Test-drove a Bolt twice today (LT and Premiere)

[oilerlord]

I've been searching for a wireless OBD2 reader/transmitter that is compatible with electric cars. I have one that works perfectly with all of my other cars, and easily allows you to display any of 100 data points to your smartphone using the "Torque" app. There is no doubt that all this data is there - including (actual) SOC, we just can't see it. Has anyone found an OBD2 transmitter that has worked with their EV?

 

[marshallinwa]

I've been searching for a wireless OBD2 reader/transmitter that is compatible with electric cars. I have one that works perfectly with all of my other cars, and easily allows you to display any of 100 data points to your smartphone using the "Torque" app. There is no doubt that all this data is there - including (actual) SOC, we just can't see it. Has anyone found an OBD2 transmitter that has worked with their EV?

Have read this thread in the Kia EV forum?

http://www.mykiasoulev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=711

 

[oilerlord]

I've been searching for a wireless OBD2 reader/transmitter that is compatible with electric cars. I have one that works perfectly with all of my other cars, and easily allows you to display any of 100 data points to your smartphone using the "Torque" app. There is no doubt that all this data is there - including (actual) SOC, we just can't see it. Has anyone found an OBD2 transmitter that has worked with their EV?

Have read this thread in the Kia EV forum?

http://www.mykiasoulev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=711

Hey, thanks for the link! I'll give one of these a go.

 

[devbolt]

I've been searching for a wireless OBD2 reader/transmitter that is compatible with electric cars. I have one that works perfectly with all of my other cars, and easily allows you to display any of 100 data points to your smartphone using the "Torque" app. There is no doubt that all this data is there - including (actual) SOC, we just can't see it. Has anyone found an OBD2 transmitter that has worked with their EV?

The biggest problem is figuring out what values to be querying for, and if they are accessible from the OBDII connector in the first place. There is a function in Torque and other similar apps that does a wholesale dump of available data, but then you have to go through all the data to figure out what it all means.

EV makers are not under any obligation to provide useful data to the consumer on the OBDII connector because there are no emissions related information that has to be provided. I tried plugging my ScanGauge II into a Toyota RAV4-EV and it was unable to communicate at all.

And there's the problem that manufacturers are free to put non-emissions related car-model specific data wherever they want. There's no standard, really. The SOC info for my 2005 Prius was in one place, and in the 2012 PiP it was moved to another place. I'm pretty sure the 4th generation Prius has it in yet another place.

 

[HotPotato]

The problem with using the word "Low" for increased Regeneration mode is that it incorrectly implies a change of gearing or reduction of power, when neither of those actually happens. It's understandable why they don't use "R" for "Regen" (it isn't a "Reverse") but not using "B" is just GM being stubborn.

I disagree completely. "L" is understandable to anyone who has ever driven any car. "B" means nothing to anyone who hasn't driven the one or two models on the market that use the letter B.

Put an ICE car in "L" and release the accelerator at speed. What happens? More engine braking! Do the same thing in a Bolt, and the sensation is all but identical. People intuitively understand it.

 

[LeftieBiker]

Put an ICE car in "L" and release the accelerator at speed. What happens? More engine braking! Do the same thing in a Bolt, and the sensation is all but identical. People intuitively understand it.

Except that if you put an ICE in "L" at highways speed, you either get an engine trying to overrev while slowing too fast and dragging the drive wheels, or nothing at all, if the transmission locks it out. B mode works at any speed. And, of course, "L" can assist with pulling heavy loads at low speeds, while "B" doesn't. Finally, "L" usually provides more low speed acceleration, while "B" doesn't. So aside from all those important differences, yes, they're identical. ;-)

 

[NeilBlanchard]

There would be nothing wrong with this:

2016 Chevrolet Bolt
EPA Range: 238 city / 190 highway miles

The EPA range is essentially a Combined range. City would be higher than 238. From GCR:

The 2017 Bolt EV gets ratings of 119 MPGe combined, made up of 128 MPGe city and 110 MPGe highway.

That would be roughly 256 miles City. At 55MPH, the range would be about 220 miles.

MPGe is a simple concept, and most folks get it, with a brief explanation.

 

[iletric]

Calling it "L" is just one more dumb thing GM does and cannot give up or give in to. It is plainly misleading and GM needs to start thinking smart and go with the flow. Which it won't ever do, come down from the mountain and follow the leaders, i.e. the "lowly" Nissan, and others.

As an aside to this, the same goes for the placement of the cruise control, and movement of the wiper lever, both going the opposite way or opposite side of all cars I have driven in the last 40 years.

As far as the lever settings, GM did the same thing with Spark EV, not even bothering to upgrade from the standard gear lever, not to mention the "L". At least Bolt represents an unequal improvement there, including, hooray, dedicated Park button.

I have a feeling that some of the Bolt owners will never drive the car in "L" thinking it's the lower gear
So there...

 

[DaV8or]

Calling it "L" is just one more dumb thing GM does and cannot give up or give in to. It is plainly misleading and GM needs to start thinking smart and go with the flow. Which it won't ever do, come down from the mountain and follow the leaders, i.e. the "lowly" Nissan, and others.

As an aside to this, the same goes for the placement of the cruise control, and movement of the wiper lever, both going the opposite way or opposite side of all cars I have driven in the last 40 years.

As far as the lever settings, GM did the same thing with Spark EV, not even bothering to upgrade from the standard gear lever, not to mention the "L". At least Bolt represents an unequal improvement there, including, hooray, dedicated Park button.

I have a feeling that some of the Bolt owners will never drive the car in "L" thinking it's the lower gear
So there...

Who cares what they call it? Read the manual, understand what "L", or "B", or whatever does and then drive the car accordingly.

 

[Nagorak]

There would be nothing wrong with this:

2016 Chevrolet Bolt
EPA Range: 238 city / 190 highway miles

The EPA range is essentially a Combined range. City would be higher than 238. From GCR:

The 2017 Bolt EV gets ratings of 119 MPGe combined, made up of 128 MPGe city and 110 MPGe highway.

That would be roughly 256 miles City. At 55MPH, the range would be about 220 miles.

MPGe is a simple concept, and most folks get it, with a brief explanation.

For what it's worth, you can see both the current EPA city and highway ranges. Just go to fueleconomy.gov, load up the Bolt (or whatever vehicle in question), and then hit the Personalize button. Set the % in stop and go traffic to 0 for highway, and 100 for city.

For the Bolt you get the following:
City: 255 miles
Highway: 217 miles

(Pretty much identical to your calculated figures.)

You can also use the above trick to get the separate city/highway MPG/MPGe ratings on PHEVs which are otherwise displayed as a combined figure due to limited display space.