Easy Peasy Electron Squeezy (2000 mile road trip in a Chevy Bolt)

[@topandrun126]

2000 miles and I complain to do 200 miles. Respect to you.

[@ShamanNoodles]

This was a super useful video for someone new to EVs. Really appreciate the time and effort you put into this! Thank you!

[@baham9217]

Thanks for documenting your 2,000 mile journey. It pretty much was what I expected it to be. Your attention to detail is much appreciated, as well. I have a 2023 Bolt EUV on order and I can't wait to begin my electric odyssey. If I use it for road trips, I'll know what to expect. It is definitely cheaper than gasoline! Thank you, again, for your travelogue.

[@thursdaythought7201]

I'm looking to order a 2023 Bolt EUV, the salesman was saying that it could take as long as 18 months, but I don't know if he was just trying to get me to buy one they already have. How long are you expecting it to take for you?

[@baham9217]

@@thursdaythought7201 , My salesperson said 3-4 months. Ordered in June; production started July 26th, so I'm hoping for it sometime in October or November. 18 months seems ridiculous!

[@edsmale]

I just ordered an EV (factory order only way to avoid stealership markups) and told 2-3 months. EUV may differ.

[@mahwich]

Well done.TY much for the features and how to use and read hem. Is my 3 rd EV.My first was a 2018 Volt we used as a test into EV land. Local use mostly got me paying 14$ CA every 6 months. Last year of ownership I checked gas usage for 6 months it was 2/3 rds of an Imperial Gallon. The gas engine I found too weak traded for a 2021 Bolt. Now 2 years into it i udated to a 2022 EUV. Quieter on the road, Super cruise sunroof .. ahh it is about features. Again I enjoyed your flic. Ty much.

[@MARKO2465]

cheaper then gas yes... lots more time on the road and total stops $200 per night or more.

[@oregonziggy2391]

Awesome video. I just bought a 2020 Bolt. I also here people say you can't road trip in a EV especially a Bolt. That is not true obviously. I wonder how many of those people actually do road trips like this one? Get out and stretch, get some food, hit the restoom. Take a quick nap. I for one can't wait to do a few day road trip.

[@bigdougscommentary5719]

This is how people who bought gas cars in the early years of the 1900s. There is a learning curve but people are so lazy today. I started with a Nissan Leaf in 2013 and now have two Model Ys and a Model 3. We never worry about road trips. As demonstrated by this excellent video, road trips are doable with a shorter range car and a limited infrastructure. You can't be a lazy person though. Thanks for the video.

[@burkejohnson4539]

I don't know, with a 50kw charging limit, taking a 30min break every 2.5hrs seems pretty lazy to me! lol

[@JimBronson]

My 70 something parents bought an ID.4 two years ago and they have done 3 road trips to the West Coast and another to Las Vegas, all from Central Texas, along with a number of longer trips within Texas. If they can do it, anyone can.

[@Deconstruction_Zone]

Facts

[@eddylauterback1312]

I enjoy watching my Bolts energy level and how far I need to go. Many times I have turned off the heater and used the heated seat and steering wheel. It becomes a game for me.

[@rp9674]

Agree, it's fun ! ... Unless you like buying gas, polluting, supporting murderous regimes like the Saudis.

[@jeffryshultz4704]

Gee, he's old...oh, wait, i am too...great content, subscribed, just got euv with supercruise so I might force the wife (nagivator) to do something similar....keep it up!

[@rzu7120]

"It's not the age, it's the miles!"

[@CandycaneBeyond]

I don't want to pay for the subscription for the super cruise.

[@markevers924]

Thanks for the well documented trip. I’m retired and moving from a Prius to my first EV. At this point, I’m gathering information on different EVs and the challenges of charging during road trips. I really appreciate your reporting style.

[@rzu7120]

Thank you!

[@Qrail]

Mark, if you have a Prius, you are on the right track. Look at the Honda Clarity, or other plug in hybrids. Between now and the end of year, the rebates and tax incentives have changed. I would buy something this year. (Read the fine print, Korean cars not included). If you go for a BEV, there is a learning curve. Good luck with whatever you choose.

[@KeithandPamBilyeu]

We are the same…have a 14 year old Prius coming up on 300k miles on it, and ready for EV. We are in early 60’s and we are fine with the slower pace and longer charging time, as we typically have to walk/feed our dog, bathroom, eat, and my hubby has to do all the driving so he likes to lay back and take a quick 30-40 min nap anyway when traveling long trips.

[@kujo49]

Based on the range after charging it seems you have the 60 kwh battery. Hope you've had your battery changed to the 66 kwh version the GM does for free. It's painless. My experience the new battery has better efficiency by the numbers compared to my previous 2017 Bolt. That and the extra range allows better margins of error getting to chargers and fewer stops.

[@JimBronson]

@@KeithandPamBilyeu my 70 something parents love their ID.4 for road trips. They enjoy the charging stops. The ID.4 does 135kwh charging max, the Teslas are faster, but they haven't regretted their purchase.

[@markfitzpatrick6692]

It is great to see a ohio guy like me . I like the bolt. I get tired of people who say you can’t travel in a bolt. Newscoulmb. And plug and play ev do long trips all the time.

