Charge and range estimate

[msmportata]

I have had my Bolt from about six weeks. Until today, I had not bothered to do a full change. It is now indicating 85% charge level with an estimated 252 miles range and still adding more. Is one of those numbers off or am I really getting that much range?

BTW, I seem to be getting a bit better than 5 miles per kWH around town at least according to the diffs in mileage estimates. Highway is about half of that.

 

[bobpenn]

I have routinely had an estimate of 260-270 miles after a full charge. If you drive in L and are steady, you will easily exceed the estimated 238 EPA miles. Getting 250 is not unrealistic with the air conditioning off. Even more for some types of drives (mostly downhill!).

 

[globecanvas]

We've had our Bolt for 3 weeks and have charged it twice, both charges when about 50 miles of range were remaining. Adding up the miles driven per charge and the estimated remaining range, we got 270-280 miles out of each charge. That is in completely "normal" driving, using the A/C when hot, windows down on the highway sometimes, fast accelerations sometimes when showing off the car to friends.

 

[msmportata]

Thanks for the info.

I finally got my first full change today. I charge 110v at work but have a short commute, so I have been adding miles bit by bit. Always in L, mostly city traffic, 70 degree Bay Area summer.

Final results: 285 mile range with 336 max and 233 min

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zznhq4z9tcqwjfa/2017-08-18 16.03.20.jpg

 

[ItsGotSomeKickToIt]

After using the fast-charger @ a local Whole Foods...

( :arrow: wondering how accurate it is?)

 

[Anonymous]

( :arrow: wondering how accurate it is?)

Generally it is VERY accurate!

If you can duplicate those same conditions (that you were previously driving for the last day or two) for 290 miles, you will probably be at LOW on the Mileage Gauge and Low Propulsion mode and hopefully near where you can recharge, but have about 10 miles left to get to your destination.

The key is to duplicate those same conditions: time of day, weather, traffic conditions, roadways, etc.!

 

[RichCapeCod]

Remarkable miles you folks are getting. I'm impressed.

Rich

 

[sgt1372]

The best I've been able to do in normal local driving( w/o using the AC and staying off the freeway) is 295 for the mid-range estimate so far but I'm still shooting for 300+.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

Unspoken here is that all of these numbers must include mostly non-highway driving, with little to no climate control.

It's a little misleading to say you get 300 miles/charge. It's not like you can hop on the highway and take a 300-mile road trip on a single charge. And you wouldn't want to drive 300 miles straight at 45MPH (6 2/3 hours - that would get mighty boring).

 

[sgt1372]

Unspoken here is that all of these numbers must include mostly non-highway driving, with little to no climate control.

It's a little misleading to say you get 300 miles/charge. It's not like you can hop on the highway and take a 300-mile road trip on a single charge. And you wouldn't want to drive 300 miles straight at 45MPH (6 2/3 hours - that would get mighty boring).

Not sure if you're talking to me (or not) but I've been very clear in stating that my current mileage is based solely on local driving (off the freeway) mostly at/below 45 mph w/all climate controls off.

My best estimate range for freeway driving at 75-85 is still only 190-200 total (with only 120-130 miles driven and 60-70 estimated miles remaining).

BTW, I just got up to 305 estimated range on my Bolt (227 miles driven with 78 estimated miles remaining). Going to recharge when the estimated remaining miles is at 50 and am shooting for at least 250 miles driven, which looks possible now.

That would make it a true 238 mile range vehicle in the sense that you can actually drive it 238 miles between charges. The only problem is that you have to drive it at/below 45 mph w/o climate control to achieve it. LOL!!!

 

[GetOffYourGas]

I was talking more to the silent/casual observer and less to those who have shared numbers in this thread. You all know how you've been driving the car better than anyone. But a casual observer may not realize that 300 miles will not happen on the highway (which is when you'd want to use it all in one shot).

 

[michaellax]

Unspoken here is that all of these numbers must include mostly non-highway driving, with little to no climate control.

It's a little misleading to say you get 300 miles/charge. It's not like you can hop on the highway and take a 300-mile road trip on a single charge. And you wouldn't want to drive 300 miles straight at 45MPH (6 2/3 hours - that would get mighty boring).

Not sure if you're talking to me (or not) but I've been very clear in stating that my current mileage is based solely on local driving (off the freeway) mostly at/below 45 mph w/all climate controls off.

My best estimate range for freeway driving at 75-85 is still only 190-200 total (with only 120-130 miles driven and 60-70 estimated miles remaining).

BTW, I just got up to 305 estimated range on my Bolt (227 miles driven with 78 estimated miles remaining). Going to recharge when the estimated remaining miles is at 50 and am shooting for at least 250 miles driven, which looks possible now.

That would make it a true 238 mile range vehicle in the sense that you can actually drive it 238 miles between charges. The only problem is that you have to drive it at/below 45 mph w/o climate control to achieve it. LOL!!!

Aren't you the guy who complained earlier this year you will never drive your Bolt EV to SF because it will require a charge!

Why not drive it to SF off the highway and set a new off-highway mileage record!?!

 

[sgt1372]

Anyway, I finally achieved my goal of an estimated 300+ mile range.

