Battery Degradation 2020 Bolt Relative to 2017 Bolt EV

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paulgipe

Well-known member
Chevy Bolt Supporter
Joined
Feb 19, 2017
Messages
228
Location
Bakersfield, California 93305
With our Pandemic Peregrinations we’ve driven our 2020 Bolt EV far more during its first year of operation than we did our previous 2017 Bolt during its first year. We drove the 2020 Bolt about 50% more during its first year (~15,000 miles) than we did the first year of our 2017 Bolt (~10,000 miles). You’d think that we’d see more traction battery degradation as a result, but that’s not the case. In fact, we see less--about half less.

First, the caveats. This is anecdotal, I am only looking at two cars, not a fleet. I am only going to use the “percent” method of calculating the traction battery capacity.

Previously, I reported on the degradation we saw in our 2017 Bolt after our three-year lease expired (see Slight Chevy Bolt Traction Battery Degradation after Nearly 30,000 Miles). In that report I used three methods to gauge degradation: the percent method, range estimates, and the OBD scanner reports on capacity.

Varying range estimates over time are not a reliable way to gauge degradation.

GM changed the signal from the car’s computer for traction battery capacity in the 2020 model Bolt relative to previous models so I didn’t collect any OBD scanner data on capacity. Later in the year Bolt data guru Sean Graham and other data nerds determined the OBD2 “PIDs” for the 2020’s battery capacity. So now I am collecting the data, but I missed much of the first year.

Nor am I going to produce time-consuming charts. Instead, I’ll simply post the results of the linear regression analysis of the data for the two models.

Disclosure: I worked for GM's Delco-Remy Division 1968-1970 as a cooperative engineering student. I was a member of UAW Local 1981 until the National Writers Union left the UAW in May 2020. The Chevy Bolt is assembled by UAW Local 5960.

To compare apples to apples, I chose to compare the same mileage between the two models as opposed to the calendar period. I compared degradation for ~15,000 miles of travel.

RTEmagicC_Battery_Degradation_2020_Bolt_Relative_to_2017_Bolt_EV.JPG.jpg


The linear regression analysis found that the y-intercept for the 2017 Bolt was 61.7 kWh and that for the 2020 Bolt was 64.4 kWh. This is effectively the capacity that both cars started with. The x-coefficient was 0.0002 for the 2017 Bolt and 0.0001 for the 2020 Bolt.

Early indications are that the rate our 2020 Bolt is degrading is about one-half that of the 2017 Bolt.

The question of degradation is now moot. GM is replacing the batteries in both model years because of the battery-fire recall. We expect a brand new battery courtesy of GM sometime in 2022.
 
Paul: once again, a great report!

Once we get our new batteries (are we getting new batteries or are only our battery cells being replaced?) what measurements can we make when new so that we can measure degradation over time?
 
1. Setup Torque Pro with OBD dongle then setup PID from Sean Graham's web site. Download the spreadsheet and install the PIDs for "Batt Cap" or some such. Pick the right PID for your model year. Sean explains all this.

2. Setup a log book to record the Batt Cap every time you charge. Also record the % SOC and the kWh consumed. I record almost everything just as a rule. The idea here is to compare two techniques the % SOC method to the Batt Cap recording from Torque Pro.

This assumes you know what all these acronyms mean. (I don't know what PID means but I know it's some kind of formula that converts the signal from the computer to a number we can understand.)

Paul
 
This may be too complicated for me.

How often do you charge?

I plug in every time I return home.
 
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