I drove an electric vehicle (EV) for the first time way back in 2015. It was a Tesla Model S, P85D:
Vomit inducing acceleration!
It was an epiphany. The Tesla was smooth, quiet, and crazy fast. After driving it very aggressively on an autocross course, I almost barfed. And I never get motion sickness. It was glorious.
I knew that I’d have an EV some day. It was also clear to me that EVs would displace internal combustion. I was obsessed.
Bolt Jolt
I turned my EV obsession into a game, training the girls to look for EVs. I invented a game for family drives that was a variation of Slug Bug. If one of the girls spotted an EV, they would announce it and then were allowed to slug lightly tap their sister:
- Tesla: “Tesla get ya!”
- Nissan Leaf: “Leaf beef!”
- Chevy Bolt: “Bolt jolt!”
Since the girls love performing acts of violence on each other, this game was super effective. Boulder County is now loaded with EVs, so I had to ban the game. No matter, it served it’s purpose; alerting me to the rapid adoption of EVs.
And I’m an adopter too! Last week I picked up a new Bolt!
Hello Bolt!
Why A Bolt?
You may be saying this:
Dude, I thought you were obsessed with Tesla. A Bolt?!??
-You
We have a 16 year old in the house and I had this conversation with her a couple of years ago:
- Daughter: Dad, the cars we have suck. They are old and have stick shifts. I don’t want to drive them. I want an EV.
- Me: Well, we don’t have an EV. It looks like you won’t be driving.
- Daughter: Come on dad!
- Me: Stick shift is fun! The Element is a cool car!
- Daughter: The Element sucks.
Eventually, she wore me down. I’m a fan of academic excellence, so we struck up a deal. If she scored in the top 10% on her PSAT, I’d get her an EV. She did. And here we are. As much as I love Tesla, it would be quite ridiculous to buy one for a 16 year old. That’s why we now own a Bolt.
The Buying Experience
In a strange decision, last year GM lowered the price of the Bolt by $6,000. Then on January 1st of 2023, the $7,500 federal tax credit came back. Because of battery sourcing restrictions, I knew that I’d have to get the Bolt the first quarter of 2023 if I wanted the full credit. (Note: Apparently this just changed.)
Buying a Bolt isn’t easy. The vehicle is in demand, so most dealerships charge markups or try to screw you in other ways. It was incredibly frustrating:
I don’t need a test drive or seat protection or an extended warranty or a huge markup. Just sell me the car!
Another disturbing fact I discovered is that when you factor in the tax credit, used Bolts usually cost much more than new ones. The base price on mine was around $27,800. A couple of fancy options brought the price up to $30,185:
After the federal and state tax credits ($7,500 and $2,000 respectively), it set me back $20,685 (plus taxes). Not bad for a new car. Here is one that would have cost $7,031 more with almost 40,000 miles on the clock:
Note: I talked to a surly salesman at this dealership, trying to convince him to sell it to me for less than $24,000 so I could get the used EV tax credit. He refused, stating that he knew he could get the asking price.
Mr. Palindrome To The Rescue
My neighbor, who I refer to as “Mr. Palindrome”, also has a Bolt. He told me about how his salesman/dealership didn’t play any games. I sent the salesman an email and he agreed to sell me the Bolt for MSRP. He asked for no money down and I didn’t sign a thing. I was suspicious, but my search was coming up empty elsewhere, so I went with it. This was back in September, so I told him that I didn’t want to take receipt of the car until the first quarter of 2023 so I could qualify for the tax credit. He said that would be fine.
I was doubtful that I’d ever see the car. I suspected that the dealership would sell it out from under me for a markup or try to play games. However, I experienced no shenannigans. Between ordering the car and picking it up, I spent a total of 30 minutes at the dealership. Everyone there did exactly what they said they would do and didn’t try to sell me anything additional. I never thought these words would ever come out of my mouth, but here we are:
This was a pleasant buying experience.
Thanks Len Lyall Chevrolet!
Bolt: The Good, The Bad, And the Laggy
Overall, I’m super impressed with the Bolt. I love driving this thing. Our old manual transmission fuel burners feel like dinosaurs now.
The Good
Build quality: The Bolt is well made. No body gap issues (looking at you Tesla). No squeaks or funny noises. Everything works as it should.
Growing up, my father was a big proponent of buying American made vehicles. Detroit struggled in the 70s and 80s, so we had cars that frequently had many issues. The Chevy Citation that my family owned for a short time was not a good car.
However, Detroit is back. The Bolt is a great car. Well done Chevrolet.