Drove 251.2 miles w/53 estimated miles remaining (62 max/43 min) after using 50.3kwh at 16.2% SOC for an estimated range of 304 miles based on an average 5.0 kwh/mi. After I recharged in the evening, the range shown on the car was 361 max, 306 mid and 250 min.

Of course, I had to drive exercising my best behavior. No rabbit starts, no hard stops, no speed in excess of 55 mph and no use of the climate controls, except for the fan and seat/steering wheel heaters.

Not a practical way to drive the car if it's your only car but quite feasible if it is a 2nd or 3rd car only used for local travel off of the freeway.

 

[michaellax]

Anyway, I finally achieved my goal of an estimated 300+ mile range.

Drove 251.2 miles w/53 estimated miles remaining...

Couldn't you have achieved the same result by just driving 53.2 miles and having 251 miles remaining? :lol:

 

[oilerlord]

I was talking more to the silent/casual observer and less to those who have shared numbers in this thread. You all know how you've been driving the car better than anyone. But a casual observer may not realize that 300 miles will not happen on the highway (which is when you'd want to use it all in one shot).

Another thing to consider is if you actually "need" to drive 300+ miles on a charge, or are you doing it to compete for bragging rights?

I love to hypermile too, but further to Brian's point, continued attempts at range "personal bests" will reduce the battery's range over the long term. We don't know how big the battery buffer is, but GM officials have mentioned that the Bolt uses "almost all" of it's total battery capacity; and it's generally believed that the usable / total capacity is 60 kWh / 64 kWh. Our main traction batteries have a finite lifespan. Charging from single digit % to 100% on a regular basis reduces it.

 

[michaellax]

Why don't we just never drive our EVs and the battery will last twice as long! :lol:

 

[SeanNelson]

I love to hypermile too...

I try to stretch my range when I drive my Prius C without going to extremes about it. But one of the big things I'm looking forward to with the Bolt is being able to drive it without worrying about efficiency. Here in BC virtually all our power is hydroelectric, so there's no incremental emissions benefit to driving like a grandma.

 

[michaellax]

I love to hypermile too...

I try to stretch my range when I drive my Prius C without going to extremes about it. But one of the big things I'm looking forward to with the Bolt is being able to drive it without worrying about efficiency. Here in BC virtually all our power is hydroelectric, so there's no incremental emissions benefit to driving like a grandma.

It's got nothing to do with hypermiling, which term is often misused on this forum as a pejorative term (and happens to be my vanity license plate since my Volt days, and again if I ever get round to putting them on my Bolt EV :lol!

It's your car; drive it as you see fit!

I just love the fact that I can drive by my old gas station and wave!

I just love the fact that I can go on the HOV lane on the onramp of the local freeways and wave at the line of single passenger cars waiting for the red light to turn to green!

I just love the fact that I get out of the house much more often now and go sight seeing in California due to my enjoyment of ruining my battery's capacity; almost 14,000 miles worth now!

 

[oilerlord]

I love to hypermile too...

I try to stretch my range when I drive my Prius C without going to extremes about it. But one of the big things I'm looking forward to with the Bolt is being able to drive it without worrying about efficiency. Here in BC virtually all our power is hydroelectric, so there's no incremental emissions benefit to driving like a grandma.

Good point, Sean! A lot of us use solar to charge our cars. As with hydroelectric generation, the solar power is already clean, so driving "normally" or for extreme efficiency (i.e like "grandma") has the same zero environmental impact. I never considered that!

I'd add that unless you're paying big $$$ per kWh - there probably isn't much of a financial benefit to hypermiling an EV either.

 

[sgt1372]

Another thing to consider is if you actually "need" to drive 300+ miles on a charge, or are you doing it to compete for bragging rights?

I love to hypermile too, but further to Brian's point, continued attempts at range "personal bests" will reduce the battery's range over the long term. We don't know how big the battery buffer is, but GM officials have mentioned that the Bolt uses "almost all" of it's total battery capacity; and it's generally believed that the usable / total capacity is 60 kWh / 64 kWh. Our main traction batteries have a finite lifespan. Charging from single digit % to 100% on a regular basis reduces it.

Not sure it you're talking to me but if you are here's my answer.

I don't "need" to drive 300+ miles between charges. It just happens to be how far I can drive the car locally by staying off the freeway and keeping the speed mostly at/below 45.

No bragging involved. I'm just reporting my range under the conditions specified just as I've reported that my max range when driving on the freeway at speeds of 75+ is only 190-200.

BTW, I don't consider how I drive the car to achieve 300+ to be hypermiling.

I am not doing any coasting in neutral and I am still passing (and am even using sport mode on occasion) to get around road hogs or in front of cars who are obviously trying to prevent me from getting in front of them.

So, I can still achieve 300+ and drive fast and aggressively when I need to do so.

I also do not wait to recharge my Bolt at single digit SOC levels in order to get 300+ miles. The 2 times that I've recharged so far at this level, the SOC was showing 20% in bars and 16-18% when computed.

I don't think that recharging regularly at this level will significantly diminish the life of the battery but, even if it does, what do I care?

I lease my Bolt and the battery only has to last me for 3 years. The next owner will be covered by the 8yr/100k mile warranty for the next 5 years or 75k miles because I don't expect to drive more than 25k miles during the term of the lease.