[@kkitzhaber]

Thank you for the information. It gives me a good comparison with my 7 year old Tesla. For reference, I have covered 900 miles in one day. 13 hours driving, 3 hours charging.

[@barryw9473]

Great video. Thanks for promoting the truth that road tripping in a Bolt EV is very calm and essentially boring, the way it should be.

[@CandycaneBeyond]

That's crazy, brand new stations. It's like losing your luggage. It's inconvenient, but you can still get by..... maybe 🤔

[@lawnmowerdude]

It’s nice to see more real world examples of using he EA network and the Chevy bolt.

[@raduser]

I truly appreciate your efforts in video-documenting this trip. I too ordered a 2023 Bolt LT1 and am *Patiently* waiting for it to be manufactured. I also appreciate that you brought your dog and showed that bit of interaction. Made the video more enjoyable. Great work!

[@rzu7120]

Thank you!

[@timrudnicki5447]

I'm considering a transition from my hybrid to a Bolt EUV. Most of my daily driving is well within the battery range, but I want to have ability to/know I can travel across the country with the Bolt EUV. You helped me understand the challenges as well as what can be done with an EV. Thank you!

[@brendykes6599]

Oh my. You have a flashlight on the dog collar. My AmStaff has Light Obsessive Disorder. I think that would make her lose her mind! 😂

[@Terry-bw7qk]

Great video. Nice to see the actual experience of travelling distances that would require some charging stops.

[@harryvelez489]

Thank you for your service you make me realize if you want to go Electric or not like you said we got time it's no problem because life matters

[@evtrekker1317]

Well done, Sir. We took a 3wk trip in my 2020 Bolt from AK to TX from Jul 8- 31 of 2022. We were not in a hurry either so charging time was good to get drinks, food, walk the dog and even for me to take a short nap when needed. Totaled 11K miles with a 1day turnaround. Also, to Bolt's charging speed doesn't tie you to EA. We took advantage of free charging when we could and combined with free DC charging in YT and BC, Canada about 50% of our charging was free.

[@SporeVenom]

Any tips on where and how to find free charging?

[@evtrekker1317]

@@SporeVenom Using plugshare just look what chargers are available in the same area as EA or whatever network you're using. Usually they are at Gov''t plazas or visitor centers. Most of the ones we found were Charge Point 62kW with two stalls. We also charged at Buick dealers who were very accommodating.

[@darrylshehan1531]

Thank you for documenting. It's all about EV owners adapting to a new way of traveling. I normally do 450 miles one way. It's about planning stops and when you get your coffee, you can charge. By the time you are back, its almost the same time period of having an ICE vehicle.

[@rzu7120]

Major insists on long walks!

[@danielroden9424]

there is no way this is true unless you're only driving 50 miles at a time. stopping 10 times for a 450 mile trip is not most peoples idea of a go0d time. the bolt averages way less than 50kw fast charging and takes an hour and 20 minutes to go from 10-80%. that is not a pee break and a cup of coffee time. the ioniq5 charges at 225k and goes 10-80% in 18 minutes. that is the charge speed needed for coffee break level times

[@rzu7120]

@@danielroden9424 Newer Bolts charge 10%-80% in 65min.

[@danielroden9424]

@@rzu7120 that is still pitifully slow and not a coffee / pee break time frame. again, if that works for you great but i dont think a lot of people would be happy with that speed unless they take a trip once a year

[@sh969]

@@danielroden9424 why on earth would you be driving only 50 miles at a time, on a car with a 250+ mile range???

[@adrianshipley1839]

I own a 2022 Bolt EUV with super Cruise and I took it on a trip from Omaha Nebraska all the way to Eugene South Carolina round trip trip. I used a better route planner because they finally introduced a Bluetooth dongle that you can use and it planned out my entire stop in charge locations plus it was nice if I wanted to I could just simply have it transferred‘s plan over Google maps strangely enough would keep me exactly where it planned. He did all the stuff he needed where to stop how long stop there how much you would charge up.

[@TKevinBlanc]

I always use A Better Route Planner to allay my fears. Still new to this. Your Bolt is very efficient. It's a real bargain.

[@jedielder7970]

I'm hoping I can afford to purchase an EV for our next family car (wife and two kids). After watching your video, I see it as the trip being an "adventure." We like adventures. I would also organize charging around meal times . Also, it's probably more healthy to get out of the car and walk around a little (sitting for too long periods of time can be unhealthy). Also, it seems significantly cheaper to travel via EV versus gasoline, especially these days. Thanks for taking the time to document your trip!

[@COSolar6419]

We’ve been driving an EV for almost a year but don’t often make extend road trips. The ones we’ve done have gone pretty smoothly. Like you we often found the car was ready to go before we were. It does require planning out the charging stops which isn’t that difficult. We start with an overall plan using A Better Route Planner and then at each stop recalculate the next stop using the car’s onboard navigation system. Pretty much just like you demonstrated. BTW 689 miles in a day is way beyond our limit! Nice to have a traveling companion.

