ref https://www.mail-archive.com/ev@lists.evdl.org/msg19410.html ]
The Bolt EV tested.com youtube link Rush provided: [video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ir4y2JwbEw Tested: Driving the Chevy Bolt Electric Vehicle! Tested Jan 19, 2017 We ditch the gas station and go full electric with the Chevy Bolt, the new electric vehicle that just hit the roads. Our own Jeremy Williams picked up the Bolt as his first EV, and we go for a ride and test drive to learn about his experience driving it for a few weeks. Shot and edited by Norman Chan ] I found worthy of viewing. Interestingly it begins and ends with some smooth overhead-drone road-views/footage of Twin Peaks (SF-CA) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neighborhoods_in_San_Francisco#Twin_Peaks and a few seconds later it shows the GM dealer's license plate holder stating Colma (a city just south of SF), which means this Bolt EV drive was going to be in the SF area (vs mine http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/Bolt-EV-experience-tp4685003.html which was in the South Bay). Some points of correction in the video: the Tested rep (Jeremy) mentions that by default the Bolt coasts, when actually it is in a mild regen mode (this is what I found when I test drove the Bolt EV). I suppose putting the Bolt in neutral would let it actually coast (no-regen), but I did not try that during my short test drive. Later, when the Tested rep (Norman) drove it, he showed that default mode the Bolt begins with does have a mild regen (the same as I found), and it isn't until you shift the Bolt into 'low' (or push the paddle on the steering wheel) that the Bolt's regen is much more aggressive, actually able to bring the EV to a stop without using the brake. Jeremy also incorrectly stated the i3 EV he had driven before, could have a little motorcycle 'battery' in the back for more range ... when actually what he should have said was a little motorcycle ice genset in the back (a generator that ran off petrol). Jeremy also confessed his range angst with 100mi EVs, and that the Bolt EV's 200+mi range meant to him that he never had to charge outside/(away-from) his home. Later, in the video he stated he really likes that he can recharge at home, and not have to go to a ice-station to refuel anymore. He stated even with a 200+mi EV that has all the options (including a L3 DC 50kW charging ability) he was not ready to do a road trip in his Bolt. Later, he said he should begin thinking of doing a road trip for the experience. IMO, this sounds like that ice-head that has a long way to go to knowing what his real EV driving needs are, and what a 200+mi range EV that has L3 50kW and L3 6kW charging abilty can do for him, way out there in the wilds of public EVSE land (not mentioned, was maybe he does not want to bother/have-to deal with the hassle and co$t of all the different rfid cards each brand of EVSE require?) Jeremy incorrectly said/inferred the Bolt EV's 12-volt aux battery could be used for jump starting an ice. The Bolt EV manual https://my.chevrolet.com/content/dam/gmownercenter/gmna/dynamic/manuals/2017/Chevrolet/BOLT%20EV/Owner's%20Manual.pdf states it is a (small AH capacity) AGM/VRLA PbSO4 12-volt battery. IMO it would not be wise to use the Bolt EV's 12-volt aux battery to start an ice. The manual goes into detail about how it is recharged off the main hi-voltage traction pack (thus you need to keep the EV plugged in when not in use), and if the 12-volt battery gets drained below 9V that situation can cause the EV to stop functioning. The manual does state you can try boosting your Bolt EV's 12-volt battery from another vehicle (so jumping to your Bolt EV's 12-volt battery is OK, if done properly= follow the manual's instructions precisely - rtfm). Jeremy mentioned the Bolt has no spare tire as the Bolt EV's tires are self-sealing http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f13/chevy-bolt-rides-new-type-tire-its-self-sealing-event-puncture-258281/ http://www.chevrolet.com/bolt-ev-electric-vehicle.html ... Michelin® self-sealing tires ... Jeremy went into some detail about the infotainment system/console that I did not bother with during my test drive. Jeremy said the Bolt EV does not come with a map/driving app, but can use your smart phone to receive instructions, and the only other way to have a mapping feature is via GM's OnStar, or CarPlay (an iOS app likely via your iphone), see http://gm-volt.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-220442.html http://www.chevybolt.org/forum/26-electronics-audio-lighting/1538-chevy-offering-android-auto-apple-carplay-2.html?amp=1 (android-auto & apple-carplay mapping apps) [sidebar The Bolt EV test drive was not on that Twin Peaks road shown at the beginning of the video, see https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49072951/View_of_San_Francisco_from_the_top_of_the_Twin_Peaks.0.png Which would have been fun both for showing how well the Bolt EV could climb or come down SF's steep hills, see https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56cbdc080442621c56ec97c5/t/5764887315d5db346152b4e9/1466206336071/ It also would have let us see in the background some of those little houses on SF's hills https://hd1n2hd4y-res.cloudinary.com/image/upload/c_scale,w_800/post-64164.png which was the inspiration for the famous song 'Little Boxes' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUoXtddNPAM The walk around of the parked Bolt EV before the drive, was in one of the large parade ground parking lots at the SF Presidio https://www.nps.gov/prsf/planyourvisit/upload/Pad-Map-12-07_color.gif https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidio_of_San_Francisco The Presidio is at the north most part of the following map https://goo.gl/maps/B332g66VPfp If you watch the passenger side windows during the drive portion of the video, you can see the curved Spanish-style red roof tiled white-stucko buildings in the background. 10min into their drive, you begin to see more and more trees whipping by. Since all the trees are the same trunk size (the same age), it means the drive was in and around the SF Presidio. (SF history) - About 1848 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/CF1850_SAN_FRANCISCO_IN_NOVEMBER_1848.jpg Yerba Buena was the original name of the Spanish settlement that would later become San Francisco, California. The Spanish military presence then, was located at or near where the SF Presidio is today. Back then, there was very little development except for the east side of the SF peninsula, see http://www.flysfo.com/sites/default/files/02_103.jpg http://www.flysfo.com/sites/default/files/04_123.jpg (viewed turned 90 degrees right) This old map show more roads, businesses, and housing development, and the military's control on the north-most part of SF. Yet, Golden Gate Park had not been allocated/created yet. SF was not much to speak of back then, see http://www.rodhandeland.com/SF%20Neighborhoods/Polk%20-%20Van%20Ness_clip_image008.jpg mostly windy, sand blown hills with little vegetation. http://www.flysfo.com/sites/default/files/06_116.jpg As time progressed the city grew, but the areas on the west were still the same sandy hills covered in scruffy vegetation, see http://mentalfloss.com/article/57604/how-san-franciscos-neighborhoods-got-their-names At that time, the Presidio and the area to be allocated as Golden Gate Park was nothing more than sand dunes and wind swept vegetation, see old map http://www.flysfo.com/sites/default/files/07_108.jpg It wasn't until trees were planted by soldiers at the Presidio, and a major effort to design and build a park for SF that all that changed for the better https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_Park#History So, all those trees you see whizzing by behind the video were planted all at the same time, and a very long time ago http://www.flysfo.com/sites/default/files/09_119.jpg /sidebar] For EVLN EV-newswire posts use: http://evdl.org/evln/ {brucedp.neocities.org} -- View this message in context: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/testedcom-youtube-Bolt-video-tp4685594.html Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at Nabble.com. _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org Read EVAngel's EV News at http://evdl.org/evln/ Please discuss EV drag racing at NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
