Does anyone else notice better battery mileage on the 2019 Bolt EV?

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BoltEV

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 31, 2018
Messages
445
I just returned my 2017 leased Bolt EV to my original dealer on Tuesday with 44,640 miles and started driving my new 2019 Bolt EV for Uber on Wednesday.

After two days of full time Uber driving, I can report this model has MUCH better battery efficiency.

While my results are still short term and anecdotal, yesterday I drove 224.5 miles on 53.3 KWh with 30 miles reported as remaining on the GOM and 12% of the battery shown as remaining on the MyChevy app.

The days driving was a mix of rush-hour bumper to bumper freeway driving (LAX to Ontario - 2-1/2 hours!), street driving and full throttle freeway driving when conditions permitted it on the way back to Los Angeles.

I NEVER achieved this kind of performance on my 2017 Bolt EV, even when it was new!

On a side note, it took my Clipper Creek 240v, 20 amp L2 charger 13 hours to complete a full charge, when in the past, under like conditions, it would usually do it in 11-12 hours and the GOM and MyChevy app is claiming 263 miles available!
 
I am also noticing this change:

In my 2017: Crossing lane broken white lines would set off the indicator on the screen.

Now in my 2019, it not only sets off the indicator, but I can feel the steering wheel attempt to correct, if my signal change indicator light is not blinking!
 
I purchased it on July 31, 2019, picked it up on August 5th; garaged it until mid-September when I burned up my existing lease mileage at 44,640 and then started driving it full time for Uber (about 1,000 miles weekly average) until the pandemic stopped that at the end of February, 2020.

Now at 23,200 miles.

Yes, I do still subjectively notice better battery mileage.

I take advantage of of this "extra" capacity by now setting it to charge to 93% so that I always have Regenerative Braking available to me from the start of my drives. I am such a confirmed one-pedal driver, that when I infrequently drive my ICE vehicle, I have to remember to brake! :)

I did have the software update installed recently for better battery capacity, as well, but really did not notice any change after that. It was not required for my vehicle, but I cajoled them into installing it! (You posted to the notice on this forum about it, so you are well away of it).

Of course, the 2020 builds on this capacity, but I am very happy with this vehicle, especially as compared to my previous 2017 lease.

My pandemic "get out of the house" events are long drives usually up north and east or west; many times to the High Desert of Mojave, Victorville, Tehachipi, etc. and this car almost drivers itself!

I just made a flash drive of some music and will be testing that on my next drive; to add to AM, FM, SXM and my iPhone (which is connected wirelessly to Apple CarPlay with some $150 device I purchased and reported on somewhere else here on this Forum).

And your experiences? How is the "LOW battery being dead" problem working out for you these days? I have gone down to 3% according to My Chevy with no problems.
 
Yeah, love the regenerating brakes! I hardly ever use the brake pedal--use the regenerating paddle on the steering wheel down to about 30mph then shift into L where there is a more "analog" control of the regeneration braking. Sweet!
We have yet to venture below 20% on the battery level but since I recently got a level 2 charger low battery levels are no longer a concern unless we're on a long trip relying on DC fast chargers.
 
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