[@classic287]

Nice ride, thanks. I’m beginning to like the Chevy Bolt

[@boomerbits2297]

We love in Florida so our ac is on most of the year. It doesnt impact range enough to even worry about it. Heat on the other hand! A full charge in the summer here shows about 310 miles max. 285 or so average and that is with the ac on all the time

[@ronalaska2472]

Love my 2020 Bolt Premier, never go to a gas station but have a full tank every day! With gas prices my gas car is on a trickle charger in the garage waiting for lower gas prices! Also my grocery store has free ChargePoint charging so that is the only time I charge outside and only charge on 120v at home!

[@MolloRelax]

Maybe in the near future; we will be able to just pull in to a charging station ; where a short range vehicle sensor on site will be able to determine/identify the car you drive, then establish a secure connection to the car; and will guide the driver to an appropriate charger, ready to plug in without having to pull up the app from any device.

[@KeithandPamBilyeu]

A short range sensor similar to what they use for the toll roads. The technology is there.

[@JimBronson]

wrt: the Walmart comment, my parents 22 ID.4 got backed into at the Electrify America in El Paso that is located at...Walmart. They haven't gotten the damaged fixed yet as it's not too horrible, but I'm sure it won't be cheap. All that aside, enjoyed your video. You don't really seem to stop for that much longer than my folks do with their ID.4 as they charge it to 100% every time. I've told them that's not optimal and they won't get anywhere near the rated 135kwh charging on the ID.4 if they're consistently going that high, but hey they are in their 70s and it makes them feel better to charge it that high. They're on their 3rd road trip from Central Texas to the West Coast right now (June 2024) in their ID.4. As for my wife and I, we are considering an EV purchase, the used values have really crashed, and I have borrowed the ID.4 enough to know it costs much less to drive than our gas vehicles. Plus it's more fun to boot.

[@alruiz5811]

Thanks for a very informative video. I was impressed by the efficiency.... Major, your copilot, deserves a lot of credit for adding a dimension of fun to the trip.

[@rzu7120]

Thanks, he's a great companion!

[@Robothut]

Thank you for the video. Very well done and helped me understand what is involved. I plan on a Chevy Bolt for intown driving only , so home charging at night will be my go to. But really wanted to see what a road trip with a BOLT would be like. Thank you for sharing with us.

[@jdlutz1965]

You're very frugal without staying at any hotels on that long road trip. Hotels with level 2 charging would give you a night's rest and a full battery but would have taken much longer.

[@ocalakid55]

Your Chevy Bolt offers WiFi for a very nominal monthly service charge. I couldn’t live without the in-care internet. Currently, I have a 2018 Chevy VOLT Premier with onboard WiFi. I am planning on ordering a 2023 Chevy Bolt EUV Premier w/ Supper Cruise. Then a long trip from Ocala Florida to Gilbert AZ

[@rzu7120]

I'm way too cheap to spend the money!

[@logictheorist]

My experience in my EV is about the same. The biggest problem is the crappy chargers. I don't like sleeping in my car so I choose hotels and motels with free charging, so each morning I leave with a full free charge. I time my meal stops and charge stops together. But sometimes my charge stops are not located near a desired restaurant. I pick food along the way but I don't like eating in the car so I bring a folding chair and sit outside if the weather permits. Yes it's more time consuming than an ICE vehicle. But it is also much cheaper. If you have a Tesla then your not being held hostage to Electrify America, EV-Go, etc. You have more options and the Tesla stations always seem to be in working order. The good news is that Tesla is opening up their charging network to non Tesla vehicles in 2024. So more options and fewer crappy chargers. Yeah...

[@radiioman46]

Now 5 or so months later, the efficiency of charging at EA has dramatically been reduced. I made a couple of long road trips this last summer, and had about the same experience as you with the chargers. Not too bad, because at the end of the day, you were able to get a charge and not get stranded. Today, I wouldn't make that bet until something drastically changes. Good Video and fun to watch!

[@Superman-xr1oh]

Exactly.

[@michaellippmann4474]

Great video...Thank you for doing it. We have a 2023 EUV on order and hope to see it this fall. Very excited about it. The slower charging speed is a bit frustrating but I believe it will help to keep the battery healthier over the long term. It looks like you and Major had a great trip! Mike 😁 🇨🇦 🍁

[@adrianshipley1839]

That’s the same theory I held about my car plus it helps with the road trips do you have break once in a while

[@thursdaythought7201]

I'm looking to order a 2023 Bolt EUV, the salesman was saying that it could take as long as 18 months, but I don't know if he was just trying to get me to buy one they already have. How long ago did you order it?

[@michaellippmann4474]

@@thursdaythought7201 we placed our order in April of this year and we are now being told with this latest snafu stop sale order that it could be 2023 before we see it...😔

[@thursdaythought7201]

@@michaellippmann4474 well that sounds perfect with the new tax credit. Bigger discount for you!

[@adrianshipley1839]

@@thursdaythought7201 Sorry I got the one that was on the lot so I got lucky it was fully loaded

[@ryansherman4556]

I have a 2022 bolt euv launch edition arriving around mid august cant wait and good job on the video

[@ElGuajiro48]

Thank you for the video. In support of your point I want to share that my wife and I have done several road trips. Our longest was to Austin, Texas from the Sacramento, California area. About 2,000 miles round trip. We did this in 2020 when the Electrify America network was not as large as it is now. Road tripping on an EV, even a slow charging Bolt as our, is definitely doable.

