2017 vs. 2020 Chevy Bolt EV: Cold Weather Range Test + Efficiency Comparison

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Continuing our comparison of the improved 2020 Chevy Bolt EV with its 2017 model sibling, which will be handed back from lease later this year, we head up to Maine for some cold weather range testing.
We already know from past tests - here: • 2017 vs. 2020 Chevy Bo... - that the 2020 Bolt EV charges faster in cold weather, but will it also put the 2017 model in the shade when it comes to extended winter range on a single charge? Over the final days of below-freezing temperatures in early March 2020, we took both cars up to Maine and back to Massachusetts to see!
Note that these tests took place before the Mass. shelter-in-place recommendations were issued later in March. Folks were starting to work from home but travel was not restricted at this point, as it is at the time of publishing.
The route you see here will (fingers crossed) be extended by summer to form the "Mass-Maine Brewery Dash", where we'll head up to Allagash Brewing in Portland, ME and back down to Lordo Hobo Brewing in Woburn, MA... all in the name of seasonal range testing, of course ;-) For now, enjoy this limited winter version, stay safe, and thanks for watching.
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#ElectricCars #ChevyBolt #BoltEV

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10 апр 2020

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Комментарии : 103

@davidreed7341 4 года назад

Great test, thanks for performing the excellent comparison. From what I understand, I can’t think of any engineering changes that have been shared by GM that would have led to a decrease in efficiency. Therefore I would believe very subtle differences in: 1) Head / tail / cross wind 2) Tire rolling resistance changes as they wear 3) Drivetrain / bearing friction, break-in, brake pad drag Anyway, looking forward to future efficiency tests to see how the vehicle performs ! I appreciate and look forward to your videos!

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

Cheers Dave! The engineering perspective is especially interesting, as I'm not convinced the wind resistance was significant on either of these trips and suspect the parallel run efficiency test I'm planning, with weather conditions the same for both cars, will yield similar results. The tires are a definite difference, with 31k miles on the 2017 and only 4.5k on the 2020 so far. Unfortunately I won't have time to do advanced testing like switching them out, but it will be interesting to see how repeat runs in the 2020 change as the tires wear down.

@kens97sto171 4 года назад

@@plugandplayEV Is the tires could definitely be a significant factor. There could be a slight difference in the manufacturer. But according to another RU-vid channel that is had some experience with this when tires are new they have significantly more rolling resistance than once they've worn in a little bit. He's had that experience even going to the same make and model of tire. So that's quite likely where the difference is. Also you might check to see if the tire pressure is slightly different. Although on the highway the tire pressure does not have as large of an effect as it does in city driving. Headwind or tailwind could have played a role also or crosswinds. And as the other person mentioned it could be that there are some drivetrain components that need to wear in slightly. Also I don't remember on your car if there's a roof rack on one and not on the other? Great video keep up the great work definitely looking forward to seeing what other differences there are.

@thenetworkarchitectchannel 5 месяцев назад

I was napping while watching Bjørn Nyland do a Polestar winter range test. He said with a precon start he does not really see a difference between summer and winter. He launched into a discussion about kWhs and how they do not change in the cold that I could not really follow, but I am guessing the difference is if a car has a heat pump or not ? Not really sure... I know in my car, I see less range when it is cold. It does not have a heat pump or precon. thx for the vid. I enjoyed watching.

@guyfox87 4 года назад

Thanks for giving me an idea of the range during winter.

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

Sure thing, that's why we're here! ⚡👍

@auctionwheels 4 года назад

Thanks for posting!

@Antiorganizer 7 месяцев назад

The Ioniq classic (1st gen) is quite a bit more efficient, and seem to use about 1/3 less electricity. I'm going on metric. Your 22 kWh / 100km vs an Ioniq 1st gen 15 kWh / 100km. What makes the Bolt come out ahead is the double the battery size, which solves some of the range anxiety issues for those that need long-ish errands. I'd love to see the Ioniq 1st gen being pitted up against the Bolt in different conditions. The Bolt is better, but not by as much as many assume.

@plugandplayEV 7 месяцев назад

That would be a fun one. The "Wind Knife" qualities of the original Ioniq are too quickly being ignored in favor of larger packs and faster charging. That will only cover the cracks of inefficiency while free charging plans last or in areas where electricity remains inexpensive.

