All-electric vehicles offer myriad of benefits over internal combustion, but when the weather turns cold, EVs can lose range. The Chevy Bolt EV is no exception, as demonstrated in a recent study.
Per a report from Recurrent, the Chevy Bolt EV is “highly sensitive” to external temperature changes, with available range dropping significantly as the temperature falls. Based on an analysis of more than 1,200 individual Chevy Bolts EVs, observed range at 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit will yield just 66 percent of the original EPA range estimate (259 miles), while observed range at 70 degrees Fahrenheit is 98 percent of the original EPA range estimate.
“We have reports from Alaska that the Bolt can lose half its range at -40 F, but thankfully most drivers won’t see those temperatures,” Recurrent states.
There are few reasons why electric vehicle range drops off in cold weather, including slower chemical and physical reactions in the battery, with cold temperatures inhibiting the chemical reactions needed to produce electricity. Additionally, EVs will consume onboard power to heat the cabin, as compared to internal combustion engines that will redirect wasted heat.
The Recurrent study is based on anonymized data pulled from 7,000 vehicles in the broader Recurrent community from across the U.S., with data incorporating all real-world variables, such as uneven terrain, variable driving speeds, and calendar aging of batteries. According to the latest 2022 study, the EVs with the smallest drop in range in winter weather include the Jaguar I-Pace (3 percent) and Audi e-tron (8 percent).
With regard to the Chevy Bolt EV specifically, Recurrent points out that the vehicle manual suggests leaving the Bolt plugged in with reduced max charge when it is very cold or very hot to allow the thermal management system to work without the depleting the battery.
As a reminder, the Chevy Bolt EV features a 65 kWh battery (or 60 kWh, depending on the model year), and is based on the GM BEV2 platform. Production takes place at GM Lake Orion plant in Michigan.
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Comments
I hope we’re never actually forced to own these things..
Luddite.
I typically embrace technology and am not against electric cars as an option. I am against being forced to own something and believe the market should decide what we prefer. I will even look at the Blazer EV for our family’s second vehicle as it is rarely driven long distance and has a short daily commute.
Living in the Midwest where temperatures fall below 0 and having a job that requires me to drive hundreds of miles, at times pulling a trailer, coupled with the lack of infrastructure makes it highly unlikely that I will get behind the EV truck idea for many, many years.
I also respect the performance of the high end EV’s, but don’t think I’ll ever be excited as excited to hop in a EV Performance Car over something with the rumble of a V8 and gears to shift through.
Who’s forcing you to buy anything?
Give it time.
Bidum and Mary!
Moron.
There will always be gas vehicles to drive, and I cannot imagine a time when driving a gas vehicle will be outlawed.
Don, it won’t be “outlawed” (hopefully) but you will undeniably lose your freedom of choice since States will outlaw sales of non-BEV vehicles ( they already have in several States ) after a certain calendar year. And Manufacturers have declared they will no longer offer ICE vehicles for sale. Welcome to totalitarianism !
From what I understand, the ban regarding sales of ICE vehicles pertains to the manufactures of new ICE vehicles only. So lets say after 2035 there will be no more new ICE vehicles manufactured , I do not think there will ever be a ban on buying, selling, trading of all the ICE vehicles that are on this planet.
potato pahtahto
thats because you don’t live in California
This “thing” is the best car I have ever owned. If you dont want one, dont buy one. Or, here is a suggestion, if it pains you so much, stop reading ev stories
I’m glad you like yours and agree that for many people in certain areas, it is a great option. Unfortunately the “if you don’t want one, don’t buy one” option will seemingly go away in the future. I’m hopeful the future EV stories will continue to show improvements as this one is a step back.
Did you own a 80’s Corolla before?the bolt has a pretty low bar as far as vehicles go. It doesn’t float like a caddy, it doesn’t eat the curves like a vette, nor allow you to stretch out like a suburban. It beats walking, I’ll say that
So you’re in denial about EV shortcoming. Cold weather performance is a big deal breaker.
The USA and Western European governments are essentially forcing automakers to go electric. Customer preferences be damned.
walk.
MPG on gasoline vehicles drop off significantly during the winter, maybe not as much, but it is to be expected.
While this may be true there is a gas station on every corner to make up for it. There are very few options for charging an EV. This is why I have a Volt with the onboard generator and recently added a Chevy Cruze which is averaging 400 miles per tank of gas so my daughter can afford to stay in college. It will be some time before EV’s are a viable solution as a “family” vehicle.
If you’re only using the vehicle around town which most do 5 days a week then you can charge it at home. No need to go around the corner.
JohnnyV wrote: January 4, 2023 at 6:23 am
There are very few options for charging an EV.
There are tens of thousands of options. They’re called “homes.” You can’t get gas at home, but you can get electricity. All homes have it.
All homes have an EV charging outlet???
I didn’t say “All homes have an EV charging outlet.” I clearly said all homes have electricity. I charge my Bolt here at home on 110v. Yes, they all have it.