[@edsmale]

Your dog is so cute

[@DoverBoy20]

Thanks for sharing the real world info for your EV. I'm sure my next car will be electric, but there's still just not enough of a compelling reason to trade my Prius in. It has given me 11 years of faithful service and I'm feeling like I'll probably hang with it until the wheels fall off.

[@AngusandAndrewfunguys]

A nice information video with some good stuff and funny comments.

[@karenstrain1152]

Awesome video with lots of info. I travel with my dog, too! 💕

[@stansunderwirth41]

Nice video. I have also done long trips in my Bolt and have charged at some of the same stations you used. Agree that the Electrify America station at the Walmart in Albuquerque is a bit sketchy. Nice to see Major. I have ordered a VW ID.4 which should charge 2.5 - 5 times as fast (at 350 kW chargers) for future long trips, but still planning a 4000 mile trip in the Bolt until the VW arrives.

[@rzu7120]

I actually had an ID.4 on order before I bought the Bolt, but I waited weeks without it moving to the next stage, so I cancelled the order. I posted a test drive video with the VW, and I really liked it, but have no regrets buying the Bolt.

[@stansunderwirth41]

@@rzu7120 I ordered my ID.4 in November, 2021. Locked on April 13, 2022. Has not progressed since. Not sure if it will arrive this year. I love the Bolt and I intend to keep it if/when the VW shows up. The AWD VW will replace my wife's 2000 Nissan Xterra for use on long trips and in snow and rough dirt roads or if I need to haul a small trailer.

[@markfitzpatrick6692]

The id 4 chargers at 135 kw with the new update

[@stansunderwirth41]

@@markfitzpatrick6692 Yep. 135 kW vs. 55 kW is a big difference. Even more so is that when you really have to charge up past 80% (as we do here in the Wild West) the ID.4 will still charge at 50 kW past 90% while the Bolt is down to around 11 kW at 90% and 9 kW at 95%.

[@epcalderhead]

Still a pioneering spirit needed outside the Tesla SC network. Will be great for other EVs once Tesla opens their network. We have both a Bolt and a Tesla Model 3. We drove to Wapokoneta recently for the Armstrong Space and Air Museum. We stopped at the Lima Supercharger. For some reason that's been free for a few months at least. We drove 360 miles that day and paid about $3 at home for the entire trip. Thanks for showing your trip!

[@Qrail]

Still a pioneering spirited needed? It will continue to get better as time goes on. It was really tough 10 years ago. Unless you had a lot of money for a Tesla. My poor Leaf, then my Electric Smart car could not make it from Sacramento to San Francisco on one charge. Now 200 miles is easy!

[@epcalderhead]

@@Qrail I can appreciate your early experiences. My first EV was a used 2014 Nissan Leaf I picked up in 2017. It only had 8,700 miles on the odometer, still a 100% SOH battery according to LeafSpy, and cost $9,800. I kept detailed records the first year for my charging costs. Thanks to free electricity at work and around town, I drove 11k miles the first year and paid about $87 at home to charge. Still driving that Leaf today @37k miles. Its battery is around 78% State of Health, but for a runabout errand car it will serve me well for years to come. I actually prefer to drive the Leaf over the Bolt if range is not an issue. It feels more nimble and "fun" over the Bolt despite it having less power and having to press the brake pedal. 😉

[@Qrail]

@@epcalderhead thanks for the reply. I had 65870 miles driven and 46% SOH from Leafspy. It was a dependable car, but time for an upgrade. I got $3600 trade-in and bought a Fusion Energi. The old Leaf had a 40 mile range. My new hybrid has a 29 mile range, then I can go 604 miles on gasoline. And as an old “dog” driver, I still can do that.

[@epcalderhead]

@@Qrail I'm guessing yours was a 2011 or 12 Leaf as that was a lot of degradation for that mileage. 4/13 built Leafs and the 14's get the next gen chemistry battery, but the 15's had the best chemistry. I'd be unhappy to have paid full price for a Leaf to see it degrade so quickly. Too bad Nissan cheaped out on thermally managing those packs.

[@Qrail]

@@epcalderhead it was near the 290th built. Early model

[@stevenjohnson9753]

I live in Kingman. Great report on your trip. I was stuck in flagstaff for 2 hours waiting for the one available charger. What a joke. In my journeys I look for free DCFC chargers. I can get to Sacramento from here on $12 . State rest stop along the way. Thank you caltrans. Plugshare shows them all. Cheers 🍻Bud Zero

[@rzu7120]

Thanks for the tip!

[@roboSKAY]

Living in Flagstaff I can use Marxen Cadillac to Dcfc at 25 kw for free

[@stevenjohnson9753]

@@roboSKAY I seen that on on Plugshare. I was there on a holiday and they were closed so didn’t bother going to that charger. But if I’m there on a weekday will check it out. 👍

[@KeithandPamBilyeu]

What are DCFC chargers and where are they? Are those the ones at car dealers? Do they have to be open to use them? Thanks for the info!

[@rzu7120]

@@KeithandPamBilyeu DC fast chargers charge cars much faster than either level 1 or level 2 chargers people use to charge at home. DC fast chargers are located at some car dealerships and MAY be available for public use. To find public DC fast chargers use apps like Plugshare, Electrify America and EVgo.

