General Motors injected a jolt of power into its Chevrolet Bolt when the second-generation of the electric compact car debuted for the 2020 model year. The top-selling EV, which has essentially replaced the Volt plug-in hybrid in the lineup, got a mid-cycle refresh that included a 21-mile boost to its overall range. The Bolt, technically categorized as a small wagon, can now travel up to 259 miles on a single charge. It also costs about $37,000, before any state EV or charger incentives. EV credits expired for GM in April 2020.
Those figures make it a competitive commuter and pit it against other popular mainstream electric vehicles that hover around 35,000 such as the Nissan Leaf (226 miles), the Hyundai Ioniq Electric (170 miles) and the Honda Clarity (80 miles). It’s also nipping at the heels of other more expensive luxury entries, including Tesla’s Model 3 Standard Range (250 miles), the Audi e-Tron (204 miles) and the Jaguar I-Pace (234 miles).
Despite a handful of options, electric vehicles still account for a very small percentage all new vehicles in the market today. Three primary barriers are responsible for such slow adoption: cost, range and infrastructure. As batteries get cheaper, ranges become longer and the network of charging stations grow, EVs will be able to function beyond their typical workweek duties and attract new buyers that demand capability beyond just point-A-to-B function.
In the meantime, the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt serves as a viable bellwether for pushing EVs beyond their comfort zone. That’s why I accepted the challenge to take a Bolt on a road trip between San Onofre and Lake Arrowhead to surf and ski in the same day—an expedition often referred to as the California Double. I’ve done similar excursions and it’s a proven way to evaluate whether a vehicle has genuine adventuring chops.
At 4 a.m., the team loaded me up with gear and sent me in a bright blue, fully-charged Bolt from Laguna Beach to an undeveloped coastline just south of San Clemente called Old Man’s – a spot known for its longboard friendliness. A warm-weather-only surf dabbler and self-proclaimed thin-blooded human, that morning marked the first time I ever put on a full wet suit. It was also the coldest I’ve ever been.
After a frigid surf session, most people would change into dry clothes, get in their vehicle and blast the heater to regain feeling in their limbs (this also would work after a day of freezing on the slopes). I was advised, however, to use only the seat heaters in order to maximize range for the 100-mile trek into the San Bernardino mountains. That’s because using the heater drains the battery. As does any extra weight or passengers, roof racks, inclines and cold weather. All unavoidable elements in the world of surfing, skiing and pretty much all road tripping in general.
Typically, to be successful at this type of daylong jaunt, a vehicle should offer flexible cargo space to haul bulky gear, enough torque to tackle inclines and sharp switchbacks, all-wheel drive or drive modes for managing undesirable road conditions and a durable interior that will withstand wear and tear from elements like salt water, mud and snow. It also should offer enough range to handle 7,000 feet of elevation and 40-degree temperature swings in between.
Though it lacked in some areas, the new Bolt proved itself proficient enough both dawn patrol and afternoon skiing in the same day with 150 miles of roadway in between.
The 2020 Bolt is equipped with a 66-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack that powers an electric motor capable of delivering 200 horsepower. The Bolt has impressive acceleration (a common trait of EVs) and responsive steering, which made it fun to drive on the highway. Its 266 pound-feet of torque helped it scoot off the line in a hurry and confidently charge up the mountainside.
The positioning of the Bolt’s 947-pound battery pack also boosted its performance on mountain roads. The front-wheel-drive sedan offers no all-wheel drivetrain, but the battery—which sits low and is integrated into the vehicle structure—provides optimal weight distribution and a low center of gravity, resulting in superior handling on the twisty climb. It also maintained traction over loose gravel.
Despite a lively, scenic drive, the ascent depleted the battery below 15 miles. In an effort to mitigate the drain, I used Low mode and cruise control, but the battle was truly uphill. After dipping below 15 miles, the range counter read “Low,” so I was blind to my remaining distance. I knew I had about nine miles until my destination.
Low mode, or L as it reads on the shift knob, is one of the two ways the Bolt’s battery can be regenerated while on the road. When in L, releasing the accelerator slows the car abruptly to recapture the energy return it to the battery. This “one-pedal driving” also prevents the brakes from being overused, almost akin to downshifting. The second regeneration method is via a paddle shifter on the wheel that slows the vehicle less aggressively and is more effective when travelling downhill or in traffic; in either case the Bolt lost or added no range, but I was still climbing and it was 40 degrees outside.
The Bolt completed the trip albeit with a depleted battery. I pulled into Snow Valley Mountain Resort on time and the Bolt didn’t falter despite its weakened state. The ambient temperature’s impact on range is not to be overlooked. Southern California boasts mild weather patterns, but it is one of the few places in the world that you can surf and ski in one day, which means the surrounding mountain range has sub-freezing temperatures, especially in February. I also started the day in frigid coastal air hovering around 45 degrees.
Cargo and passenger weight also affect range. I rode alone in my Bolt and though it was equipped with roof-mounted ski racks, I was able to leverage the 60/40-splitting rear seats and the 56.6 cubic-feet of stowage space to haul my ski bag. It’s important to note that with a passenger, my skis (and theirs) would have required use of the rack because I had to fold the back of the passenger seat slightly forward so the rear hatch could close over the roughly 6-foot length of my bag. Additionally, I did not haul my surfboard. I left the 9-foot board in San Onofre with the team. The Bolt could have handled the entirety of the cargo in two scenarios: 1) With the skis loaded on top and a shorter 6-foot board stored in the interior, or 2) With a surf rack on the roof and the skis inside. A shorter board would still be preferable in the second scenario because a 9-footer would have overwhelmed the 13-foot length of the Bolt, diminishing its visibility.
One significant behavioral difference between EVs and conventional gas-powered vehicles is charging time. The Bolt’s new larger battery can recover 100 miles in 30 minutes at a DC fast charging station (Level 3). A Level 2 charge, which is 240 volts, full recuperation would take 10 hours on a depleted battery. The worst-case scenario is using a 120-volt charger, which would have crept along adding only four miles of range per hour. If travel time is a concern—as it was on our trip—an unplanned, extended stop could affect an on-time arrival. Though the charging infrastructure is growing, it’s still not as robust the network of gas stations sprinkled throughout the U.S. There are only about 20 DC fast-charging stations along the route between San Onofre and Lake Arrowhead. That means adding an extra layer of planning into the trip, which is doable but requires a small learning curve.
The good news about traveling uphill to a destination in an EV is that once it’s headed back down, losing range becomes less of an issue because the regeneration process activates as the vehicle slows or when the brake is applied. That means that even if an EV has a small amount of range left on the battery, it would add range on a decline, making a low-battery descent much less stressful than a climb in the same scenario. Additionally, using cruise control and letting the car run itself helps optimize battery usage (this is the same case with a gas-powered vehicle).
Even though there were challenges surrounding the trip, the Bolt succeeding in at least demonstrating that wide adoption of vehicle electrification is possible and that it’s only a matter of time before long-range EVs become affordable and the ever-growing network needed to keep them powered up is robust enough to quash range anxiety. Charging times might not ever mirror a quick stop at the pump, but as battery technology improves, the time commitment needed top off will decrease. In a world full of choices, the Chevrolet Bolt is a good one.