One pedal driving: In an EV, when you take your foot off the gas, the motor turns into an alternator to charge the battery. As long as you don’t drive super fast, you rarely have to use the brake. I LOVE how EVs reclaim kinetic energy instead of turning into heat with brake pads.
Styling: The Bolt is definitely quirky. Some may even call it a Nerdmobile. But I’m a nerd, so it fits me well.
Crazy good efficiency*: In good conditions with careful driving, the Bolt is crazy efficient. In a combination of highway and city driving, I got 5.2 miles /kWh. This is stellar!
*In the cold, the story is a bit different. Read on…
No speeding tickets ever again: The Bolt gives you instant feedback on your driving. In addition to telling you the miles per kWh, parts of the screen turn different colors that tell you how efficient your driving.
- Green: You’re driving great!
- Yellow: You could do better.
I’m an efficiency nerd. I absolutely abhor waste! Also, I feel like I’m being judged by the car. All the time. Because of these two factors, I drive very, very conservatively. Please stop riding by bumper.
No gas stations: Only an insane person would ever say this:
I love going to gas stations!
I hate pumping smelly gas. Wife Mindy hates it even more. She hates it so much that she’s become an expert at running the car to fumes right before I have to drive, forcing me to perform the awful pumping chore. She is so effective at this that she has probably been to gas stations 5 times or less in the past decade.
Mindy comment: I had to pump gas twice last week! But yes, Carl’s assessment is fair.
The Bad And The Laggy
Nothing is perfect. I have some Bolty gripes.
Keys?: Why do I still have to carry a key to operate the Bolt?!?? A key is yet another thing for me to lose (add my wallet, phone, and sunglasses to the list of sh*t I lose almost every day). The car should have an app to operate the car. The car should also sense when I’m approaching and automatically unlock. It should automatically power up when I get in the car. It does none of these things. I have to unlock it by pressing a button. I have to start it with another button. Silly Bolt.
All user input is error.
-Elon Musk
User Interface (UI): The Bolt has lots of buttons, some of which are not intuitive. I much prefer the sleek, minimalist interior of a Tesla.
Laggy UI and app: The touchscreen is laggy. I press a button and wait. Then I start to second guess myself (maybe the screen didn’t register my tap?). I reach up to tap it again and just as I’m about to make contact, it responds.
The app is awful. It takes forever to load and often doesn’t load at all.
Road trips: One of Tesla’s strokes of brilliance was to create a charging network. At the time of this writing, only a few Tesla chargers in New York and California are open to other vehicle makes. If I’m going to take a long trip in the Bolt, I must rely on a patchwork of 3rd party chargers that are often unreliable and busy. Mindy and I are planning a trip to the mountains that would require at least one charging stop. I still haven’t decided whether I’ll take the Bolt.
Noisy tires: The Bolt is really quiet, so I’m picking nits here. However, the tires are pretty loud.
Cold weather efficiency: In cold weather, the range of the Bolt decreases by at least 20%. This is because the Bolt uses resistance heating (basically, a super-sized hair dryer) to warm the interior. If I could change one thing about the Bolt, it would have a heat pump like a Tesla which is much more efficient.
I Have Seen The Future
I had relatives visit recently who have tremendous disdain for electric vehicles. They warned us that we’d soon be stranded because ‘the batteries would run out.’ In the past, they’ve “shared” other popular FUD points, totally unsolicited:
- You’ll freeze to death because batteries don’t work in the cold.
- EVs are far worse for the environment. They aren’t.
I don’t get it.
But I’ll bet that there were strong horse advocates when the car was invented:
- I’ll never own a car when I can ride on the back of a smelly animal!
- My horse won’t break down!
- I can go off roading on a horse!
I acknowledge that EVs are not perfect. If your EV lacks a heat pump, your range is going to take a hit in the cold. Charging networks are immature. Charging takes time. But EV propulsion is simple and elegant.
Internal combustion:
- Pump oil out of the ground.
- Transport it to a refinery.
- Refine it and then transport it to a gas station.
- Go to a gas station to buy it.
- Use an extremely complex mechanism (the engine) to set the fuel on fire, turn it into kinetic energy to spin the wheels via a transmission, treat the exhaust with extreme heat (this is what a catalytic converter does) so the fumes are less toxic, and finally run the exhaust through a sound suppression system so you don’t wake up the neighborhood.
Internal combustion engines are very good, but are still only about 25% efficient. To put it another way, 75% of that energy in a gas is wasted in the form of heat. Crazy.
EVs spin the axle via a direct-drive motor. That’s it.
I have seen the future and it is electric.
