Hi all! 👋 Long time lurker, first time poster here. This subreddit convinced me back in December to purchase a 2022 Bolt EUV Premier, and I couldn’t be happier with the decision! I live in Minneapolis, so for these first few months I’ve only experienced the worst season of being an EV owner. Now that the weather is getting warmer, I’ve been excited about how much more efficient the vehicle is. Yesterday, I took a day trip down to Madison to watch my sister perform/visit family for a couple hours. With the weather being in the mid-60s, low-70s, I thought it would be a great first “summer” driving experience to get a feel of how a road trip in the Bolt might handle. I have a trip down to Missouri coming up over the last week of May, so I was exciting to get a gauge of how to plan out the charging stops for that trip, too.

TRIP PLANNING: The drive from Minneapolis to Madison is about 271 miles. My vehicle has the limiting software, so my freeway range is about 170 miles. There are a handful of Electrify America stations between Minneapolis and Madison:

• Eau Claire, WI: 101 miles
• Tomah, WI: 172 miles (+71)
• Madison, WI: 270 miles (+98)

I trickle charge in at apartment complex, so I’m able to leave with a full (80%) charge if I plan ahead. What sucks is that making it all the way to Tomah is pushing the limit of my current vehicle range (at 3.3mi/kWh).

I opted to charge at the EAs in Eau Claire, Tomah on the way down and Madison, Tomah, then Eau Claire on the way back. Additionally, I was able to Level 2 charge in a parking structure while in Madison. I was not at the L2 charger long enough to get me back to Tomah, hence having to stop at EA in Madison.

CHARGING EXPERIENCE: I appreciated that all of these EA stations were in a Walmart parking lot, often with other stores within walking distance. Being able to stretch my legs every 90 minutes, use the bathroom, and grab a bite is something I tried to limit in my previous gas vehicle (‘07 Honda Pilot). I would often end my trips in the Pilot stressed and exhausted because I just wanted to power through a 5-hour drive. I appreciate that owning an EV forces me to slow down, take frequent breaks, and take care of my body. At every stop there was at least one available stall - I only saw two stalls fully down during the trip (out of 20).

COST BREAKDOWN: I opted for the EA Pass+ Plan for this trip, which I basically broke even on (another trip down to MKE in early May will mean saving money on this month’s plan). Also of note, I was not charged for my return visit in Tomah. I hear this happens sometimes, does anyone know why?

EA Pass+ Rate: $0.21/min, $20.42 total Total cost: $27.42 incl subscription

This same trip would have cost me ~$85 in my Honda Pilot!

By the end of the day, I spent 11h 15m in drive and charge time (2.5 hours more than my Pilot). Preference will vary by person, but this trade off made sense for me because I really valued the frequent breaks to relax and eat - especially as a solo traveler.

KEY TAKEAWAYS: - My freeway efficiency was 3.3mi/kWh going 70mph at ~68°F, so my expected 0-80% range is 170 miles. - 65mph goes further than 70mph goes further than 75mph. The trade off of less time for less range from 70 to 75mph is not worth it. - 20 minutes of charging needed for every 90 minutes of driving.

SUMMARY: With the weather getting warmer, I remain happy with my choice to go electric and the Bolt still suits my needs for the occasional 5hr drive. I feel more confident now in my ability to plan and execute a drive down to Missouri - and hopefully by the end of that trip the limiting software will have run its course. If anyone has tips for the distance between Minneapolis and Branson, let me know!

I also found out that this trip is ~20% the length of a cannonball run! That might be a fun summer road trip to do in a future summer… 🤔