyway, and leave it plugged in all the time. Both the Volt and the Bolt have a ridiculous latency for A2DP Bluetooth stereo audio… something like two whole seconds.
Honestly, if the 2023 Bolt EV still has the same inexcusable problem as the 2013 Volt then someone’s head should roll at GM. It’s been a decade! I couldn’t believe it made it to market like that way back then.
I think life in prison would be enough
I'm in Alberta and have had a deposit on this EV since January. Will be using it mainly for commuting within the city, or the odd trip into the mountains. Overall, just charging overnight, so the DCFC rate isn't really relevant to me. I like the range, the spaciousness (for a sub compact) and the price. I appreciate your review as it lists the pros and cons. I wish people would stop comparing it to a Tesla because this is a car for a different segment and is not trying to be a Tesla. I hope to actually get the car in a few weeks as the dealer just told me their building it now. It's been a long wait.
And it's a hatchback, with a fairly large hatchback opening
Very nice. That onboard charger is the best update.
I am glad you finally got around to charging at the end. I have a 2017 Bolt EV with new battery pack. I would love to get Level 2 charging around 11kw and the fast charging is pathetic. I hardly ever fast charge just because of poor charging infrastructure in my area. I keep hoping to get access to superchargers but Elon Musk cares about everybody else in the world except the USA. I am very happy for the most part with my 2017 Bolt EV Premier. I have started doing free charging when I am at home instead of charging at my house. I also get free charging when I go to the beach which is 170 miles away. I usually still have around 90 miles on the battery pack when I get to the beach. There are a few Level 2 chargers that are free to use and occasionally some of them break down. When I get to the beach I try to get the 170 miles back on the battery pack as soon as possible. One of the places I stay at has 2 Nema 14-50 receptacles but they want to charge you too much for plugging in your own EVSE equipment. I still go to the free Level 2 facilities. Also when I leave to go back home I keep a full battery so I usually have 90 miles on battery pack when I get home. Local free charging is where I will get my 170 miles back instead of charging at home since it is totally free. I also have a full size spare tire and it stands up in the back area of vehicle and it works like a charm. I did get 2 new tires on the front of my EV and the ride is so much better. I got cheap tires instead of the Michelins and I am perfectly happy.
Just saw they dropped the price on the 2023 model(EUV) I honestly am thinking of buying two now !!
Nice video! The new 2023 Chevrolet Bolt is now the cheapest EV in America! The Bolt is a quality EV with great range and offered at a great price. 🚗 ⚡️
I have a 2019 Bolt LT. While I am not happy with it's seat comfort. I do love this car. I thought about trading it in for a 2023 next year. But, without the tax credit, and with the reduced DC charging speed you described. I will probably get something different. And that makes me sad.
The charging speed isn't really reduced, but it's also not improved. The bigger problem I encountered is that the charging speed is also no longer consistent. If the battery is hot, it looks like you could be sitting at a charger for an hour to go from 10% to 40% battery, and that's completely unacceptable.
Eric I am used to sitting at a charger for an hour for 7 kwh. I have a 2012 leaf so the bolt would be a upgrade. I think people who started with Tesla for get what us early leaf owners go thru. When they complain about 90 kw speeds . Or 55 kw in a bolt I don’t get that. In 2015 we only had 4 dc fast chargers in my city now they are all over and Evgo installed 100 kw chademo to 350 ccs.
@@markfitzpatrick6692 Thanks for the level setting, Mark! My issue is more with expectations and that the new software appears to be a step backward. After you get used to something, you feel it more when it's taken away.
@@newscoulomb3705 I think you said that clearly in the video. I was just paraphrasing. I enjoy your videos. I am especially looking forward to future videos on your pick up rebuild.
FYI, tapping the power button for the radio isn't shutting off the radio, it's mute. Hold the power button of the radio to shut off and it will stay off.
Nice tip, I'm going to try that
Great review, Eric. I like all the improvements you described. Like you, however, I'm disappointed by the charging limitations. It would be a great feature for (at least) manual conditioning to allow the fastest charge rate on arrival. While I don't travel as much as you do, I do like going down to my daughter's from time to time (San Jose to Rancho Cucamonga) and charging rate is everything on that trip. I won't go into details, but I just completed at 2900 mile roundtrip drive to Estes Park, CO, which benefited tremendously by preconditioning and charge rate of the Model Y I took. So your observations are right on relative to the 2022 Bolt EV. It's a great car aside from that.