If you charge your bolt on a wall outlet it takes 48 hours. Nobody has that much time just to drive 10 miles to work and back. EVs should be outlawed.
If you drive 20 miles round trip to work daily plugging it into a 120V outlet will charge your vehicle back up nightly in less than 8 hours.
Your assumption is you’re charging it fully every night which isn’t true unless you drive ~250 miles a day.
Lol. No one uses a 110v outlet. And if you did, it would take a few hours to charge 10 miles of range. Get out of here with your idiocy.
I plugged our Bolt into wall outlet for months no problems? full charge every morning. No messy gas stations or lines at Costco to save a few dollars. Your numbers are simply incorrect.
Do you realize how much of a luxury it is to own a house? A significant portion of the population lives in condos and apartment complexes, where there is no way to charge at home. I live in a condo with zero options for home charging. I also own a Bolt, and I rely 100% on public chargers. It is absolutely a lifestyle change. I use an electric scooter to leave the car at the charging station and pick it up later. I’ve done it for over a year, but it’s only because I really wanted an EV. Otherwise it is utterly impractical and takes a lot of time out of your life to keep it charged. I love my car, but let’s not pretend owning an EV is practical for most people. It isn’t.
Thats funny, every car I ever owned always ran better in cool-cold weather after it was totally warmed up.
My daily commute is 124 miles round trip.
My 2017 Bolt has over 121k miles on it.
This is by far the most economical option for me. I even got a free battery upgrade at 73k miles on it…and a new 100k mile warranty.
Cheapest car I ever owned.
Oh yeah, I have a house with solar and charge at home half the time (240v charger at 25 mi/hr charge rate). As a perk, I charge for free at work the other half. The ROI has been fantastic.
So, you’re “claiming” that your home’s Solar charges your EV at 240V ? Look, it’s another EV LIAR !
Most homes in the U.S. that have solar electric panels are connected to the “Grid” and have “Net metering” which enables them to recharge an EV overnight with the cost offset by the kilowatts produced during the day. And virtually all of these are 240 Volts AC.
And “Winterized Diesel” doesn’t exactly increase your mileage either…so it shouldn’t be a big shock that freezing temps reduce range on an EV.
The drop in range is something we noticed as it got colder outside. Went down to 190 mile range when the temperature hit 5-15 degrees Fahrenheit around Christmas. I’m my opinion it would be difficult if this was your only vehicle in your household. We still have a ICE vehicle that we can use for longer range.
Now I wonder for the same temps my volt has never dropped off its EV range that much. At most 20% at those temperature ranges mentioned. Or are we speaking of the drivers using the normal heating system which does not have heat pumps that GM needs to get on the band wagon with to maximize range! Yes those hair dryer like inside air heating comforts drain the batteries quickly! Is that what the results take into account?
All Ultium based vehicles have heat pumps. The Bolt is using older technology, but it’s also the cheapest EV you can buy.
I am counting on heat pumps in the equinox and blazer models!
As the old saying goes…. “No sh*t Sherlock” ? Does the claimed range really decrease with Winter temperatures where Winter actually is a Season in N. America ? Who’d-a-thunk-it ? Add in the battery-drain created by the resistance-style heater needed to keep the cabin temperature tolerable or melt the snow/ice on the windshield and you have even more “range loss” and not only in Chevy’s cheap heap. Then there was the recent revelation that trying to charge one of these things using normal household current was not very productive since some of them have built-in devices to keep the Li battery warmed up and that device kept re-charging gains to a minimum since it used up a lot of the amperage intended for the battery.
I plugged our Bolt into wall outlet for months no problems? full charge every morning. No messy gas stations or lines at Costco to save a few dollars. Your numbers are simply incorrect.
duh!! they really needed a study to tell us the obvious! This info is the same for ALL ev cars ! Neighbors tesla is in the same boat! range cut in almost half!
My 2020 Bolt with new batteries installed about 6 months ago is also seeing a significant drop in average range when temps drop into the 20 to 40 degree range. When I unplug fully charged the average range is typically between 196 and 204 miles. In neutral weather 70 degrees that range is crazy high anywhere from 329 to as high as 336 miles. I have also found that on freeway setting the cruise control at 70MPH the average range indicated is very close to what the vehicle gets. Problem is driving at 70 MPH you have to stay to the right lane as you will be run over as most vehicles are moving much faster. I have done it many times both ways and there is a huge difference in freeway range between 70 and 80 MPH as evidenced by the KW draw indicated on the dash board. Have nearly 40,000 miles on the Bolt now and replacing it with the LT2 Equinox EV later this year.
I checked with GM engineering and the ground clearance on the nox ev is 6 inches. Apparently too many nox customers don’t want to crawl up to get in. But that kind of ground clearance doesn’t work for me. I need at least 8.”
Duh, everyone already knows that. This another reason I will stick with ICE.
