So I apologize for the shakiness this is kind of an unplanned video not, often that you see me outside but I'm. Actually, gonna be borrowing the bolt again today to do a little video. For you it, is hot, today it is about is, currently, 86, degrees and will go up to a high of 96, which is this. Celsius, and I'm. Going, to take the bolt Eevee back to my place to work and back which should be a total of 184. Miles all. Highway, driving and we'll see how it does but before we go I want to show you one thing here because. It's so warm outside I'm, gonna have the bolt precondition. Itself and I wanted to show this. Is the charging station that it's on and as. You can hopefully see the charging station is not supplying, power to the cart because it's fully charged so I'm gonna use the remote to, remote start the car and then, the charging station will click on. Hear, that big thunk. So. Now that orange light indicates, that the charging station. Is sending power to the car. And. Very soon. You'll. Hear the air conditioning running. The. Bolt has a variable-speed AC, compressor, same. As the Volt with a V it's. Just more efficient that way and it can run any amount. Of refrigerant it needs to so. I'm gonna let the car run like this for about five minutes to get nice and cool that. Way right now it's pulling power from the grid it's not using its battery at also, by preconditioning. The cabin like this we're gonna get a little bit better battery, range and then, once it's cool off I'm gonna get in the car we'll use my dash cam I'll show you better the drive that I'm taking okay, one more thing before I get going I'm sitting inside and, it's nice and cool in here but, the car is not actually on and it is still plugged in so I'm going to turn it on because I want to show you one thing some people are worried about this. So. I wanted to show you but it's how it says the charge cord is connected because I'm still plugged in it will not let me shift into gear if I try. Conditions. Not correct for shift. Charge. Cord connected, so a lot of people freak out about what happens, if you move your car while it's still plugged in the, answer is nothing nothing, happens because it knows it's plugged in and it won't let you move so, I want to apologize, for the dashcam footage because, the, dash cam that is in this car I got dash cams for my mom and dad. It's the same as one in my card it's a wedge style - man - camp and, there's, a blue windshield, tent on the bolt and so it's looking through that a little bit so everything looks pretty blue I'm going to do my best to correct that, so this bolts, unlike probably, many, bolt V's spends, a lot of time in rural areas, on country roads like this one this is Illinois Route 29, I'm heading north to get to hi 180, to take me to my 80 my, parents live south of i-80, of north, of Peoria, and. Well. I'm, just entering Pierrot County right now so this Evy spends, a lot of time in, a rural setting not. Anywhere, near a city we are about 120, miles away from Chicago, right now and. Part of why I want to make sure people understand that is because, even. For people in a rural setting if they have access to a home charging station, which can recharge the car at about 10, hours from empty, you. Know this, car works for a lot, of people I see so many comments, about EVs are City dwelling cars, only you can't take them out of the city, this, card doesn't even live, in the city most the time can, either spend some time with being in the suburbs or a lot, of time out, here. This is not the city. So I have cruise control, which, is how it's gonna stay for, a good. Portion of this trip, 70, miles an hour is actually, not ideal, for a TVs range because, generally, you want to stay to 65, or less but I'm intentionally keeping. It at 70 because, I don't want to paint the picture that. I am trying, to hike a mile here, I'm. Really not gonna, keep up with traffic and do the best I can and according. To the car it is 89, degrees outside, so. We got some nice toasty, warm weather, you. This. Part here getting to IAE is one of the most challenging parts for this car as far as range goes because if you can hopefully, tell on the dash cam we're actually going at a pretty significant, incline, where. My parents live is when a few areas of Illinois that aren't, completely, flat it's, still pretty flat but there are some river valleys around here and.