@Antiorganizer 7 месяцев назад

@@plugandplayEV The Ioniq 1st gen can charge up to 70 kW. With the small 28.8 battery, it can charge from basically near nil to the max fast charge at 94% in under half an hour. Often when you're down to like 20%, charging to 90%, is 70% of 28.8 kWh = 20.18 kWh. When the charger realistically gives a typical 65 kW, it'd be a 19 minute charge. I notice often cold weather tests with the Bolt, I'm seeing consumption at like 2.9 miles / kWh, and occasionally really low at like 2.0 miles / kWh. The Ioniq will do it at like 3 to 4 miles / kWh. Also, it's got a heat pump and at temperatures to close to 15F, it'll use like 0.5 to 1.5 kWh for heating. When colder, it'll gobble up like 4 to 5. But not 7.5 what I see Bolts use. Anyway... a head to head competition would be fun...

@moman1701a 3 года назад

Thank You for that.

@plugandplayEV 3 года назад

Thanks for watching 👍

@angelamartin2762 3 года назад

I’m looking to purchase a 2017 Bolt EV I appreciate your drive test between the 2 year models. By the way, I’m live on the North Shore Area. So I smiled when I saw Burlington Highway. so I’m like wow that’s so cool! Thanks Again for your review you the I don’t feel so bad getting the 2017 because right now that’s all my finances can afford and it’s good to know if one was getting a 2020 and the comparison turned out like that I’d be not too happy.

@plugandplayEV 3 года назад

Aside from the pending action on the battery-related recall, I think 2017 is the way to go at current prices. Assuming the recall shakes out positively, there's no better EV deal than a used, low mileage Bolt for $10-15k. Hope you find one that works for you and enjoy it!

@angelamartin2762 3 года назад

@@plugandplayEV yes about the battery recall thing, it seems to be hard to get my hands on one! Chevrolet dealers r like there’s a stop of delivery until we can get the battery recall issue resolved.😳🙄😱so I’m just waiting to find one that has already had it done or doesn’t have the issue. What a pain ! kind of a mess really. Did your 2017 have the recall issue?

@DN1XX 4 года назад

I myself have a 2020 bolt. Haven’t had it for that long and came from a 2018 Volt. Take this for what it’s worth but calm conditions are very tough to measure while driving obviously. Having it calm where you started and the halfway point aren’t the best measure. It’s really tough to know but my guess is that you had either a slight tailwind in the 2017 and a side or headwind in the 2020. I’m suspicious of less efficiency in the 2020 plus cold weather was improved as well as bigger battery and newer chemistry. Regardless it was a great experiment to watch! Thanks for sharing this

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

Thanks for watching and for the ideas. Totally agree that we can't take this as conclusive proof of anything, but there are data points for future tests if nothing else. We won't have the 2017 much longer, but the 2020 can be tested again next winter and hopefully the other factors can be monitored. I do think the cold weather improvements to the 2020 are limited to charging and the larger pack, however. Nothing I've seen from the 2020 so far, in any conditions, indicates it will outperform the older model years in terms of mi/kWh efficiency. A test at exactly the same time in clear conditions would be a fun comparison though... hoping we have time to make that happen before the lease ends 🤞

@AdventuringArthur 3 года назад

Just bought my 2020 Bolt Premier. Love it. Thanks for the tips/ideas on what to expect range wise in frigid temps. I live in Fort Worth Texas where we typically have warmer winters but we have scorching summers. I am curious how 100+ degree weather impacts range with the amount of battery conditioning needed to keep the packs cool. I guess I'll be finding out shortly as we are barging head into summer. Thanks again sir for the video!

@plugandplayEV 3 года назад

We don't typically get into triple digits here that often, but the heat over the past week has given a small example of what you might expect (just scraped 100F on Tuesday in Boston). Battery conditioning is actually quite minimal, in heat or cold. It happens most when you're plugged in, so the energy isn't drawn from the car's range, and when it does happen on the move, it's typically only 2-3% of energy use max. The battery hearter/cooler isn't capable of much beyond 2kW. The bigger draw will come from A/C use, especially if you choose to precondition the cabin before you drive when not plugged in (pulling energy from the pack but going nowhere). Again, the impact isn't nearly as much as using the heater in winter. Somewhere between 190-200 miles at highway speeds and 240-250 miles locally should still be possible with regular A/C use during summer.