[@brendykes6599]

I did a Bolt road trip: Boise-Shreveport last year. Fazoli’s in Amarillo was awesome. Someday I may actually upload my trip video. Haha

[@rzu7120]

I had eaten at the same Fazoli's a month earlier and the chicken salad was great. This time, the cook had loaded it up with chunks of bread sticks instead of chicken. It was terrible. I was very disappointed ☹️.

[@brendykes6599]

@@rzu7120 oh sorry. In my case i was going for pasta & breadsticks, so I was quite happy.

[@silvershooter555]

Very encouraging video! I just bought a 2023 Bolt EUV -- my first EV. It's an interim step until my reservation for the Rivian, Ford Lightning, or Chevy Silverado becomes available. I'm planning a 900 mile trip from NC to NY soon, and your methodology will help me plan that trip. 🙂

[@derwood]

@silvershooter555 how has your Bolt experience been? I'm might purchase a used 2023 EUV. Thanks.

[@silvershooter555]

@@derwood I never took that 900 mile trip, but the overall Bolt experience was great. Worked perfectly, nice features, fun to drive, etc. I did sell it after one year because my Ford Lightning order was finally delivered. I wish I could have kept the Bolt as an around-town vehicle, but didn't want to insure two vehicles since I'm the only driver. If the Bolt fits your driving needs, buy it!

[@derwood]

@@silvershooter555 thanks!

[@THESEGMENTPR]

a lot of great information about road tripping in an EV. Thank you so much for all the time it took to create this. Great info !

[@ColtonplayzgamingYT]

My bolt has gotten over 300 miles on one charge multiple times. From freshly charged to blinking. 313 miles to be exact.

[@ColtonplayzgamingYT]

I also live in Lima which is right before wapak. Which is funny you're so close to where I live.

[@rzu7120]

I think 10% of my battery is blocked off. When I left Nevada with a full charge, I drove to Cedar City, Utah. The info screen was showing that I had used 59kWh. I plugged into the charger and it was showing my SOC as 1%. So only 60kWh, not 66.

[@LizKauai]

Enjoyed your trip very much! I live on a small island but my work could take me close to 200 miles a day. After 3 years with Leafs, I have just purchased my first Bolt and look forward to driving it soon!

[@Qrail]

Aha! A fine commentary on a road trip in an EV. I previously owned a Leaf, and a Smart EV. I appreciate your attention to detail on this, so we can see what it looks like. Personally, I went with a PHEV after my Leaf became 12 years old. My trips generally cost .09 cents per mile for comparison.

[@mvtroiano]

Great commentary and documentation.

[@s.porter8646]

Did two Washington to Massachusetts trips towing a MYPOD, yes you can, use camp grounds for charging, usually have cabins.

[@gandmemoney]

Well done, get some rest. I’m tired

[@Longsnowsm]

Thanks for sharing. Long distance in a Bolt and you better be patient and have time. It is the one thing GM needs to do is to bump that charging speed a little. Those Chargepoint chargers you don't need an account. You can use a credit card. Just use the tap to pay on the front of the charger and it will allow you to charge. Pretty simple, a lot like a gas pump in simplicity. I prefer those Chargepoint chargers as they seem to be pretty reliable for me.

[@anthonymalovrh2912]

Major is a totally cute dog. Very Chill. PS own/drive a 2016 Nissan Leaf SV.

[@porkchop41]

The chargers that are shown on the app as "unavailale" are maybe being used at the present time? Never mind. You just answered my qouestion in the video.

[@laggreen]

Lots of great info in the video and the comments. Thanks 🙏

[@JasonFritcher]

Good video, thanks! I used to own a Volt, skipped the Bolt and bought a Tesla Model Y instead. Road tripping in a Tesla is almost effortless, so I've been curious what road trips in things like the Bolt would be like. Glad to see most of your charging was uneventful.

[@KeithandPamBilyeu]

Saving money usually always takes more time and effort. We were weighing a 70k car vs a 30k one for 95% of our driving needs would charge at home….lots to love about the Tesla…but 35k savings is no brainer for us. Elon needs to get the Model2 going.

[@Superman-xr1oh]

@@KeithandPamBilyeu Yeah, Teslas are ridiculously expensive.

[@Geckogold]

Thanks for sharing! I was wondering what road tripping in a Bolt would be like. I traveled to the Grand Canyon last year and also got hit with rain for a few minutes right out of Amarillo, then got hailed on when driving back home through Kansas after visiting Colorado and driving up Pikes Peak (also fun in an EV). Had to try and hide under a bridge for a few minutes along with a few other cars. I also liked how you wanted to avoid big cities, something I've also increasingly learned to avoid due to how hard some DC fast chargers are to get to in them, and the fact that they will usually be heavily used during the daytime.

[@wineberryred]

Chevy/GM does need to solve the charging speed issue. If they could get 100 or 150KW charging speed then I think they would have a very practical vehicle for any road trip.

[@jimworley1048]

Great video, just goes to show all the negative people how great these cars are. Love my 2021 bolt.

[@mommat1306]

Thanks for doing this. I am leaning toward a Chevy Bolt to replace my 20 year old Honda Hybrid. The Honda has been a great car, and I could still drive it, but this next one will be my last car (as I am OLD). We use my husband’s big diesel truck towing a trailer for road trips. So I feel like my little electric car will offset the damage we do to the environment at least a little. If I have to trip alone, I think I will rent a gas car!