More 1500 Days!!!
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Congratulations Carl and 16. She deserves a bolt as she won the bet against you.
Thank you for a detailed review. One thing I would point out is that Tesla has opened its network to no -Tesla cars. Anyone can use a super charger now. So a road trip is not off yet. If you are installing a wall charger, I would use it when I am visiting you. Haha ????
Tesla Superchargers are only open to other cars in small parts of New York and California at the moment. I suspect that they will quickly expand to get federal tax dollars, but not soon enough for my road trip! Get it done Tesla!
Wow, can’t believe your first EV was not a Tesla! Have you broke away from the cult? (Just kidding I think your reasoning for the Bolt makes prefect sense)
I thought the Bolt had a gas generator onboard maybe that was the older hybrid versions. I assume this is an all EV one. Glad you survived the “stealership” and got out of there with your wanted vehicle on your timeline and paying your agreed to price. I have heard of many horror stories of people waiting forever and also getting screwed.
Haha! I’m still TOTALLY obsessed with Tesla. I will join the cult, just not for another year! Oh yes, I sure will. We already have a road-trip planned with it!
The Volt has a generator, not the Bolt. Bad branding on that one GM.
As an Oregonian I was extra tempted by the Bolt, as we have a *state* total of _another_ $7,500 in rebates. That would make the Bolt a $12,000 car!
That said, I didn’t have your amazing dealer, and most Chevy dealerships here are either out of inventory or extorting the highest “market adjustments” they can get.
So I got a base Tesla Model 3 instead, for around $31,000 after incentives. The buying experience was a pleasure, and very different from dealerships.
The base Model 3 is a great car! I love that the LFP batteries allow you to charge up to 100%. Kinda the same as a LR Model 3 that you’re only supposed to charge to 80%. I also hear that they’re degradation is less severe than a high-nickel chemistry.
I’ve been zipping around in the Model Y having a great time since early March. No regrets about the cost whatsoever, it’s a fantastic car.
Sara’s been eyeballing the Tesla as her Prius isn’t nearly as fun / entertaining / cool and requires smelly gasoline. We may be getting another EV… 😉
John, that’s completely awesome! Too bad Tesla doesn’t give group discounts!
After even a short amount of time in an EV, I’d never go back to internal combustion.
Buying my car new in 2004 was much the same way. Their no-BS website — with prices! — showed 139 of my model on the lot; one was a stickshift hatch. I told them I’d be there three weeks later (it was 500mi back home from where I lived at the time). They said ‘sure’. And I lurched off the lot in my first manual car, paying $13,100 out the door on a $15,389 MSRP.
The process for my wife’s VW in 2021 was a nightmare by comparison. I don’t even want to think about buying an EV these days. You are a lucky man. And while I’m nowhere near Colorado, thank you for naming the dealer! I hope they get all the business and drive those shady practitioners right into bankruptcy.
Stick shift hatch! Love it! All of our cars are stick except the Bolt! A Tesla hatchback small form-factor car would be my perfect vehicle.
Seriously! When wife’s Mazda was looking flaky in 2019 we ALMOST bought an e-Golf. 125mi range hurts, tho. If the upcoming ID.2 hits our shores and we still need to be a two-car family, we shall pounce. The mythical entry-level Tesla is intriguing as well, if it ever graduates from vaporware to reality…
This country’s infatuation with ever-larger and ever-heavier vehicles is ridiculous.
Sadly, I doubt the ID.2 will ever make it US shores. When we were in Germany over the summer, there were electric ID.3s everywhere and I was drooling a little bit!
The obsession with land yachts drives me crazy too. I want exactly enough car and no more.
I suspect we’ll be able to buy that Tesla sometime around 2025. Hopefully it’s not crazy delayed like the Cybertruck (originally supposed to come out at the end of 2023), but I’m not holding my breath. Tesla hasn’t even broken ground on the factory to produce it yet (Mexico).
You’re a good dad Carl! I remember when you ordered the Tesla Model Y, hope you go for it as you deserve it!
Yep! We are still getting the Y, but probably early in 2024.
Congrats. I picked up a Bolt EUV in January also … they have been in short supply these last three months, as most were thinking that we had only Jan thru March to get the full federal incentive.
It have been a surprisingly great vehicle. I haven’t owned a US made car in 20 years, so I wasn’t sure. Your Pros and Cons are mostly in line with mine … I am fine with the touchscreen and the software, especially for a 20k GM vehicle … the app, yeah, it sucks. The heat pump probably works well on moderate winter days. But that efficiency also goes down when very cold. We’ve been seeing 5.0 to 6.0 since the weather got above 50.