Thanks, Bruce! For those of us experienced Bolt EVers, this is nothing new. The thing that bothers me is the consistency. I should know what to expect, and that's not what I got.
I think some of GM's higher end EVs like the LYRIQ will have navigation and preconditioning similar to your X, but I don't expect that on the Bolt EV anytime soon.
Great review, Eric, and great work over the years gathering data on your Bolt EV. You have been a major influence on my decision to buy a Bolt EV, I hope to take delivery in the next 2 weeks. I agree that the lack of increase in the DB fast charging speed is very disappointing, but I don't think people appreciate the upgrade on the AC charger (inverter?).
Thanks so much, I look forward to the 1000km challenge and any other videos you have planned.
Thanks!
Thanks, Eric. I have a 2019 Bolt with a recent battery replacement. I like the improvements you described on the interior, except not addressing the bezel reflectiveness (annoying). My main desire has been an adaptive cruise control, which I personally do really like for road trips as I think it makes driving less stressful. I guess I'd have to test that out to see what you mean. I love the HD rearview mirror and almost can't live without that now, lol. Such a small feature which my wife hates.
I have to say I rarely use DC fast charging and so while I'm fascinated by that and want to see it improved, it's not a major issue for me on the Bolt. If we take family overnight trips longer than 3-4 hours, we are typically taking our Subaru Forester for the luggage space alone. I know we'll replace the Forester with an EV, so I'm keeping my eye on SUV options. In the meantime, our everyday driver is the Bolt and don't see that changing for a while with a new 8 year warranty and longer range that I've just received :)
Thanks! Yes, I think that, with a new battery, Bolt EV owners will be holding onto their cars for a long time.
I'm going to keep an eye on this issue, though, because it does seem to be due to software. I think the reason it was so shocking is that it wasn't apparent during normal driving, where I'd just hook up to a charger and immediate get ~50 kW. I think the combination of ~100 F weather, 75 mph driving, and discharging down to ~5% battery is what caused the issue, but again, not having that issue in the 2020 Bolt EV I tested or my own personal 2017 Bolt EV makes it more apparent.
Good review. Agreed with all your comments. I'll be driving my 2019 until it falls apart, and there is no sign of that yet (still waiting for the new battery).
Thanks! Yes, I've got a lot of testing to do myself, but I need to follow up on my battery replacement as well. My recent trip in the 2022 makes me want to do a 1000 km test in my 2017 on the original battery before I get the new 66 kWh pack. That way, I can do a direct comparison.
@@newscoulomb3705 Oooh, that would be AWESOME!
Nice car, but I'm not trading my car with 260 mile range for another car with 260 mile range and a car payment. I need a far greater improvement in range... That's why I reserved the Silverado EV..... I'll wait
Yes, I don't think that current Bolt EV (or equivalent) owners are the target audience for this car, but EV owners coming off lease or new EV owners definitely are. We're still at the stage where we're going to see incremental improvements to EVs. I think the next leap in budget EVs will come from the Equinox EV.
We were close to buying a 2022 when they first came out before the battery fire issues. We really liked all interior updates. Seats were still just a little narrow but now livable for us. New front end was ok old one was ok too. Moving the brake lights down towards the bottom and not having the big old one functioning as brake lights is a really bad idea IMO.
The dealership we were at had a good price but kept playing games with the numbers. The closer guy became an ass so we walked.
May wait for 2023 model cause we still love electric vehicles. Had a BMW I3 for a couple years. Fun drive but need more that the 82 which degraded to 55 or so miles in the Phoenix heat.
Really excited to hear they are dropping the cost. We've been looking at getting my wife into an EV and I think bolt will be it now.
Has the ride comfort improved at all on the 2022 Bolt? I had a 2017 Bolt and now drive a 2020, and in both of them the harsh ride over bumps, expansion joints and even minor road imperfections is literally jarring. The ride quality is probably my biggest complaint about the Bolt as impacts me every day. At least the relatively slow DC charging speed only impacts me when doing longer trips.