@jamescorrigan7999 4 года назад

Thanks for the testing. I just purchased my 2020 Bolt Premier, at the end of March. I have not been able to take any long trips, yet. I can't even get an electrician in to install a Level 2 Charger in my garage, since my wife will not allow any outsiders into the house. I was hoping to do a long trip over the Labor Day holiday in September ( fingers crossed ). We live west of Philadelphia, PA, and I was thinking of driving to Montreal, for a long weekend. The hotel where we usually stay in the Montreal area ( actually, in Longueuil, on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River ) has free parking, as well as a couple of Level 2 chargers in the lot, for guest usage. I just need to find a hotel in upstate New York, with a level 2 charger, for an overnight charge on the way north. We used to stay at the Holiday Inn Express in downtown Albany. The hotel used to have a couple of Level 2 chargers in the guest parking lot. But the hotel changed hands, and the new owners have apparently removed the Level 2 chargers !

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

Ugh, it's annoying to see progress and then have it taken away! We usually stay in Rochester and Syracuse, but there's a good amount of L2 charging around upstate NY. If you can, plan to stop at the Capital Region Welcome Center for free 50kW DC fast charging, then maybe look to stay in Saratoga Springs or Lake George, both of which have hotels with destination charging. Sucks that you can't head out right away (our first trip in the 2017 was up to Montreal after a week being in the car... tons of fun!) but at least you have some time to plan an epic summer journey! ⚡⚡ Congrats on the new Bolt!

@jamescorrigan7999 4 года назад

@@plugandplayEV Thanks. I love Lake George, but I saw a new HI X-Press near Saugerties, NY that has a level 2 charger in the parking lot. I seea fair amount of discussion of what to do while your EV is charging, and sleeping always seems to be a good option. I do love my new Bolt Premier. I am a big guy, 260 pounds + 6'3 inches; and I still have plenty of room. Have already had to cancel 2 trips since Corona hit.

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

Good to know, thanks. I'll add that to my charging map!

@robert5008 4 года назад

Nice test & thank you for posting. The one thing I feel you haven't consider is the tires & pressures inside before leaving on each test. Did both cars leave with the same pressure? Are the tires on both cars the same brand & model tires? Are the tire size the same after 3 years? How many miles on each set of tires? As tires wear down they get less tire depth which reduces rolling resistance. The taller the tire depth (new) the more flex in the tire causing more resistance. IMO as your tires wear down on the 2020 model your mileage will improve to match your 2017 model. Thanks again and a thumbs up for me.

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

Thanks, appreciate the kind words and comment. Tire pressure was 38-39 psi across the board on both, so that shouldn't have been impactful. All tires on both cars are the stock LRR Michelins. The age of the tires is significantly different, though, as the 2017 has more than 30k miles on it, while the 2020 is only just past 4k. Still, we're not too tough on tires in terms of normal wear, and a couple have been replaced for punctures, so I'm not sure that difference would limit efficiency quite this much. I'm going to try a parallel run with both so variables are exactly the same, except for the driver, tire age, and battery chemistry of the cars. It won't be a cold weather test as that time had passed, but should make for an interesting follow up to this test. Thanks again for watching.

@ernstschepp9365 4 года назад

Looks like you don't need it very warm (only the seat warmer and heated steering) for most of the trips :) My family whining all the way if the cabin heat was not set at 72 :) I wonder what difference 3 vs 1 seat heat make on such a trip?

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

Ha, yes, there's a reason I do these tests alone! Actually, the preconditioning keeps the cabin plenty warm enough for the first 20-30 mins or so. I admit to wearing a coat during these tests but normally the heated seats/wheel and cycling only require up to 4-5% climate settings for my comfort. It's on my list to figure out what the energy draw of the non-HVAC heat options is. I don't think it would be enough to be worth skimping on, as it sometimes can be with the main heating pulling 5-7kW, but it would certainly be interesting to know.

@ElectricNed 4 года назад

@@plugandplayEV I tested my aftermarket heated seat and found that it draws only 40W on high, and cycles on and off. Really insignificant compared to energy for driving.

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

Good to know, thanks Ned.

@dennislyon5412 4 года назад

Ernst Schepp - I’m with you and family, Ernst. As long as you have charging options along your trip, if you have heat, might as well use it, and the Bolt heater is really good! Nice that the Premier model has heated rear seats to keep the whiners somewhat comfortable.