[@edsmale]

I’m replacing my 23 yo Honda Civic with a Bolt.

[@ThePeacePlant]

Be careful! Idk how Chevy Bolt engines are, but Chevy Gas Engines aren't know for being a reliable and long lasting brand, so I don't know about their Electric Motors

[@edsmale]

@@ThePeacePlant EV use electric motors, which are massively simple compared to ICE engines. I have seen nothing anywhere complaining about anything in regard to the electric motor.

[@rp9674]

Bolt is a good choice and the best deal. EVs have little to do with the makers gas engine cars, so don't let reputation and rumor deter you.

[@paulob5153]

Great detail! I am getting more and more interested in EV and my biggest questions are the length of charging and range this Little bolt seems to have good range but a low charge rate , however more affordable so I guess a compromise.thanks for taking the time to do this detail trip , your trip must have been made much easier buy your great co pilot 😃

[@El-ng7mb]

This is amazing !! You're awesome.

[@rzu7120]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@El-ng7mb]

@@rzu7120 my pleasure, I'm trying to get my mom into a bolt and showed her your video so she understands the limits of having an EV and the bolt specifically! It was very helpful! I'm getting an EV as well and like to do road trips and its so helpful to see a normal person do a video like this rather than hyper people being very showy with their trips. Thank you again !!

[@stevemccuen8131]

Great video! Thank you! I hope to have an EV soon and am considering a BOLT. Based on your video and others I have seen, it seems that the dependability of Electrify America stations is one of the main challenges to road tripping in a non-Tesla EV. That is really unfortunate. It sounds like they could use some competition from other operators.

[@benjibumble]

Great vid. Would be helpful to include beginning and ending state of charge along with charge time next time

[@81MercTurbo]

This trip makes me appreciate my Tesla... enter the destination into nav, and it plots the course with Supercharger stops built-in... add to that plug-n-play charging, no messing with apps or cards to pay or initiate charging.

[@howardsaltzman2103]

I enjoyed watching this. I like the value proposition of the Chevy Bolt, but the EA and EVgo networks are spotty in places to which my wife travel regularly. While we have a Tesla Model 3 RWD on order, it might be tempting to sell the Tesla and buy a Chevy Bolt once the Tesla Supercharger network adds CCS charging capability over time.

[@BigAL2212]

Enjoyed the video. Problem in my area of the country is the lack of chargers! A recent 280 mile trip from our home in northeast Mississippi to the Gulf Coast in our 2020 Bolt had only two auto dealer chargers along the way. On the late afternoon return trip, we stopped and charged to a 195 mile range but BARELY made it the 180 miles to home! Drove 55 using only parking lights, and no climate control in an effort to extend range. 15 miles from home: “Power Reduced” with no available range. When we eased into our neighborhood in the dark, I turned on the headlights; they were a soft pink. That was way too sketchy for us. We have another gasoline vehicle that we’ll use for road trips. Maybe we’ll get more charging stations in the coming years, but I think the EV bubble is gonna burst because of inadequate infrastructure to support them. Areas with bigger cities will be okay, but not the more rural areas.

[@ganthc]

I think Tesla is opening up their charging stations to Chevy soon, so you will have more stations available at that point. You will just need a converter for the charging port.

[@wildhorse1966]

picked my 2020 premier in the same color up in kanas and drove it back to southern California 2 weeks ago.. my first full ev drove the same route to kingman then headed to Vegas to pickup my other car at the airport and head home to southern California we did the 1800-1900 miles in a 3 day span my car had the 80% max charge software so some legs of the trip were a challenge

[@davidrusk4053]

Great video that answered my questions about a road trip in a Bolt. I get nervous when my 22 gallon gas tank gets down to 1/4 full and that equates to 140 miles of range. I'd suffer range anxiety severely. I want an EV, but it's going to have to have a faster charger on board and a much bigger battery. Thanks for the education!

[@rzu7120]

I'm glad you found it useful!

[@darrylp6938]

I'm 2 years late to the video but it is super helpful thank you

[@TonyG_Film]

Very good video. Well done.

[@natehill8069]

Thanks for your video. Nice that your display shows mi/kWh. I had a Volt and it displayed MPGe, which is, as you would expect from a federal govt conceived measurement unit, completely F-ing useless. I cant buy MPGe's; but I can buy gallons and I can buy kWhs so therefore those are meaningful to me. I want a Hyundai Ioniq 5 but since they are on the lot right behind the Unicorns I might "settle" for a Bolt for a couple of years since so much progress in eCars is happening so fast right now. Not that a Bolt is easy to get, theyre backordered several months as well. Just fyi, the I5 charges (peak of course and requires a top end charger as well) at 350kW so about 6x the Bolt. They estimate 18mins from 10-80%.

[@eddylauterback1312]

good job. good editing and lots of information. you done good!

[@rzu7120]

Thank you!

[@maheshgvelly]

Thanks for documenting this huge trip ; great effort

[@lakeeffected]

Thianks for the great demonstration of how to road trip with a Bolt.

[@AppleFanX2]

A very informative video! Thanks for taking the time to share your trip.