The ride quality felt fine to me, but the Bolt EV has a short wheelbase, so depending on what you're used to driving, it might feel choppy by comparison.
I’m looking at possibly replacing the seats in my 2020 with the new seats if they are compatible and would have traded to a new EUV if it still had the slap stick shifter as I go from D to L constantly while driving and rarely touch the brakes! Unfortunately most people think it is a joystick and needs to be held, I place the center console forward so my finger tips do the shift, back to D back again to L, back again to D! I think people were pushing the stick forward to change modes???? I never take my eyes off the road to shift! Pedestrian avoidance saved a camouflaged person at dusk in light rain walking in the street with a mottled gray and dark gray shirt and dark pants! Even after the car flashed the red lights and swerved around him I could barely tell he was on the road! Glad to have that function but not called FSD so as to fool me into relying on it!
I'm hoping to trade in my kia k5 for a bolt now since the price drop. Thanks for the review!
Good review. Thanks Eric
Thanks, Tom!
Pretty much the number one complaint on 274 different YT videos about the Bolt is the low speed of DCFC. Seems like if Chevy wants to get back the EV lead they had and gave away, they should address that; especially since there is no actual "charger" per se in DCFC its such an easy fix! Bigger wires ftw!
If they dont want to eat the $$ designing better charging, then make 150kW (or more) charging a $500 option or something (higher speed 7.2kw charging was a $750 option on my Volt; 3.6kW was standard), then only people who travel would buy the extra capacity, and people who want an eCar only for commuting can still get one.
I used ABRP to plot a cross country trip I might take and while the stops were about the same number and location if you were using an Ioniq 5 vs Bolt, the actual charging on the trip took TEN HOURS LONGER in the Bolt!! Thats nuts, Chevy; move into the 2020's!!
In some ways, I think GM might be perfectly fine with the Bolt EV being listed as a "city car." They've tracked the usage so far, and there's no lack of demand for the Bolt EV as it is currently configured. The reality is, the average Bolt EV buyer simply doesn't value fast DC charging in the way that some reviewers think they should.
Plus, GM can get away with selling the slowest charging EV right now because they also sell the fastest charging EV (the HUMMER). Because they'll have 20+ EV models available in the next 3 years, they are free to have slow charging and fast charging EVs. An automaker like Hyundai, which only has a couple of EV models, pretty much needs all of their EVs to charge as quickly as possible.
Not giving the new Bolt at least 200 Amp with a flat high carging curve until 70% is a dealbraker. When making the new 66kWh battery they should have adressed improving the charging speed.
They did improve the charging speed by smoothing out the charging curve, but they left the 150 A CCS harness, which really limits what they can do.
@@newscoulomb3705 If you have the charging curve then it would be nice to see a comparison between 2017 60kWh and 2022 66kWh.
I'm waiting for the new 66kWh battery for my 2017 model. Can't wait for the new extended range.
Thank you Eric for your great informative videos
@@estabien5563 Thanks! I didn't do a 0% to 100% for the 2022 because all the charge sessions I activated aligned with the 2020 I tested. I did do a video on the 2020. Unfortunately, the charger failed midway through, so I lost the bottom half of the session. I was able to piece things together over multiple sessions, though.
I'm in the same boat with a pending battery update for my 2017, so I'll try to do a couple of tests for before and after.
AC charging speed is very important for me, it's more abundant, more reliable, cheaper equipment, cheaper power. Bolt's range far exceeds my needs. I hope used bolt prices come down in 3-4 years or so. Right now I think people think new battery = new car, which I disagree with.
Yes, the new battery definitely does mean a new car, but so far, my original 2017 Bolt EV has been holding together pretty well. Still, this 2LT trim is miles ahead in terms of comfort, features, and quality.
@@newscoulomb3705 glad they finally responded to some of the criticisms, I really enjoy the next level in depth review. I don't know if I missed it but I would love to see an analysis of maintenance on EVS, eventually they'll benefit from some service, brake fluid change, coolants? 100K mi, 200k mi, 8 yr, 10 yr.? Video of changing gear oil. Wife's '15 BMW i3 has had a dealer brake fluid change, I
suspect that was more of a money grab than anything. I've only had an alignment on my "15 Fiat 500e, 79k mi.