And that, my friends, is only one of the many, many reasons why EVs are only part of the mobility solution, not THE mobility solution!
The big cause of range reduction in cold weather is the increased air density which is never mentioned. I see my efficiency drop from 4 miles/ kWh at 70F to 3.2 m/kWh with the climate control off. Which eliminates battery chemistry and accessory consumption from the equation.
Just had service today a Chevy Dealer. Not a Bolt around. Not in showroom or lot. No Camaros, either. Amazing. Batteries are best in 70* temps. Too hot or too cold and they lose longevity. Like 10 % for every 10*.
“Significant Range Drop In Cold”. Well, Duh!
GM announced a level 2 charger available to the public through the parts departments.
It states a minimum operating temperature of -30 celsius.
My question is, what happens when it is colder than -30? The Great White North might have some EV growing pains.
You are not going to be driving an ICE vehicle without being plugged into an electric engine block/oil pan heater, unless you are actively driving.
Same for EVs, you plug it in while parked, the EV battery management system uses a bit of power to keep it warm.
What happens if you forget to plug It it in? After a few days, you can deep freeze a battery pack without damage but you don’t want to charge it until it warms up and the battery management system will prevent it.
This is a sobering reality check. Ford is also getting caught with their pants down and egg on their face with the F150 Lightening in cold weather applications with reduced range. Brandon and his team are living in LA LA land.
The Hummer EV is doing pretty well in the cold.
The Hummer EV has a heat pump, that is why. I am confused why GM Authority doesn’t explain this.
when I lived in Fairbanks, Alaska, all of our ICE vehicles were winterized with heater pads installed onto the oil pan, below the 12V battery and a engine block heater plug. There are electric outlets in all homes and parking areas to power these heaters on an extension cord. A similar heater on the battery pack would keep the temp of the battery in a reasonable range when ambient temperatures drop into the -20 to -40 degree Farenheit range.
Of course, there is no heat pump. Chevy Bolt is a amazing 2nd vehicle / city commuter. For your primary long distance driver you are going to want an Ultium vehicle with a heat pump.
One day I hope they port the Bolt to the Ultium platform.
All BEVs will experience significant drops in range when the heater is active. Heaters in evs take lots more electricity that do the AC units. My Leaf is listed at 176 miles, but I get about 100 in the winter OR at 75 mph. Like most tech, you have to know it’s limitations and adjust your plans accordingly.
Bolt EUV has heated front seats, steering wheel, and outside mirrors so pre-heat interior while still plugged in with heater on low. Then put on your winter coat and hat and go to work! If all of this is too much to do, then drive your ice and ignore how much you are contributing to global warming, natural animal habitats and the ONLY planet we know of with life! If you think that the movie “Blade Runner” is science fiction, then you better get a grip on reality!
Interesting commentary from everyone.
I own two vehicles, a 2020 F150 with the Ecoboost 3.5l engine and 10 spd transmission…and a 2017 Bolt EV. I use the truck for what trucks are best for (dump runs, construction materials, garden supplies…and towing my travel trailer). I used the Bolt EV as my commuter vehicle.
I live 62 miles away from work (124miles/day) and have to commute daily…no hybrid or WFH for me. The decision to buy the Bolt was purely economical. The truck, at best, gets on average, 20mpg. With my daily commute, it consumes ~6 gallons/day. At a cost of $5/gal (not unrealistic in Nor Cal), that is $30/day for just the fuel. 5 days/week, 50 weeks/year…and that comes out to $6750/yr. For fuel cost alone (not including truck loan, periodic service, tires/brakes, etc), that comes out to $0.217/mile. By comparison, my Bolt consumes ~33kWh/day of electricity. Where I live, PGE now charges me $0.24/kWh. That comes out to $7.92/day for electricity. It works out to be $1980/year for electricity. that is close to $5k/year savings for me. The Bolt just reached the 100k mile milestone this last week. It has been the most economical and reliable vehicle I have ever owned period. Aside from the main battery issue which GM replaced last year at no cost to me, it has been problem free.
I get the concerns with range anxiety, but, purchasing the right EV comes down to what you are going to use it for. In my case, it is purely the commute vehicle and the around-town shopping trips vehicle. The Bolt has more than enough range to accommodate seasonal variations in battery efficiency. I can be as low as 209 miles of range in low 20’s in the winter and as high as 270 miles range on very warm days. But, with a 124 mile commute, it is more than enough to kill any range concerns. Yes, using the cabin heater does significantly impact the range, but if used sparingly, the heated seats and steering wheel make my commute bearable.
hi, I’m here in Michigan January 2023 with my 2022 Bolt EUV. When it’s 30-ish, my range has been about 195 miles. But this morning, with the current temperature hovering around zero? I got barely 100 miles. Almost ended up dead on the side of the road. NOT GOOD.
I assume you leave it parked outside and not plugged in?
you assume completely wrong, but hey thanks for presuming. Just curious what made you think your comment was at all helpful let alone not immensely insulting