[@milestone_achiever4634]

Hi sir. I liked your video alot. I was doing Uber during the pandemic for about 2 and a half years and I had the electric Hyundai Kona and Kia Niro. I loved those EVS alot. At one point Electrify America had a promotion going on where recharging was for free. I had a number of free charges with Electrify America There is one big misconception about the charger adapter that these EVS come with . If you use that adapter from your home, your electric bill will skyrocket. This is unacceptable. First If all, If you pay all that money for an EV to begin with, why would these carmakers make you pay so much in electricity usage to charge your car from home using the factory adapter. Everyone thought that EVs were the way to save money. That's not true in all aspects. Great video.

[@ScottOstr]

Very informative! Thanks!

[@ScottOstr]

Makes me appreciate Aptera's supposed 10 miles per kWh 🔋It was interesting to learn how much a head wind affects range.

[@thenetworkarchitectchannel]

I like the way you road trip. I only use the nav to get me where I want to go, but pick my charging stations manually, like u did. Thx for the vid. I got a bunch too on my channel if u r looking for watching fodder

[@burntwafflz]

Excellent video and documentation. This solidified my decision for the Bolt as my next vehicle. Btw, what breed is Major?

[@katiecannon8186]

Major is known as The Cute Breed.

[@DrTeeHenry]

New to EVs (except for an occasional rental car). Purchased a 2022 Bolt EUV Premier about two weeks ago. Haven't taken a road trip yet so 120V Level 1 charging at home has worked fine for us, so far. (Waiting for Chevy's promotional Level 2 charger install, if our breaker box has the capacity.) This was a great travelog-style video to give me a real-life feel for what an EV road trip would be like. Nicely done! I was a little worried about the Bolt's notoriously slow DC fast charging rate, but your video gives me confidence that it's really not that big of a deal -- particularly if you combine charging with other chores (eating, sleeping, walking the dog). Thanks!

[@jrpeet]

Nicely done

[@BTSflyer]

Early 2024 when one can charge at Tesla superchargers it will be a game changer for long trips. There will be a lot more stations to choose from.

[@LaJuanHughes]

A good video for info on Chevy bolt charging. But man you have to put in work on figuring out your trip. With our car everyone loves to hate . We don't have to think about where we are going. If I have it on my calendar with an address when I get in the car it is on the screen waiting to go. I like that it calculates temperature, humidity, weather, elevation and phone charging for me. Thank you for letting us see how the other do it.

[@ricks.1318]

This was a very good video, .... and your review of your time, distance, and number of charges to keep the Bolt going was very interesting ..... The one major thing that will bother average users (in my opinion...), will be the FACT that it took over "12 HOURS" of CHARGE time, in total.... Understand that most people are NOT of retirement age, and that TIME is most valuable in one's life (since you cannot ever get that time back ...) LOL ... Most can easily fuel up a gas vehicle in les that 5 mins !!! So, that is a HUGE difference to MANY folks ! "Thank you" for posting, sir !! 👍

[@figtree393]

Good video. Good info

[@rayprod8571]

Great research... Yes, it is more like drive and charge with time to research charge points all along rather than a normal road trip... so... best is to have a ev that could do 800 miles a day in one shot... meaning something with 1,000 mile range... that one could then pull into a hotel for a good sleep and breakfast for 8 hours and have the ev charged overnight and ready for another 800 miles drive...

[@aravae165]

Thanks for this video! Did a great job showing the route planning and charging activities. I was surprised that it took an hour to charge most times. My experience was with a Leaf which charges faster, but it's only getting 84 miles on a charge, so definitely a pay off for the longer charge!

[@h20waymanor80]

Great video! I'm planning on getting a bolt in January 2023, once the tax credit goes live again for the bolt. I'm planning on doing a cross country road trip in the spring 2023 with my dog. Any dog copilot tips? I'm planning on car camping and bringing my dogs light up collar, I'll probably get a dog bed and or fold up dog cot for her to use. I'll bring a fold up chair for me to sit in outside the car when charging or hanging outside w my dog. Bowls for dog food and water. Water jug for reserve water for the dog. Dog poop bags. Leash. Dog treats. Anything else you thing I should bring for the dog? I don't think the charge time will be an issue for me. Like you did, I'll try to plan my charging around bathroom breaks, getting food, walking the dog. Charging speed shouldn't be an issue for me, because I won't be on a deadline to get anywhere fast. Great info in the video. Makes me feel more comfortable about doing my trip in the spring 2023.

[@rzu7120]

I have a spill-proof water bowl so he can take a drink when he wants one. It sit on the back seat at the end of the passenger side. If he's used to being in the car, he should be OK in the Bolt. It's fairly quiet without the engine and driveline noise. I try not to play my music at a reasonable level because their hearing is more sensitive than ours. Happy trails!

[@h20waymanor80]

@@rzu7120 thanks for the suggestion. I'll definitely pick up a spill proof bowl. Thanks!

[@Superman-xr1oh]

You need to do another long road trip because the chargers at EA suck now compared to when you made this video. Also, turn off the AC and use the ventilated seat instead. Much better for efficiency.