I'm glad the '22 got rid of that awful gear selector on previous models. If I ever meet the engineers that designed that, me and them are going to have some words. As for the seats - the ones my '17 aren't great but not that bad either; I've definitely sat on worse. But I am glad GM upgraded them. It is odd why they shrank the regen paddle. I believe that feature is a major advantage for GM over the other EVs out there. Drive other EVs that don't have that paddle and you'll see what I mean.
Unfortunately, I don't think I'd recommend the '22 Bolt (or any of the other entry level EVs), unless you need a car right now. Not if that 2024 Equinox EV actually comes out and starts at 30 grand. Wait for that one or the ensuing fire sale of the Bolt.
Thanks for the review and keep up the good work :-)
Thanks for the review. Love the ice blue color!
I have experience with slower DCFC since getting my battery replaced. I suspect it is just GM being a bit gun shy with the recall, but it is still sad.
I love the Adaptive Cruise Control in my Subaru Forester. I use it all the time but rarely use the Lane Control feature. I've only had it for a little over a year and I'm getting 30mpg, so it's kind of hard for me to justify spending the money to trade it for a smaller EV car.
You really get 30mpg?! Wow! You must do all highway driving under 60 mph!
Just got my 22EUV premier sun and surf (or whatever) package to replace my 2017 lt in buyback. Great deal but I echo a lot of this and now you have me super paranoid about fast charging. Guess we will be taking the ID.4 on the road trips. Still like the opening sunroof though.
I think there will be some strategies to work around what I observed, but I'd really prefer to have the system operate the way it was before.
Can you put a mountain bike inside with the rear seats down? Perhaps with the front wheel removed? Excellent review! Thanks for talking about level 2 charging. Few reviews mention level 2 charging speed.
I would imagine so, but you'd definitely want to test out any fitment before buying. Many Bolt EV owners choose to use a hitch mounted bike rack.
GM should have bumped the Max charge rate to 75 kw for minimum 8 to 10 minutes and that would allow you to get enough miles real fast in city use and would help in long range traveling 😉
Should charge up to 125kw for 5 mins then a gradual step down and this car will sell. 10-80% in 35- 38 minutes and it will sell like hot cakes
Nice review! I’m considering bolt euv, any plans to review the Euv in near future?
Superb review and agree that the Bolt is still a good buy for an all-purpose EV. Odd that they buggered up the DCFC capability. That's surprising. Our new battery in our 2020 is going gangbusters. ;)
Thanks! Yes, the 2020 battery really impressed me, though I still think it's held back a bit by the 150 A CCS harness. To me, none of these DCFC issues are major. They're just a software update away.
I have loved the Bolt since it was introduced.
I am a little disappointed that the charging speeds were not addressed in this model however I believe that they are in the planning to replace it with an updated model with Ultium batteries.
I feel that they are being very conservative in the charging routine as a consequence of their previous battery issues.
Other than that the car is brilliant.
I definitely agree that this latest issue with inconsistent charging speeds is likely due to GM's being conservative, but the overall cap at 50-55 kW was definitely due to a 150 A limit on the CCS socket/harness.
To your point, though, even if GM did use a 200 A socket instead (like the Hyundai Kona and KIA Niro), there's no guarantee that they would push past the cell specifications, which would limit peak charging speeds to ~66 kW.
I just got my 2022 Bolt
Awesome. Congratulations!
Great review! I wish they would increase the rate DC fast charging though. My 2017 with 131,000 miles is still a great car! When will you do a review on the EUV?
Thanks! I'll check about getting the EUV soon.
I believe the rear camera mirror feature is now exclusive to the EUV model. I looked at Chevy's online builder and the regular Bolt EV never showed that option, only the EUV.
I agree with what you said about the charging - GM really needs to upgrade the CCS charging harness to 200 A to improve DCFC speeds closer to their competition. They really missed an opportunity for that in their 'redline' version of the EUV model - that model only has some exterior cosmetic changes. I look forward to your 1000 km challenge video and more detail of the fast charging curve.
I think 11.5 kW AC charging will be standard in all of their Ultium platform cars - the Hummer EV has that and the Cadillac Lyriq is even higher at 19.2 kW max AC charge rate.
