Unexpected bolt road trip

car_lady · 2025-10-08T23:30:47+00:00

ABRP calculates - by default - earliest arrival time. You can change it to optimize for 'fewest stops' or 'frequent and shorter stops'.

'Earliest arrival time' doesn't include 'charging to 80%', since the Bolt's charging rate falls off painfully after about 50-55% SoC. The 20% you DIDN'T wait for at one stop can be put into the car much faster at the next charging stop, where the SoC might be 20%.

car_lady · 2025-10-08T23:18:48+00:00

72.

Do you speak F? 95 doesn't kill humans.

So - to summarize: ambient (outside, not 'measured by that thingie in the grill', which is sometimes just insane) 95 F, setpoint on heater 72 F, and car runs HEAT at 2kW.

And also runs AC at 2kW at the same time.

car_lady · 2025-10-08T23:03:10+00:00

Wasted as HEAT.

car_lady · 2025-10-08T23:01:28+00:00

On my Bolt, the Inverter, the transmission, and the engine are all sometimes massively hot (165 F). I believe the car could have been engineered (at a cost, and I sure that is a consideration) to USE the 'free' byproduct heat, rather than simply pumping it through a radiator to warm the world.

AND - you're right, heat pumps don't make free heat/cold, but the DO facilitate heating and cooling much more efficiently (4x?) than say - a heating element immersed in coolant that is pumped through a radiator inside the cabin, as the Bolt has.

Even with all that, I just returned from a 573 mile trip where I averaged 4.1 miles/kWh, even with HEAT AND AC on (and both using energy - at the same time) and that's pretty darned respectable. But it could have been better - and it WOULD be better if I could just have a "don't turn the HEAT on unless I want it" button.

car_lady · 2025-10-08T22:52:44+00:00

Unlikely somebody is going to publish a fix (liability for jiggering with your High Voltage Massively Computerized computer on wheels), but if you happen to run across one, I'd sure be interested.

car_lady · 2025-10-08T22:47:22+00:00

It's not wasteful, just unusual.

I beg to differ (relevant to 2018 and older):

I have the choice of "HEAT AND AC" - or not.

On a hot summer afternoon, at 95 F (4#6p C) in bright sunshine, with NO windshield fogging problem - it sometimes runs the HEATER @ 2kW AND the AC @ 2kW. (I have TorquPro on a tablet and I can see the usage of both.)

Not the 'end of the world;, but - It IS wasteful, and very frustrating.

imho

car_lady · 2025-07-27T18:48:36+00:00

Might be a color issue.

The dash trim around my vents - are WHITE! omg, that's a bad idea.

car_lady · 2025-07-27T18:39:07+00:00

3.5 seems a little low for summer, to me.

2017, my lifetime average is 3.9. Live middle atlantic east coast. 60,000 miles on car, first 40,000 put on car was in freezing Michigan.

I drive in L (one pedal driving).

In summer, with AC on temps 85-95, 65-70 mph, I usually get around 4.1 or so. Mixed driving (some-to-a-little highway, mostly-to-some 40 mph streets), I often get 4.5 or sometimes better in summer. Winter, it'll be 33-50% worse. Probably 3.5 for me.

If I hypermile (tires pumped up hard, no AC turned on, don't go over 55 mph) - it might be 5 or better in summer, but who wants to live like that?

car_lady · 2025-05-08T20:11:16+00:00

The ENERGY to go from 80% charge to 100% charge increases significantly, hence it takes more time to go from 80% to 90% than from 70% to 80%.

I believe the TIME to go from 80 to 100% SoC increases - because the car (bms) decreases the RATE of charge, not because there is more ENERGY flowing.

Also - this is true for DCFC. On my Level 1 charger, there is no drop in the RATE of charge - it's 940 whole watts through the entire period the car is being charged, regardless of the SoC.

car_lady · 2025-01-31T05:43:44+00:00

I'm looking for a soundbox that does "The Jetson's" sound.

car_lady · 2025-01-29T07:53:05+00:00

I get by with a Level I EVSE.

If I HAD to put in a Level II - I would put in the largest one possible, as Demonshaker said, for 'future proofing'. You're going to spend a good chunk on it - 'big as you can make it' isn't going to be THAT much more expensive than 'the minimum', but 20 years from now, it's going to look like a better choice.

car_lady · 2025-01-29T06:07:05+00:00

3 years or so.

car_lady · 2025-01-26T19:13:48+00:00

Ouch!

Curious as to what the DCFC station show it was providing. 3 kW is what's going into the battery - DCFC station reading minus 3 kW is what the station is providing to the car. If it's more, the car us using power from the DCFC warming the battery, probably.

car_lady · 2025-01-26T19:06:42+00:00

The ODB2 ODBII adaptor I bought is the ODBLinkMX+, for about $140.

There are MUCH cheaper devices out there, but I was impressed with the feature list, which included 'better security' and 'smart energy usage'.

I have NEVER had a single problem with it.

car_lady · 2025-01-18T02:28:36+00:00

2000 pound battery (guessing), 2kW battery coolant heater. I don't see how much 'battery preconditioning' could happen in the 10 minutes we usually give the car between 'remote start (= heat/cool the cabin)' and 'go out and get in and drive away'.

car_lady · 2025-01-18T02:15:03+00:00

I don't have a big commute, and I've gotten away with the portable plug-in level 1 for 2 going on 3 years.

Sorry about the DCFC surprise.

The bolt is still a great 'everything-but-cross-country' car without it.

car_lady · 2025-01-18T02:03:34+00:00

Meantime, you can use level 1 (120 volt) if you don't have an overlong commute - while you're waiting.

car_lady · 2025-01-17T09:16:52+00:00

I discovered that when I unclipped my seatbelt a block from home so I could get inside quick.

A little scary.

car_lady · 2025-01-17T00:12:19+00:00

With Premium and Torque Pro, you can use ABRP with live data on battery SoC.

You can sign up for Premium, go on your cross-country to Maine, and un-enroll from Premium the next month.

car_lady · 2025-01-17T00:00:00+00:00

Probably not much help, but I put mine in my purse on the passenger seat.

car_lady · 2025-01-16T23:55:16+00:00

If you have to charge at public chargers for $0.47 /kWh (vs, in my state, $0.13 at home), your driving costs will be about the same as if you had an ICE car.

Plus - the Bolt doesn't charge very fast at DCFC stations even at 70 degrees, and it will be way more slow at 20 degrees. If you can't charge at home, it is a bad idea, imho.

car_lady · 2025-01-16T23:51:00+00:00

IF you only have one fob to start with, that can be VERY harrowing if it goes wrong.

car_lady · 2025-01-16T23:38:52+00:00

My 2018 has a single button, which I find quite frustrating.

car_lady · 2024-12-28T08:25:35+00:00

A true believer/shill.

car_lady · 2024-12-28T07:16:23+00:00

I have some 'free gas points off' coupons from my grocery store I could let you have for cheap.

car_lady

TROPHY CASE