The Chevrolet Bolt EV has been used for many things: to carry people, groceries, pets or even snowboards and bicycles… but scouting for gasoline is a new use case. Since the Bolt EV is 100 percent electric and requires no petrol (gasoline) to operate, GM is using the small electric car as an “Electric Helper” to find gas stations during a gasoline shortage in Mexico.
The Mexican government recently doubled down on the theft of pipeline fuel, resulting in the closure of various gas stations around the country. This has led to panic buying and long lines at the gas stations that are still open, generating the largest shortage of gasoline in Mexico’s history.
The lack of communication as to which gas stations have been closed down only makes things worse. People arrive at a station with an empty tank, only to find out that the station is no longer operational, thereby having to drive around to find another one. It’s chaotic, to say the least.
Chevrolet seized the opportunity to put a Bolt EV on the streets to drive around and find the gas stations that are open and available for refueling. Through the Twitter and Instagram hashtags #Reportegas, the Chevrolet Bolt EV and its driver shared detailed, real-time information about the kind of gasoline available, as well as maximum load and waiting times.
“The Bolt EV became a live demo that showed its autonomy during 48hrs driving with just one charge and managed to be national trending topic and with 43 million people grateful for this unique effort,” said Alfredo Alquicira, vice-president creative of McCann Worldgroup Mexico.
This story not only sheds some light on our collective dependence on fossil fuels, but it’s also a testament to the efficiency of the Chevrolet Bolt EV’s powertrain. Thanks to its 60 kWh battery, the Bolt can drive up to up to 238 miles (383 km) on a full charge. It remains a segment leader, even three years after its release, and it’s currently the best-selling battery electric car in the U.S. market.
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Comment
How on Earth do you have the gall to claim the Bolt is the best selling battery electric car when the Tesla Model 3 is selling ten times as many???!!!