Very good improvements. Hopefully they can fix the battery conditioning via software
I don't think they do a lot of software upgrades
I loved my 2022 EUV....I just wished the battery recall hadn't happened so I ended up selling to back to GM for what I paid for it and got a Model 3. If it wasn't for the recall I'd still be driving the EUV and be extremely happy with my purchase.
You’re not happy with your model 3?
@@jamesrockhill548 I wouldnt be its a bargain bin "luxury" brand car that cant afford any buttons or a instrument cluster.
Should have kept it instead of believing all the hype the media obviously exaggerated
@@jamesrockhill548 Oh no. I love my Model 3...Love it.
Tesla's had alot more fires than GM's EVs
Great review Eric! I drive my 2018 Bolt Premier around southern Ontario Canada at 100kph on the highway. At this speed limit I find the range is impressive. That's good because, as you say, the charging speed is so pedestrian. Looking forward to getting my new battery sometime!
It's almost like they have gone from active battery management to none. I think that is pure crazy. This battery management and charging issues really just removed the Bolt from my consideration at this time. More data, easier to see and track energy use would be better. Thanks for doing the review and sharing your 1000km test on this car. This helped me to decide.
I hate the piano black garbage everywhere. The center display is at a bad angle and is hard to see well. It needs to be fixed. I hate the button selectors for putting the car in "gear". They need to rethink that use of the console and gear selector.
I also think the back end of that car looks horrible and the separate brake and turn signals down on the bumper just look bad. If they wanted accent or effect lights they can go down on the bumper and have some meaningful connection to the brand or model. The top rear lights should be the brake lights and turn signals and those just look terrible. The back end of the Bolt needs attention.
I hope you get someone's attention at GM. There needs to be a small car out here. Tesla hasn't managed to get into the small affordable car space yet. GM has the opportunity to own this space. This car doesn't do it. I realize that people comparing this to cars costing twice as much don't make sense, but at the same time they need to execute basic functions well. It is like they have gone backwards on the battery management and charging. Yes, some of us when we go on road trips usually a few times a year at least are on the road for 600-1000 miles in a day no problem. We should be able to do that in an EV. Without a fuss. Just like in an ICE vehicle. Tesla is the only one that makes this sort of thing fairly painless. GM, Ford and the rest have a LOT of catching up to do.
Someone else noted that the active battery management might be shut off when the battery is low, which means you'll arrive with an extra hot battery that will pull power from the charger for cooling. Also, the battery will be too hot at that point to charge at full power.
I never understood the preoccupation with powered seat adjustments. Even with manual levers, it takes just a few seconds to adjust the seat. My complaint with the gen I Bolt is the fact that the radio turns on every time you turn on the car and it intrinsically tied to energy elements of the console. WTF. Can't believe that irritation is still there. WTH at GM made that decision?
BTW, I really really hated the old rear lights and really really like the gen II rear lights that now lines it up with the Bolt concept car.
Yes, some things come down to personal taste, but that radio issue needs to be addressed.
Thanks for the look at all of the updates. Wierd that DC rapid charge rates are low with highway distance travel. Absolutely opposite of need.
Do you think pack temp management has changed so it gets hotter during use, and charging is tailored to that? Or did temps always get to the hot side in the 2021 and older but charging went full speed at low % anyway?
Either way, seems like for battery longevity, they need to keep temp closer to optimum during use.
Thanks again for the review of the LT2 Bolt EV!!
Yeah, the charging issue could be a drawback. Great detail! It is on my radar.
Nice job on the review. I checked out a 2022 EUV LT and overall liked it. I found the cloth seats are improved, but not super comfortable with or without the lumbar adjustment. Did you try the cloth seats? Any different than the leather? I also can't understand moving the brake lights to the bumper on the EUV, utter madness on that one. I'm looking for a true ICE replacement that can road trip so that is the main hangup for me. If prices come down below MSRP I'll be tempted as I do quite like the Bolt overall.
Great detail.
Great review! Is it any easier than previous models to limit its max battery charge to 80% no matter what, for li-ion health?
Thanks! Yes, GM added a Target Charge Level feature for the 2018/2019 Bolt EV that allows you to set the max battery in 5% increments. I think that's considered a pretty standard feature across all EVs at this point, but it might still be worth calling out.
I just got the EUV and love it.