[@modquad18]

I’ve learned that anything with ‘America’ in the name is usually woefully sub-par. About to purchase my first EV (a new leftover ‘23 Bolt) and I certainly hope that I don’t ever have to rely on EA charging.

[@stevekolstad4445]

Thanks as a 2020 Bolt owner with only 6800 miles on it I have not wanted to spend the time going from fast charging station to station. I have usually only charged on my Level 2 charger at home. You likely have not got a battery replacement yet. I am still waiting on my turn. Charging to 100 % and running down to 10% seems is a bit risky. We have other ICE car/truck for road trips

[@BILLBRAT]

Cool vid. FYI, Electrify America has been "working on" the RFID cards for over a year now (at least) since the last time I called them about it. ;) EVGO and Chargepoint both offer cards. Get em.

[@Matt-dx3wo]

Dude, you're a machine! Good work on the video. Were you able to leave your dog in the car with the climate control on while going into Walmart/other places for restroom/eating? That was a challenge for me on a recent road trip with just myself and the dog in the heat (driving a Volt...).

[@rzu7120]

Either the air was on or the windows were open. 🐶

[@rp9674]

I think I'd want to leave a sign in the window if the AC was on, tell people not to break the windows, dogs fine.

[@brentjohnson6654]

New subscriber here. Thanks for taking us along on your cross country trip. EV traveling can be daunting to us uninitiated. I have been interested in the Bolt because it seemed to have good range. I am also intrigued with Aptera with their 1000 mile range. I also wonder if there is a good way to bring an emergency charger with you without weighing you down or being too large. Wouldn’t it be cool to have some portable solar panels to charge up. Thanks for the video. Very well documented. Have a great fall!

[@rzu7120]

I carry the supplied 120v charger, and a portable 240v 32 amp charger. The 240v unit has a Nema 1450 plug on it which I could charge at 50A campsite if I had to. I haven't had to use either one yet.

[@rp9674]

I don't think caring a battery works out logistically /$, if we have a major battery breakthrough and price drop, might be good for our elderly EVs. I like the idea of solar on the roof, or a foldable solar awning that covers the entire vehicle for long parking periods, theft is a concern though. It'd be nice if we could find a 110v outlet at a gas station in an emergency, but that's spotty. I'm very excited about aptera, hope they make it.

[@jeffmann2494]

I have a 2019 Chevy Bolt. I bought it for around town. However, I just had the battery replaced and it is getting 275 - 300 miles on a charge going 70 mph with the AC on and full charge set at 90%! Now I am thinking about taking it on trips. I have a couple of questions. 1. it looks like it takes an R1772 or CCS charger. (Is this true?) And I have a charge point card. Should I also have an electrify America one? thanks

[@rzu7120]

Yes I believe CCS is the port that combines J1772 and the DC port. If your chargeport has the little orange flap over the DC pins, you're good to go. DC fast charging wasn't standard equipment on the Bolt in 2019. Definitely open an Electrify America account if you're going to be traveling. You can't rely on the credit card readers. If you start taking regular trips, for $4/mo. you can become a member and save on your charging. One full charge saves enough to pay for the month's membership. Happy motoring!

[@jeffmann2494]

@@rzu7120 Yes I have the DC option. Thanks

[@stansunderwirth41]

Make sure you have set up your Charge Point account to use your card. Electrify America does not (yet) have a card, but in theory, with an account, you can tap your phone to start the charge. In practice, the phone tap rarely works for me and I have to open the app, pick the charger and swipe to start. By contrast, tapping the Charge Point card works first time, every time. Before taking your trip, use A Better Route Planner (ABRP) to pre-plan your trip. If you pay for a subscription, you can display the route to each charger on your infotainment screen. I don't pay for that, so I write down the address of each charging stop recommended by the app, the expected state of charge (SOC) upon arrival, the recommended SOC for departure and the expected time to charge to that point. When I get to the charger, I compare the expected arrival SOC to the actual SOC to see if I'm trending above or below the expected. That allows me to adjust the amount of charge I want to leave with to account for the variation. (For example, if I get to the station with less charge than predicted, I'll charge up more than recommended by the amount I was under last time so that I'll be sure to make it to the next station with the desired SOC. Also, use Plug Share to check every charger recommended by ABRP to make sure that the charger is actually working. If it's reported as non-working or questionable, you can tell ABRP to exclude that station and replan the trip. The app will replan using an alternate charging station. Another point is to make sure you have an account with every station you plan to use on your trip. I have 9 different charging apps but use EA or Charge Point 95% of the time. EVgo is also useful to have. I have found SemaConnect to be needed to activate many of the Level 2 J1772 chargers that are often free. The other apps I have are EV Connect, Shell Recharge (formerly Greenlots), Go-Station EV Charging (duplicative with EV Connect), EV Gateway (for Francis Energy owned stations - mostly in OK and eastern NM) and ZEFNET Charge. There is some movement to allow one card for more than one network but not a lot of progress thus far.

[@jeffmann2494]

@@stansunderwirth41 Wow, thanks Stan. Now I need to get to work to get all this stuff down.

[@KeithandPamBilyeu]

They could create a network with all of these using similar tech they use for the toll system. You prepay and load the account and when you pull in to charger could have theat sensor inside charge port door to pick up when you put the plug in.

[@michaelmuller665]

Thanks for this great content