@ernstschepp9365 4 года назад

@@plugandplayEV The coat helps with the thin seat padding :) Keep up the great work!

@timmiser 3 года назад

I'd rather see a real world test in cold weather keeping the cabin warm and comfortable.

@jacob476 3 года назад

The page on the bolt that shows what factors are affecting your score is interesting. If you just set cruise and didn't keep passing, you would almost negate the weather impact. Not to mention that 120 km/h kills mileage badly in all vehicles. I wonder how Canadian winters would affect mileage

@plugandplayEV 3 года назад

That's a good call for a test, thanks. We have such varied speeds here (driver choice, as opposed to actual speed limits) that it's tough to hang in one lane at around 70 mph. Might need to peg it at 60-65mph, resist the urge to overtake, and let the cruise take the strain. Will see what we can do when the roads open up again!

@MendicantBias1 3 года назад

My used 2017 came with a set of Nexen touring tires. They seem nice and ride well, although I struggle to get above 4.1-4.2 miles/kWh. From what I've read the original Michelin Energy Saver A/S are the best tires for range/efficiency.

@plugandplayEV 3 года назад

We've stuck with the Michelin LRRs through shine and snow and they've done just fine. Certainly seeing the range we'd expect (and then some, in summer), but the traction's not great in ice or heavy rain. Given the need to maximize range arises more often than the need to drive in slippery conditions, we're good with them for the most part.

@tommckinney1489 4 года назад

Nice comparison, thanks for doing this. Was the tire pressure the same for 2017 and 2020? I believe the EPA efficiencies for the 2017-2019 compared to the 2020 are the same (~3.9 miles/KwH). Of course the 2020 is supposed to charge faster in winter, and it has ~10% more range than the previous models.

@bigretardhalo 4 года назад

Tom Mckinney - good question I was wondering something similar. I know on my Fusion Hybrid when I switched a worn out set of Uniroyal Tiger Paws for a new set I dropped about 2 MPG on the first few thousand miles as the hard edges on the new tires broke in slowly heading back to the mileage on the old set as they wore out... and swapping to regular all seasons from worn out OEM low rolling resistance Michelin’s hit me for between three and four MPG initially... so I wonder how worn down the tires are on the 2017 and if that maybe made a difference. I never have swapped worn out factory low rolling resistance tires for another set so I don’t know if they pick up any MPG as they wear as my car had 22k on it when I bought it used.

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

We keep them both very close to each other in terms of tire pressure, usually around 40-42psi. Looking back at the footage, that dropped to 38-39psi (temps went from 50°-60°F to below freezing over a couple of nights) on the 2017's run and would have been very similar on the 2020. The 2017 has older boots on, of course, so I'm not sure if that could have made a difference?

@dennislyon5412 4 года назад

Plug and Play EV - Steve - worth trying the 2017 tires/wheels on the 2020 - assuming you have a cold enough day to run that test? Similar to regular radial tires, I would think that aged tires would roll better than relatively low mile new ones (they are the same make/model of tire, right?). Another thing was the several degree less ambient temp in Maine upon your arrival, which would increase wind resistance. From this, I suspect that you will find that both cars are very similar with same tire age and ambient temp; you just get the 10% battery cap increase and improved charging curve on the ‘20.

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

Hey Dennis -- yep, exactly the same wheels and stock tires on both. Unfortunately, we won't get any more below freezing days here before the 2017 goes back, but I'll try a parallel run testing both cars in the same conditions if possible. It will inevitably be warmer weather but should provide an interesting comparison nonetheless.

@1theoldtimer 4 года назад

Thanks, for testing. I was hoping the 2020 Bolt at highway speed would do 200 miles at those temps. That way some of the winter round trips back home would be possible without looking for a charging station. Not many along the way from central Ohio traveling southeast. It looks as though the Bolt would need a larger or improved battery with an advertised range of nearly 300 miles to have a winter range of 200 miles at highway speeds. Your test does help me make a decision about buying the Bolt. Thanks.

