TEST: Chevrolet Bolt (2019) - TheStraightPipes review [YouTube]

YouTube has a review of the Chevrolet Bolt (2019), a new retro electric car from General Motors. This is one of the few cars that can compete with Tesla for years on a single charge (383 km) and is also available in Europe. Reviewers compare the car to a BMW i3s - the name "Tesla" is never mentioned - and against this background, the Bolt fares better in almost every area.

The Chevrolet Bolt is a C-segment vehicle (about the size of a VW Golf) that is available in the US, South Korea, and Canada. In Europe, the car can be bought as an Opel Ampera-e, but since Opel was taken over by the PSA group, it has been very difficult to get a car.

> Opel Ampera E will be back? [episode 1322 :)]

In addition to being unavailable, the car's biggest drawback is also the lack of a heat pump (even as an option) and fast charging, which becomes slower than the competition, above a certain battery level. However, the Bolt makes up for this with a modern silhouette and a very large range.

Watch and drive

Both reviewers concluded that the Chevrolet Bolt's 200 horsepower and 383 km of range are ideal for an EV sold in 2019. It's hard to disagree, especially in the context of the market launch of the Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia e-Niro. market.

One of them likes the ability to choose between 1) single-pedal driving and strong energy regeneration and 2) driving on gas, brake and an additional energy regen button that is located on the steering wheel. Meanwhile, the BMW i3(s) only offers one strong regen mode, which is always on, always active, and cannot be changed. For the second reviewer, BMW's lack of choice is a tribute to the user: "We made it this way and we think it will be the best for you."

The car's lime green color has received a lot of praise, it's energizing and a perfect fit for an electric car by both reviewers. The design of the headlights and taillights was also praised - and in fact, although the design is several years old, it is still fresh and modern.

As a minus, the absence of a door opening forward was noted. Not everyone likes them in the BMW i3 (s), but those who have carried a child in a chair or a TV in the back seat will admit that this solution is much more practical than the classic forward-opening door.

interior

The Bolt's interior has been praised for being normal. The cockpit combines black and white glossy plastic (black piano, white piano) and a triangular texture. Piano white was described as weak, while the rest of the interior was considered normal / medium / normal. The driver's position is the same as in the BMW i3s: the driver is tall [and can see a lot], which actually gives the impression of spaciousness while driving.

There is plenty of room in the back for a tall adult, but just fine for children.

Infotainment system (multimedia system)

Youtubers liked the sheer amount of information on energy consumption depending on the environment and driving style, both on the center console screen and on the meters. However, it turned out that the presented data is not so easy to reset; The reset is only performed automatically after the vehicle is charged to 100 percent and left connected to a power source.

Both reviewers found the car's infotainment system to be ideal because everything is arranged the way it should be. Android Auto was also a big advantage, which the BMW i3 (s) does not support. The lack of maps for GPS navigation was also a plus. – because the ones in the smartphone are always better. The downside was taking calls in the car: the caller information screen always overlapped the maps, so the driver couldn't see the route he was supposed to follow.

Finally, they liked the combination of on-screen controls and classic buttons. The air conditioner is controlled using traditional knobs and buttons, but the rest of the information is transmitted to the touch screen.

Landing

In a typical Polish home, the car is fully charged in about 30 hours. On a semi-speed forklift, this will be 9,5 hours, or about 40 km / h. When charging the car with a fast charger (CCS), we gain 290 km / h, that is, after a half-hour stop in the parking lot, we will have an additional 145 kilometers of range.

Summation

The Chevrolet Bolt clearly outperformed the BMW i3s (segment B, range 173 km) or the Bolt (segment C, range 383 km). While it was not as premium as its German competitor, reviewers found several flaws in it.

> The most economical electric vehicles according to the EPA: 1) Hyundai Ioniq Electric, 2) Tesla Model 3, 3) Chevrolet Bolt.

From a Polish point of view, it would be an almost ideal car.: Poles love C-segment hatchbacks, and a range of 383 km would be enough for a comfortable trip to the sea. Unfortunately, the Opel Ampera-e is not officially on sale in Poland and the Bolt delivery means the risk that we will have to do all the repairs outside our western border.

And here is the entire review in the form of a video:

Best electric car not Tesla?

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