Well it finally happened. I got to EA chargers in Kingman AZ. 1 charger was out, the other 3 were in use and there were people waiting ro charge. Fortunately I charged my Bolt to 100% in Flagstaff and had enough range to make it Henderson NV (245 mi.). EA needs 6 chargers at such an important location as Kingman.
Yes, I've been running into more charging sites near capacity, so I agree that EA sites need at least 6 chargers per site on interstates.
There are a lot of LIARS out there saying EV's are "$55,000" and "$65,000." Load of CRAP! You can get good EV's like this one for MUCH less than that!
Lying liars
Great review! I think I’ll stick with my2018 for now. I love it!
Great review Eric Thank you!
We are eagerly awaiting delivery of our 2022 ( or 2023) Bolt EUV Premiere. We are likely looking at late Fall or early winter but in any case we think we made the right choice.
Love the fact that you have driven the wheels off of your 2017 and shared it with us. Have you gotten your replacement battery yet?
And I agree that Bolt owners will be hanging onto their vehicles....almost impossible to find a used one in Ontario or even across Canada.
Thanks again for the work doing the videos and your EV advocacy work!
Mike 🇨🇦 🍁 👍
Rear doors staying locked is a safety issue. Don't want bad people to jump in quickly as driver tries to escape harm.
Interesting. That doesn't seem to be an issue with anyone else who's offering push-button, keyless entry.
I thought the rear view mirror camera wasn't an option on the 2022 Bolt. and you had to get the pointlessly oversized EUV to get it now.
I think you're right. I couldn't find anything explicitly stating whether it was/wasn't an option for the Bolt EV. I just know that the version I reviewed didn't have it. 😞
Does the Rear now have independent rear suspension? I drove a little Chevy years ago without that and I won’t buy another. It must have independent rear suspension! Without exception.
No, the Bolt EV still has the Watts linkage in the rear.
Hey Eric, big fan of your Bolt EV content. Wonder if you could elaborate on a DCFC comment I heard you mention in one of your videos. You stated (or i was led to believe) that the CHARGER PORT on this car is where the "bottle-neck" is. Someone said GM may have too many current ones to want to switch, but my question is........CAN the DCFC speed be increased if you could REPLACE that port (and assume wiring to the inverter) and thus have a faster rate? Or is there more "components" involved?
With so many DIY'ers out there, was wondering if this was ever addressed.
Based on both the battery cell specifications and the fact that the Bolt EV will draw additional power from the DCFC, but only up to 150 A, it appears that it is the CCS socket itself that is the hardware bottleneck. 150 A DC, 32 A AC is a common specification for a CCS, and it appears that that is what GM used for the original Bolt EV.
Even if you upgrade the hardware, though, nothing will change without updating the software that controls the charging parameters. If that can be cracked, then yes, a simple CCS socket upgrade should be sufficient to push the Bolt EV's peak charging rate up to ~65 kW without any significant issues.
So is charging more temperature restricted than '20-21? Is it about the same otherwise? Excellent video, HUGE fan Sir, really enjoy your content!
Is it safe to park in a garage?
Certainly safer than a hybrid or gas car. These are the post-recall batteries.
It's incredible at this day in time and with the massive shortage in the marketplace for EVs that GM has reduced the price of the Bolt to entice buyers. I had dealerships reach out to me also to discount the Bolt even more. I guess the battery fire issue has been catastrophic for GM.
I leased a 2017 EV and 2019 EV , both were excellent, never had any issues. I intend to lease an EUV for my next commuter, and the only reason I'm not getting another EV is because I want Super Cruise, which is only offered on the EUV. I have a question for those who recently bought or intend to in the near future (next few weeks): are you guys able to get MSRP? From what I've seen, that's not possible. I'm in central CA. Most dealers don't have any in stock.
Thanks,
Great video. I’m looking at the euv as well. I plan to get one this summer.
Nice review, considering one once the 18.15% price cut goes into effect
Good review but $36,000 is far from being a bargain. These were $23,000 before the recall. I wanted one but now we are in this thing called recession. So much for that. If your car is about to die I recommend looking at these. I wouldn’t trade in a paid off working gas guzzler for one of these though. Do the math. The monthly car payment will probably be more than what you pay for gas and maintenance for your current vehicle if it’s in tip top shape. The numbers didn’t make sense for my situation. I’m better off with my current vehicle now even if gas hits $10 a gallon.
