AyeJay wrote:The confusing part is that the manual mentions: "When using a DC charging station with at least 80 kW of available power" while they're limit is apparently at 56kW?
CCS 1 stations usually peak at 500 volts, so if the station is capable of 150 amp charging (the peak charging current permissible for the Bolt), that would likely label that station as a 75kw station (Why do they reference an 80kw station? See picture at bottom). Will any vehicles charge close anywhere near 75kw at said station? My guess is probably not. Why? Most EVs have a fully charged pack voltage of around 400 volts, but batteries aren't able to safely receive high levels of current at high SOC, so peak power will be reduced substantially, as voltages are lower at the lower SOC, when current is at its maximum. Even "outside the norm" EVs with higher pack voltages, like the MG ZS or the Porsche Taycan, or EVs with similar pack voltages, but higher current charging, such as the latest Hyundai/Kia products with 64kwh battery packs or the Audi eTron, won't charge much, if at all faster, than a Bolt, at a 75/80kw dc fast charger.
Owner's manuals, due to the nature of varying knowledge levels of the readers, can often be frustrating for providing either TMI or not enough, to satisfy.
All that being said, the charge rate of the Bolt EV is not what we'd like, but it is the best balance GM could COST EFFECTIVELY achieve. It was explained to my by a GM EV Team engineer, that different battery chemistries have different properties, and often, there are trade offs. In context of this particular conversion, with said engineer, I was criticizing and poking fun at how the Spark EV has had pretty significant battery degradation, but has wonderful power output and fast charge capability. He was disagreeable, yet fairly tight lipped, but pointed out that the Bolt battery pack has three times the energy, but only weighs twice as much as the Spark pack.
Sorry for the rambling, but hopefully that gave some food for thought.