Good luck with wrapping up the house project. You should take a rest from that … been reading your blog posts for awhile now and remodel scope creep has been the constant stress/time-kill in your life it seems! 🙂
Yeah, if you told me 5 years ago that I’d be buying a GM vehicle, I would have thought you were nuts! I’ve only bought Japanese cars new. Now, Tesla is threatening everyone, but Ford and GM seem to be putting up a fight. Meanwhile, the Japanese brands are in trouble. Funny how quickly the world can change.
House project: You’re totally right. The projects have consumed me, but they’re all really close to being done. Our project house is done and rented, but still have a master bath to finish up on our primary house. And then it’s time to clean, declutter, and get on with living!
Where are the new videos on the project house????? i need my DIY fix.
We have really dropped the ball on this one! The house is done and now has renters living in it. However, we have lots of footage. I need to edit it. Soon.
Welcome to the club, Carl!
Thanks for the honest review. I’m sure if you we able to wait a few more years that a Tesla would have made financial sense, but not yet.
Now it’s your turn to buy yourself a Modely Y. You’ve earned it!
Soon!
Congrats Carl and 16! Welcome to the club! Bolt On!!
Thanks for sharing, interesting to hear about the Bolt experience!
I splurged and replaced our oldest car with a new Tesla Model Y earlier this year when they dropped the price. I love the Y but it’s too much car for a young person; my 20 year old is not allowed to drive it.
We do still have a backup car that is ICE, when that eventually ages out in a few years will replace with another EV.
Sounds like in 2-3 years Tesla will make a cheaper hatchback type car in Mexico, that could be an option for young adults.
I could never buy a Tesla. Elon Musk is an a**hole. Lots of other EV options now.
I agree, but the reason that there are other EV options now is because of him. The Model S made EVs cool and the 3 made them mainstream. The world needs to move to electrification and there is no one pushing it like him. I wish he would STFU about politics though.
I agree about Musk. And also, If I didn’t buy products from every company where an executive was an asshole…
2 things can be true. I can disagree with someone and also think their products are good. I have a model Y (held my nose, but it was the most logical EV choice for me) and I bought my SIL who lives in rural Iowa a Starlink. That is the only option for them. It’s life saving
I think the world is a better place because of Musk, so I’ll put up with his occasional craziness. Similar to this: https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/1605414920304074752?lang=en
What do you make of GM axing the bolt?
I suspect that GM was losing money on the car. Electrification is an expensive transition. See Ford: https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/23/business/ford-ev-losses/index.html
Are you going to Berkshire this year?
I’m considering Berkshire this year. Are you going? If so, it would be fun to meet up.
For the past 5 years I keep thinking that one or both of them will die. But they’re like the energizer bunnies. They keep going fueled by coke and See’s peanut brittle.
Yes, we’re going.
Yeah, Coke and/or See’s candy must have some magical properties.
The meeting will be broadcast on-line on Sat. But no See’s candy.
Welcome to the electric car ownership guild. I have a Model Y performance. The primary reason I got it was that it was the most widely available EV at the time (during pandemic supply chain troubles), and the range/charging network.
I’ve put about 10K miles on it since August 2022, as I have a 120 mile round trip commute I make 2-3 times a week.
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by a few things, including quality. My car has been flawless from delivery. So that’s been nice. The drive is fun and fast.
Cost wise, my MYP was $70K out the door, with no NJ state sales tax, It is available now for almost $20K less, even more if you count the tax credit which I couldn’t get in 2022.
A base Model 3 would have cost you $40K or so, so the Bolt was 25% less out the door.
I don’t ever worry about range, but I installed a Level 2 charger (60a) in my garage, and I keep it at 90% charge, which is 260 miles or so.
I’ve found the software very good. Minor glitches are that 1) sometimes Spotify playlists take a while to load. 2) the screen switch from day to night mode isn’t always great, an the auto on wiper setting sometimes is too or not sensitive enough (which I think is probably a combination issue with the hardware-software interface.
Otherwise, they push over the air software upgrades which have installed flawlessly.
I think the Tesla has software that monitors efficiency, but to be honest, I have no interest in that. I drive the car fast, and its fun!
I one thing I also agree is that the one pedal driving is extremely addicting, and it makes me much less tired on my commute. Especially on the drive home where there is traffic compared to the morning when I typically just have clear sailing.
Enjoy the new car! And congrats to your daughter.
Whoah, a Y Performance! Nice.
I’m buying a Y early next year (red LR with a trailer hitch), so I’m happy to read that your experience has been a good one.