I do uber eats n walmart spark for money rn,, so far ive spent $660 in gas this month, to make $1500.. if i had an EV or hybrid alot more of that money would be in my pocket
@@Jordanjuggin take into account the car payment for this thing. For the next 4-6 years every month. Insurance is also higher for this EV. state registration fees are high for most states too. That $660 you spend on gas is gonna be your car payment for the bolt.
@@Catman1798 Facts.. 2k for my 2000 camry with 100k true miles, thing has given me very little problems and what it has Ive fixed myself,,, not the best on gas but thats super true I would be locked into a car payment,
@@Jordanjuggin car payment is a pain!! Lol. I’m finally out of one since 2007. I wanted this car but the thought of having a car payment again is not gonna work. You got a great car. Camry last long. I would just drive that car till the end of its life and then take the plunge. Unless you can get a nice used bolt. That’s a whole another story. Cheaper payment perhaps? But I hear used cars are expensive now. Since your job consists of being on the road in your own vehicle, I would explore that option- price them out used. I’m a new car guy myself but you gotta do what you have to do.
It’s a shame it’s so hard to get one. I’ve been on a list waiting for over three months now
Yes, they've just started ramping production back up in April, and in my experience, it was taking at least a month to get these cars to dealerships.
Enjoyed the video. Thanks. But I do not believe you will be able to get the charging speed you want out of those battery cells with this cooling system. :-)
Whatever car succeeds the Bolt EV, maybe the Equinox EV, might charge at 200 kW.
People say they are afraid of electric car fires so we need someone to look up how many have died in electric car fires?? I personally know one person who died in a gas car fire and have seen 2 gas cars burning on the freeway! Jeep Liberty with tow hitch behind gas tank killed the sister of a friend! I don’t know if anyone died in all the Tesla fires that weren’t in an extreme crash?? My 2020 Bolt sits outside my garage until I get the new battery as my house insurance would no doubt be void because of the recall but I have 4 fire extinguishers by the entry to the garage as I worry about the gas truck inside!
Yes, people really should understand that even with at-risk batteries, the Bolt EV was less likely to catch fire than the average gas/hybrid car that's not under any sort of recall at all.
The chances of a fire actually occurring are minuscule, like less than 0%. Look up the statistics. Hybrids are the most likely to catch fire, then gas, then electric.
There have been 19 Bolt fires. 300+ Tesla fires..
Smart
Can’t wait for the potential price drop.. would totally up grade from my 2017
I hate their implementation of the brake lights. So unintuitive.
Thanks! Very useful review.
I really want one but live in an apartment with no way to charge at home. The closest EA is 10 min away but I drive almost 350 a week and I live in New England so winter range will be worse... If only it had 100kw charging
I completely understand. I used to have to drive 650+ miles a week without charging at home. When my work charging also went down, I was stuck with just a couple of 50 kW EVgo chargers near my local grocery stories and shopping. It's doable, but requires a little planning.
You can message your governor online (assumed). Get your state to pass a law like this: In California, landlords and HOAs are required to accept any tenant's written request to install charging equipment for their own use. The law also states that tenants must pay additional electrical costs, which may be added to their rent.Mar 12, 2023
Someone might have mentioned this but the radio can be turned off by holding the power button down until it turns off.
Yes, you should be able to turn off the entire display by holding the power button down for several seconds. What I was referring to is that the car doesn't remember the radio state when it is cycled on and off, so even if you had the radio off, when you restart the car, the radio will sometimes start back up on its own.
@@newscoulomb3705 mine stays off until you turn it on
@@vinsonhelton7141 My personal 2017 is hit and miss, and this 2022 was the same.
Maybe the Mini EV is also a competitor?
I wouldn't think so. In my opinion, any EV with less than 150 to 200 miles of range should be in a different class. The Mini EV in particular is also significantly smaller than any of these cars.
I just want this to charge faster and I would get this in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, especially in the area I live, I wouldn't take this on a road trip.
It seems that the overwhelming majority of Bolt reviews are from people living in California. I live in Kansas and I'm not sure where I'd find a charging station for a long trip.