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

Happy to help, thanks for watching. I managed 200 mile segments comfortably on my trip down to Austin in February, but only when the temps got above 40°F or so. I wouldn't bank on that from the Bolt EV in an Ohio winter without having a back up option to drive slower roads for some of the trip. You might want to keep an eye on the latest version of the Hyundai Kona Electric, however, which could get a bump in range for 2021 that puts it closer to 280 miles. If the car is a good fit for you in other ways, that should cover your winter minimum of 200 miles.

@1theoldtimer 4 года назад

@@plugandplayEV If I buy it will be the Bolt or a used Gen II Volt. Thanks again.

@ohabbal8169 4 года назад

Nice experiment, but I have one question. Have you looked at the wind speeds between both runs? I have a 2020 bolt and wind seems to be the enemy of my range. With our Midwest winter (mild winter this year) I am getting low 3s or high 2s for efficiency unless its windy (Highway speeds ...70-72 mph).

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

I've felt the impact of wind resistance on runs across upstate NY, certainly, but these were both very calm mornings with minimal wind. It's a good call out to add wind speed to the metrics and also examine it at the midpoint though, so thank you for mentioning.

@ohabbal8169 4 года назад

@@plugandplayEV Interesting, I did a similar experiment yesterday (blame covid-19 for my extra free time). I did a 65 mile round trip, cross wind at 16 mph, temperature at 42 F, and speed pegged at 70-71 mph. I got 3.8 Kw/mile which was nice to see considering the conditions. I am trying to think of other possible parameters that might have resulted in your efficiency numbers.

@homomorphic 4 года назад

@@ohabbal8169 not really anything similar about 42° and 30°. Lithium Ion batteries are very sensitive to temperature and 12° will have significant impact.

@ohabbal8169 4 года назад

@@homomorphic Definitely, I am just surprised how bad it gets at 20 F and less. The lowest I test mine at was 25 F and I got around 2.9 - 3.1 on different trips.

@baham9217 2 года назад

What do you attribute to the lack of efficiency for the 2020 with this test? With a bigger battery pack and whatever updates come with it, I would have bet money on the 2020 being more efficient. Interesting test and results, though. Thank you.

@plugandplayEV 2 года назад

The 2020 had newer tires, so increased rolling resistance could be a factor. It also came with reported improved cold weather performance (mostly for fast charging), which could translate to more energy being consumed for battery management. In the grand scheme of things, both are very similar vehicles and with the subsequent recall meaning all Bolts will have the new battery chemistry, this shouldn't be a significant factor in terms of purchasing a used Bolt.

@baham9217 2 года назад

@@plugandplayEV , thank you for your reply. I saw the pinned comment after I hit "Send", and I feel like I owe you an apology for asking an already answered question. Still, thank you for your reply. I have a 2023 Bolt EUV on order, so I'm absorbing as much about the Bolts as I can. I've thoroughly enjoyed your channel. Your attention to detail and excellent explanations make this learning experience an absolute joy for me. I'll keep catching up on the Bolt, as well as subscribing to your channel. Thanks again for such great content!

@plugandplayEV 2 года назад

@@baham9217 No problem at all... I totally forgot it was pinned there to be honest! But David is an experienced engineer and valued contributor, so it makes sense that it's highlighted. Thanks for the kind words and support, I'm genuinely glad these are useful. For more Bolt EUV content, my state neighbor Tom up in New Hampshire is now making content with his '22 Bolt EUV. That will be useful as well and we collaborated on this recent range/efficiency test together: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-UJfz6hE2NsU.html My version will be up in the next week or two but hopefully the view from the Bolt EUV will be helpful to you.

@baham9217 2 года назад

@@plugandplayEV , thank you for the link!

@ronb4633 4 года назад

Thanks for the review. Two questions 1. Why didn't you show the exact battery percentage at end of the trip with OBD II or My Chevrolet app? 2. Was the tire PSI same on both vehicles? What do you run? I shoot for 41psi. And one comment. By dropping the 7 mile detour in Wells you eliminated a low speed high efficiency section. Looking at the average trip speed at the Volta chargers would be interesting and resetting it at start of trip of course.