So There's some pretty wild changes, in elevation right now to go up this hill maintaining, 70 is taking. 7:38 kilowatts, which is. A lot, of power. But. Now we are back to flatland, as far as the eye can, see. By, the way just as common courtesy, you should do that like if someone's, on the side of the road for whatever reason, move, over for them the, person behind me did it and, there's no one around me don't. Be a jerk and. By the way in Illinois that's a cop or an emergency, vehicle you, have to, get over and if you don't you, will get pulled over just ask my dad about that. Here. We are on i-80. Everybody's. Favorite big, east-west, interstate going, from New York to California all. The way across I think it's New York maybe is New Jersey, anyway. I'm not going, to try and hide room I'll remember keeping, speeds, up to 70 if, I pass a truck I passed a truck if a truck passes me a truck passes me I'm not going to follow up I'm, trying not to present this. You have to be careful, to drive an Eevee. To show you what it's like if you're just driving it like you in a car so we, got crazy control set to 70 miles an hour which, is the speed limit, yeah you might be going to higher than that on average but I will, at least do that much probably. That's. Not hyperbole, my going to stretch the imagination but, I'll at least do that get that little, bit of range out of it but, now we're on this road for the next summer, on this road for the next 60. Miles or so but we have a hundred just, under 100 miles left in this journey and, we'll, where, we are when, we get there. Temperature. Reading on the car is now 94. It's. Going, up. Did. You know that an Eleanor. Or tunnel tomorrow. It's. Right there just. Take that exit. They. Even have a Menards through. Oh you, know I should probably say, I have the cabin temperature set to 71, degrees Fahrenheit, so I'm also in, my winter range test, I kept, the cabin temperature pretty, cold because, I had the heated scene a heated steering bill and I was bundled up some, people complained about that well. Now I have the temperature really, comfortable. Perfect. For driving it's 94, outside with 71, inside. Nice, and comfy. As we. Are. Moving. Into the 44th. Mile, of this journey we have used 12.2, kilowatt, hours which. Is a little. Worse than average. 12, if we go with the EPA rating, 12 - kilowatt, hours should give us 48, miles but we've done 12.3. Only got a forty four point seven miles so we're, a little bit behind but not a whole lot. Here. In Illinois we also have, a warped item Ottawa you can just go that way and find yourself in Canada all. You. We. Passed by a Tesla. He, seemed unimpressed. He's, also not running a front license plate tisk tisk. Noticed that and. I've. Heard some wind noise but, I can, see in the trees offer I could see the trees up the rail back footage up a little bit. Which. Is weird disappoint, east and usually, if. I'm going these there's a tailwind, but you know sometimes. It. Seems every single time I want to do a range test in this car the weight the condition, is the wrong way. We're, still going to be fine but just, to give some context, right. Now wind. Is not helping me it's hurting. Me so. I've got keep, that in your headline think about the range. Every. Time, I, take, this ramp there's a truck at the front going, 25, miles an hour. You. Come. On in mr. foreigner. Welcome. To this Lane I bet, you knew you needed this Lane a long time ago but just now, is when you decided to get in because you know that's how we do things. Oh and. Thank you so much for letting me know you were exiting, I really appreciate that signal. We really have a model, driver in front of us ladies and gentlemen. All, right so. We. Are now back and I'm parked in my garage just, because I want. To keep the car out of the Sun just do that little bit tiny bit of an advantage but. We weren't. Super efficient, this time we were at 31.9. Kilowatt, hours to go one hundred and thirteen point four and that's uh that's. Probably, well. I'll do the math this percentage, lower than what the EPA estimate, would be and I. Really. Did not account for the winds today I didn't think it was gonna be that windy so. I just want to point out climate, settings was only four percent so. And I've said this a lot to people, air, conditioning, is not that, big of a load for an electric car so, even though it was ninety four degrees outside for much of the commute got, a little cooler once I got towards home it was still about eighty eight I've.
Been Keeping the climate, control set at 71 or 72 and, not only used for pretty like that was only four percent of the energy usage for this entire trip so. Air. Conditioning, is really not a huge deal if, we go to the. Main center cluster you'll see that it's predicting, ninety eight miles of range remaining, and. I, have 70 miles that I need to go further now. If I were a rational, human being who wasn't, doing this test I would plug the car in because I have about two hours of charging that would give another forty at forty, miles of range at least but, I'm not going to do that because I want to test this range and I really think it's gonna improve, for, my drive to work because I typically go, a little bit slower and also. We'll be going north-south rather than east-west, so we'll, see what, happens. Toki. All. Right so i did not plug in the car you'll notice it says plug into charge and our. Rain just meant actually went up by one mile because it realized that we went into a cooler place. So. We. Are still at thirty one point nine kilowatt hours with a distance traveled one thirteen point four now, we're going to drive thirty four point two miles or something like that and then we'll see where that puts us. All, right so the trapline. To this light of the journey is right in the middle there is no direction. Going up or down but. As. We cut back in here I've got about, six miles our, max range, is 110, and our mission is 76, currently. We're predicted, to go 93. Though, I can see that, the. Yes, I, can. See that the trend line is starting to creep up which, I expected, it to do so especially, because I've looked outside, and the wind around here seems to be dying down, I have no meteorological, expert but I did notice it, was getting cool the earth as I headed towards my place which, is closer to Lake Michigan and. I'm wondering if there was a high pressure area, over the lake because it's always. Keeps the air, above and colder because it's a big body of water and. Maybe that was forcing. Air, out, towards, the last that's why I had I, don't know in, any case the wind is much calmer right now it's, 93. Degrees out according, to the car. Up, at, my work within the next half, hour or so also. I should point out that I'm. Not taking a huge risk here if there are people for like oh my god range anxiety I know, two, things what, my, boss is fine if I clogging at work so if for some reason that I get to work there's way less range and I think up looking but, to the, O'Hare oasis, we keep seeing signs for has. Both a level two and a DC fast charging charger. Uphill for the car so, if I needed tell them I went back I could just stop at the Oasis I've, never actually used the DC fast charging and this floor I won't do it unless I need to one. Day I'm gonna test that but not right now, but. It. Looks like that trend line is creeping up support. The driving, conditions seemed much more favorable also. I'm trying to keep up with traffic and this Lane and I'm not hypermiling, but also Hamilton, could go way faster than I want to on the trans date so I'm, not going to join the left lanes but I will stay here came, up with the guy. I. Know. I said I wasn't going to hyper mile and it may. But. If. You're unfamiliar, with the tri-state. Anything. Goes here I am, to. Put it well. I'm speeding, I'm going, a bit over the speed limit, everybody else is whoa. Alec, Melanie why we have laws where, you. Need to follow traffic flow so. Really, I'm, going under, the quota for speed limit, but. I'm. Just in the right lane cuz I don't want to go as, fast as. You. All, right I am now at work and, that, is our final we are actually just at 40 kilowatt hours, used which is two thirds of the battery went. A hundred and forty eight miles so that means we could go 50 percent more assuming, we have the exact same average, efficiency we've had so. What would that be. Be. 74, on top of that so, about. 221. Or so which, is actually, right, about what it predicted when we first turned on the car then. Going over to the speedometer. Cluster area we, are at a minimum of 61, miles predicted, 75 and if you recall it, said that we. Started at 100. So the range meter only went down 25, miles even though we drove. 34. And that's because, it, was just more efficient driving this time we weren't facing that wind and still, our, climate settings have now accounted for five percentage, 5%. Of our usage but still that's, very, very little and I'm still keeping myself comfortable even. Though temperatures are in the 90s. All. Right so I just got out of work yes, I work in the evenings, it, sucks, I drew the short straw, working in this particular, time on Memorial, Day but.