Sigh …. The one thing that gave me pause was the adaptive cruise control. Now you’ve crushed me on that point. Sigh, my 2019 Subaru was not great in lane keeping (they made it much better in later models) but amazing otherwise
There is a way to fix the adaptive cruise control issues which is by installing comma AI
Perhaps, though I'm really sticking just to my personal experiences.
I have a 2020 Bolt that exhibited that same issue as the 2022. I am about to turn it on the recall for a 2022 so I had already removed my phone I use for Torque Pro so I could not check the battery temp. But I had just driven about 70 Miles and was down to a 10% SOC and I was unable to charge above 25 kW at a 350 kW Electrify America charger. It was about 85 F day. The only other time I had charged was on my return trip buying the car and I have a screenshot of the car doing 43 kW. Hmmm.
Interesting. Had you had the previous software update for the recall?
@@newscoulomb3705 No software updates. Never been to a dealer.
2020 with the original battery here as well, with a similar experience. I managed to find 2 different EA 350s that exhibited this same behavior, but trial and error proved the problem to be the chargers themselves. Under ideal conditions, my best charging experiences have been on EA 150s - 53Kw @ 30% with 50kW @ 58%.
Former Bolt EV owner (early 2019 vintage, yeah one of those, loved the car but had to go)... You mentioned 200 amp DC charging... of course not, 150 amp is out of range, you know that.
Rather curious that Generous Motors is acting so ignorant of charge times. I assume that they have a cooling architecture problem because they had to cut corners somewhere?
More likely they are still sitting on a mountain of low power CCS connectors and harnesses dating back to the Spark days that they want to use up…. The battery cooling is robust! I can DCFC at nearly 50kW in 100 degree heat for quite while in my 2017, although part of that power goes to climate control and air conditioning if I’m still onboard.
Audi does adaptive cruise the best, I love everything about that system.
I'll have to try it out sometime. I just tested the KIA EV6, and its ACC is a bit better than the Bolt EV's was. Still, it wasn't great, and I wouldn't opt for ACC. Not unless it had the option to run as standard cruise control, an option that none of the ACC systems I've seen appear to offer.
@@newscoulomb3705
You can toggle between ACC and regular cruise on the 2022 bolt ev by holding the cancel button for 3 sec.
@@Marko-rg5yy Thanks!
GM really needs to upgrade the DC charging rate of the Bolt. There's no reason they can't go to 70kW. The Niro and Kona both have the same battery pack as the Bolt and they can do it.
2023 price now $25,600
There is a rumor that the federal build back better will have a $8k incentive to buy an electric car.
Yes, at one point, they were talking about a $12,000 credit. The big issue is that they are preserving the Federal Tax Credit model, which requires you to have that tax liability in order to benefit. They really need a point of sale incentive like cash for clunkers.
Tried purchasing one of these last week, only to discover the battery replacement issue. Dealer told me that it could be “weeks to months”; so no definitive timeframe. Purchased a Prius instead. Would have been nice.
They restarted production in April, so there will be a bit of a lead time. Unfortunately, it sounds like your dealership misled you (possibly because they believed that if you left the lot without purchasing, you wouldn't come back). Self-fulfilling prophecy, I guess. New 2022 Bolt EV/EUVs should be hitting dealership lots any time.
I don't get the radio thing. My mom's Chrysler 200 does the same thing when you turn on the car.
Model 3 Price is $45,000 in US, but $33,000 in China, that's so unfair :(
Wow. So a U.S. Bolt EV is cheaper than a Model 3 in China? That's crazy.
Weird that no one liked the stick shift, I love my 2020 but I realized it is a “slap stick” I only grab it for reverse! I extend the center console and use my finger tips to slap to drive or regen which I change constantly while driving, you just slap it back to toggle between them! I got lucky with the 2020 premier to get the camera rear view mirror and high def overhead camera which my Tesla friends are jealous of! I probably would trade for the EUV if it still had the slap stick! But I am now stuck waiting for the electric Chevy truck! I love this car although I did love the ride and handling of my old 2013 Ford Focus Electric that had rally suspension and cushy heavy bolstered seats but a 70 mile range was no good in winter but made a great trade on the Bolt!
Needs to spin this off as an entirely new all electric Division for GM as Ford has already done to great success.