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

Thanks Ron. The 7 miles would certainly have given the 2017 a slight improvement, but remember I also used 0.5kWh on battery conditioning at the start of the 2017 run that the 2020 didn't lose. Not an exact offset, but the remaining few miles would account for only about 2% of the overall run and wouldnt claw back the 2020 to any higher than 2.8 mi/kWh. In fact, that only ticked up to 2.8 in the final slow miles of the 2020 run, so that was the best it was going to be. To answer the other Qs: 1) I use an old second phone for Torque Pro readings. The battery is shot, so it typically dies after an hour or two. I was more focused on the kWh used in any case, given the focus on efficiency. 2) We try to keep them both at 42 psi, which then obviously drops as the temperature plummets. In this week, both were running 38-39psi on the cold days. Appreciate the thoughts and will definitely work them into future tests, cheers 👍

@stevewoodard705 4 года назад

I have a question. When you started with the 2017 Bolt your expected range showed 263 miles. How in the world can you get that much range when you are charging with an outside temperature of 26°? I have a 2017 Bolt and in the wintertime, the best I can do (in my unheated garage) is about 160 miles of range. However, that is with hilltop reserve on -- which must take probably 20 or 30 miles off of the range. So I'm thinking the best I can do is about 180 to 185 miles, not 263! All my other winter driving experiences coincide with yours-- about 2.8 to 3 miles per kilowatt hour while driving with these cold temperatures.

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

Good question, the GOM is definitely misleading there. If you look at 1:04, though, you'll see the previous batch of miles yielded 4.4 miles per kWh efficiency. The temperatures were unseasonally warm, mid 60s, and slower roads for those miles, so it's based on previous driving rather than current conditions. The GOM quickly recalibrates to the freezing temps and high speeds, as you can see in the video as it plummets down into the 100s and average shows 2.8-3.0 mi/kWh, rather than the previous summer-like efficiency.

@rzu7120 3 года назад

The extra wear on your 2017’s tires could have helped efficiency. Usually as tires wear down, they squirm less.

@plugandplayEV 3 года назад

Makes sense. I think we had a mix of tires on the 2017 due to punctures replacing the front pair... so maybe a couple were newer but it did have 30k miles or so, versus ~5k on the 2020.

@skepticalmechanic 3 года назад

9 months of below freezing… and I thought the two months of below freezing weather in New Jersey was bad! OMG!

@plugandplayEV 3 года назад

Nine months...?! It doesn't freeze here in September!!

@skepticalmechanic 3 года назад

@@plugandplayEV oh I thought u said 9 months of below freezing weather… my bad

@plugandplayEV 3 года назад

I'll have to watch again, it's been a while. But we drop below in November usually and that holds through March, sometimes April. Jersey is probably a bit better I'd guess but still a proper winter 🥶

@skepticalmechanic 3 года назад

@@plugandplayEV it’s probably me… sorry…

@plugandplayEV 3 года назад

No worries, thanks for watching and the comment 👍

@russfinley4128 3 месяца назад

Your heater is turned off...

@ElectricNed 4 года назад

I would be interested to see text/table trip statistics. Is that something you could put in the description on trip reports?

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

Sure thing. Are you just thinking overall trip stats or broken out into different sections e.g. 50/100/150 miles? Happy to add whatever would make these more informative, assuming I can pull the data.

@ElectricNed 4 года назад

@@plugandplayEV I would love to see it in something like Starting SOC, drove X miles, arrived XY SOC, charged N minutes at Z rate, departed at YZ SOC, etc. Info like temperature, use of HVAC, speed etc is also useful.

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

Sounds good, let me work on that for future vids (and maybe some previous trips, if I can find some time 👍)

@errcoche 3 года назад

My takeaway is that the 2020 model is not more efficient than the 2017 model. There may be reasons that the 2020 model came in as less efficient on this test but I would conclude that whatever changes were made in the batteries did not yield better efficiency and really, why would would they. It would be the inverter, the control systems, the transmission system, hubs and tires that might have an impact. If none of that has changed I couldn't see where efficiency could be gained. The battery may be bigger, charge more quickly and perhaps have greater capacity retention over its life but that shouldn't really affect efficiency. Actually, having said that, I now recall that when I was looking at deep cycle batteries for solar systems back in the 2000s, there was a lot of debate over the true capacity of a battery because the Ah rating was very much related to the rate of discharge. I suppose it is possible for a battery pack to be more efficient in providing energy at a specific power level than another pack with the same nominal capacity. In this case, there doesn't appear to have been an improvement in the 2020 pack with regard to reduced losses when delivering power.

