CHEVROLET Bolt EV 2018

Body, cabin and cargo space

The 2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV may not win points for looks, but its elevated, boxy shape makes it highly functional. About the size of a Kia Soul, it can easily accommodate four average-sized adults. Few subcompacts manage as well, even many that are longer than the Bolt EV. The flat rear floor and expansive glass surface heighten the roomy feel.

Sadly, the cabin is not nearly as comfortable as it is spacious. The front seats are hard, flat and totally lacking in side support, making the occupant feel they are about to be ejected. The high, squared-off driving position does not help, nor does the overly high footrest. The rear bench seat is not much more inviting. Luckily, wide door openings and the slightly elevated stance make entry and exit very easy.

The practical aspect extends right to the trunk. The two-tier cargo floor creates either a flat load surface level with the folded seatbacks or a deep well to maximize cargo capacity. The wide hatch opening and high roof make it easy to load bulky items. A 12V outlet in the trunk would have been useful, but it is noticeable by its absence.

Finish and convenience

An electric-car battery is expensive, especially one as large as the Bolt Chevrolet EV’s. To compensate, GM cut costs elsewhere, as is quickly apparent in the cabin. The modern styling is pleasant at first glance, but poor fit and cheap materials are a major disappointment in a vehicle costing $40,000 and more.

Aside from a few levers and switches, the dash and controls are exclusive to the Bolt EV within the GM family. The large colour instrument display can be configured to show just the quantity of information you want. After a few tries, navigating the menus becomes relatively easy.

The infotainment system is more of a challenge. Despite its 25.9-cm (10.2-in.) size, several of the touch-screen’s virtual buttons are too small, demanding too much driver attention. Certain common functions should be more accessible at first glance. Physical buttons under the screen help somewhat but are easily confused with the HVAC controls, placed just to the side. For some drivers, the steering wheel hides part of the screen.

The electronic gear selector also requires some adaptation. It is odd to have to push the lever forward AND to the left to shift into reverse. The unnecessary complexity of this system is annoying in parking and other manoeuvres that require a quick succession of gear shifts.

Safety features

• Antilock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and brake assist
• Stability and traction control
• Front airbags
• Driver and passenger knee airbags
• Front and rear side airbags
• Side curtain airbags
• Four adjustable head restraints
• Tire pressure monitor
• Backup camera
• Surround-view cameras (standard, Premier; non-available, LT)
• Forward collision alert with automatic low-speed emergency braking and pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, lane keep assistance, and automatic high beams (included in Driver Confidence II package, Premier model; non-available, LT)
• Blind spot monitor with rear cross traffic alert and rear parking sensors (standard, Premier; optional, LT)

Crash test results

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Overall score: 5 / 5
Frontal impact: 4 / 5
Side impact: 5 / 5
Rollover resistance: 4 / 5

Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS)
Moderate overlap frontal impact: 4 / 4
Small overlap frontal impact:
- driver side: 4 / 4
- passenger side: 3 / 4
Side impact: 4 / 4
Rear impact: 4 / 4
Roof strength: 4 / 4

Visibility

Visibility is good towards the front as well as on both sides thanks to the large windows and well-sized mirrors. However, the angle of the thick roof pillars impeded the view at intersections for some of our testers. The backup camera helps mitigate the blind spot created by the high rear window but, as is frequent with most of today’s vehicles, it quickly becomes dirty in the winter. The blind-spot monitor system adds a margin of safety but does not really seem necessary.

Headlights: the Xenon headlights standard on all models garnered a Poor rating (1/4) from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, mainly because of the excessive glare they create for other road users. They light up a good or acceptable distance in most situations; the automatic high-beam feature is appreciated.

Engine and transmission

It goes without saying that what sets the Chevrolet Bolt EV apart from other subcompacts is its powertrain. Similar to all fully electric cars, it consists of an electric motor that directly powers the drive wheels without a transmission, and a large lithium-ion battery that supplies the energy to the motor.

In the case of the Bolt EV, battery capacity reaches 60 kWh, which is close to that of the first Tesla Model S. That basically explains the 383-km range, the highest for a relatively affordable all-electric car.

The Chevrolet Bolt’s 200 hp, 266 lb-ft maximum power and torque ratings largely surpass the norm for such a small car and ensure solid performance in all circumstances. Maximum torque is available at a touch of the throttle, a characteristic inherent to all electric motors.

By not overly abusing this power, it is entirely possible to achieve the 383-km advertised range on a single charge. All that is required is to drive in an eco-responsible manner: accelerating smoothly, decelerating progressively, adhering to speed limits. By applying these techniques, many owners even report being able to exceed the expected range.

However, things change in winter. Just as cold weather reduces the fuel efficiency of gas-powered vehicles, it reduces the driving range of electric vehicles. Cold temperatures diminish battery capacity, and the heater, rear defroster and seat and steering wheel heaters eat up stored energy.

As a rule, the reduction is roughly equal to one-third of maximum capacity. In the case of the Bolt EV, the realistic winter driving range caps at around 250 km, as noted during CAA-Quebec’s electric vehicle ride-and-drive conducted during the Montreal and Quebec City auto shows, in January and March, respectively.

When it comes to battery charging, the larger the battery, the longer the charging time. For the Bolt, it takes 9-1/2 hours to charge a depleted battery with a 240V unit, at home or at a public charging station. It takes 30 minutes to obtain a 145-km charge at a 400 V DC fast charging station… when Mother Nature co-operates.

Chevrolet advises that charging speed varies depending on the temperature; calls to the Electric Circuit and FLO help line operated by CAA-Quebec seem to indicate that it slows down in very cold weather.

Ride and handling

For anyone who has never driven an electric vehicle, the Bolt Chevrolet EV’s quiet ride is probably more striking than its initial acceleration. The motor barely makes a sound, apart from a subtle whine in acceleration.

The designers have also been very successful in directing air flow around the body to reduce drag and wind noise. They did not stint on soundproofing, so that the Bolt EV does better than most small cars at filtering out road noise. All of this makes the Chevrolet the long-trip champion in the world of affordable electric vehicles.

The same cannot be said for directional stability at highway speed. While crosswinds do not disturb the quiet of the cabin, they have a destabilizing effect on the high, narrow body. In this respect, the Bolt EV ranks with other subcompacts.

Because of poor feedback, the steering requires frequent corrections on the highway. However, it is not lacking in precision in turns, and its small turning radius adds to agility in the city.

If it were not for the overly firm suspension that struggles to absorb hard bumps, urban and suburban roads would be the Bolt EV’s preferred playing field. Frequent slowing and stopping allow maximum regenerative braking, which in turn conserves energy. By activating a paddle behind the steering wheel, the vehicle can be brought to a complete stop without having to touch the brake pedal. Obviously, use of the pedal is imperative in an emergency situation, in which case the normal brakes prove efficient.