@plugandplayEV 3 года назад

After another winter with the 2020 here, I tend to agree. This year has been much colder and more snowy than 2019/20, so I can only put it down to either newer tires or some other variable of the different test days. All in all, the differences are very minimal between the older models and the 2020/'21 model years, unless you're on a long trip and need to squeeze out every last bit of range and charging power.

@maxwellwagoner-watts4747 4 года назад

One question, is the 2017 an LT and the 2020 a premier? If so the LT does not have the roof rails and this may be an impact.

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

Good call, but both are Premiers in this case. (We have kids and couldn't risk cloth seats!)

@johndavis7112 4 года назад

I would like to see the tire pressures of each vehicle at start and finish?

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

Let me look back through footage/photos and see if I have it.

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

From what I can tell, the 2017 was running on three at 37psi and the right front 38psi. On the 2020, both rights were 39psi and both lefts 38psi.

@adithyaramachandran7427 4 года назад

Was there more wind during your 2020 Bolt EV drive ?

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

I don't think so... certainly not at the start of either (you'd hear the wind noise on mic if so) or at the halfway point. That being said, as others have pointed out in the comments, it's hard to gauge whether there was any wind assistance or resistance en route during either run. I'm planning to do a parallel range test soon with both cars doing the same route at the same time. It won't be cold weather testing, but at least it will provide a comparison during identical conditions.

@jonathanleonard1152 3 года назад

I would like to see m/kw at 50 - 55 mph. This is the speed my wife’s driving speed range.

@plugandplayEV 3 года назад

Thanks for the suggestion, Jonathan. We only have the 2020 Bolt EV now, but a 55 mph winter test should be no problem in January. Keep your eyes out for that one and Happy New Year!

@homomorphic 4 года назад

Interesting, I guess the new chemistry is slightly more sensitive to cold.

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

I've been wondering if there's some energy going to battery heating that doesn't show up in Torque Pro... the heater doesn't seem to go to work nearly as much as the 2017 upon start up, but the consumption was higher on the first leg out to Austin as well. Once I headed south and temps got above 40°F, it seemed to be more comparable to the 2017 in terms of highway speed efficiency. Shame really, as this was supposed to be significantly improved for winter conditions. At least the fact that DCFC isn't so heavily impacted by winter helps a bit, I suppose.

@homomorphic 4 года назад

@@plugandplayEV the DCFC stuff is probably what they were referring to when they were talking about improved winter performance. Because of the extra 6kWh the range is actually comparable. Very easy to believe the new chemistry is slightly more temperature sensitive. I'd like to see some actual cold temperatures (0° F). Being from Winnipeg where for 2 months of the year the average temperature is 0°F.

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

Yeah, this winter was a pussycat even by our lighter standards. These were equal to the lowest temps we've seen for a good long time. Guess I have to take a trip North of the border next winter if I really want to put it to the test!

@homomorphic 4 года назад

@@plugandplayEV feel free to use my post as evidence for taking a tax deduction on the trip to support your RU-vid channel 😃

@KJSvitko 4 года назад

Stay safe.

@plugandplayEV 4 года назад

Cheers, you too 👍

@rickymillerii 3 года назад

Not a very scientific test. You can hear the wind in the second test and not in the first. The wind would play a big part in your test!

@plugandplayEV 3 года назад

No, it's a couple of data points and a series of observations, rather than a scientific test. But the two mornings I chose were under 5 mph wind speeds at multiple points along the route, according to Accuweather, so it was the best I could muster given the circumstances. Neither day seemed particularly windy at the start or at the halfway points, but we take it for what it is.

@Antiorganizer 7 месяцев назад

Around freezing temp is not at all cold weather.

@plugandplayEV 7 месяцев назад

Off you go out in it then, minimally clad, and see how you feel after 8 hours.

@jonathanleonard1152 3 года назад

I would like to see m/kw at 50 - 55 mph. This is the speed my wife’s driving.

@plugandplayEV 3 года назад

We'll see what we can squeeze in for January, thanks for the suggestion.

@jonathanleonard1152 3 года назад

@@plugandplayEV - Thank you for consideration. People driving at over the posted speed limit is not realistic to the type of driving my wife does, sure lots of people do it, we do not. Maximizing use of regenerative breaking and coasting while maintaining speeds at or -5 of the posted is what my wife currently does. This is mostly how I also drove, though I do not have a vehicle and do not drive my wife’s car.