Let's. See where we're at. Okay. It. Is showing 78, miles. It's. Not exposed right there we go, 78. Miles so let's turn. It on. That's. Better, all. Right so. We have 34. Or 30 or so miles ahead of us I'm. Sure we'll make it okay. Now that we are back on, the. Tri-state, and southbound, I. Normally. Keep my speed, 268, of this segment. As I, get more small I don't have traffic to keep up with because it's late at night so. I'm just setting the speed that I can always do. Again. I'm. Not trying to hyper mile here I'm not gonna follow truck yeah. I'm going a little bit slower than the average person but. Really. Not that much. What sort range we have all. So. We'll. Do a bit of a time cork. So. I took us out of warp speed because I want. Explain, for those that. Have. Never been to a. Sustain. That, has the charging station that we're about to go under it's more obvious what it is that night I don't. Know they've been around for many decades in fact there's the Williams pinball, machine from I believe the 60s, about aiwei's which, has one of these Oasis. Oasis. On its, back, glass there's. Some trivia for you but, anyway these, highway owaisi's, are, on the tollway here and it's got restaurants, and stuff and it's built above the tollway as a number facets so. You can see ants ants and Starbucks, maybe. Do other states have those I don't know, not. All of them in Illinois are, built. Over the road like that some of them are just off to the side but the, ones that are built over the road you, know you uh depending. On which direction you're going you might turn to one or the other and, you can't turn around which kind of stinks but. Anyway. That's what the highway, Oasis, was and. Over. There by the Mobil, gas station, there is BBC, fast charger, I have. Not used it myself but. I have seen it and people unplug chair a graded it so that would have been their best option but, as. It stands I'm still showing 56, miles of range remaining. And, I, like. More, than halfway homes, no. Need to stop. All right we, are now back, home and we have gone, 183. Miles today which. Took 48.8, kilowatt, hours and the. Car thinks we will be able to do another 47. The trendline was pretty, high up towards that max 55, but that's because I was going, less. Than 60 miles an hour for the last bit of this journey but. If, we do our little math here. The EPA estimated range of this car is 238. And, we. Are. Go. Man I'm so bad at math in my head. Okay, we move on 230, so we're actually only 8 miles shy, of the EPA estimated range assuming. That our efficiency, stayed you. Know what. It is because we were going 40 if, we had 47 left with the 183. That we did we. Would be at. 240. No. 230. Miles, that's only 8 miles off I'm, bad at this so. This is gonna cost me about five, dollars and fifty cents in electricity, so. Not bad we did 183. Miles of driving on five dollars and fifty cents I also, wanted to show you the experience of plugging, it in because, you know people feel like this is so hard. There's. The charge cord I actually, have like the hardest way. To plug in of anybody because my charger is all over here, and. I gotta unfurl, the cord. I'm. Just gonna walk back to the car. And. Plug. It in and just for, your enjoyment you're gonna hear a bunch of sounds, you're, gonna hear, some relays. Clicking you're. Gonna hear the, actual. Charging, station, back there make a big funk and the, car is gonna make a couple other weird noises and then, it beats. Just. Push, that in. So. Incredibly, complicated and then. The car will tell you when, you open the door when it will be done charging, its. Estimate, is going to, move. Up a, little bit oh, I. Have found a bug let me close the door. It, does that a lot. Okay. So. It says that the charge will be done by 8:30, a.m. and. Oftentimes. That, estimate. Will go up a little bit as I plug in because this. Is a 32 amp charger, but it's only on 208, volts, so, it's actually a little, bit slower than my parents charger, even though the charger itself. The. Clipper Creek HCS 40 is a. Larger, charger, it's, on 208, rather than 240, volts so it charges a little more slowly so.
Maybe. They actually the. Car software. Was updated over the year recently and I don't, know if it affects the instrument cluster but maybe it didn't in, the past it used to be you would open it after I plug in and it would say charge you know charge would leave by 7:00 7:15. 7:30 7:45. As it, realized it was on a lower voltage but, today, it didn't do that so. I hope you enjoyed this video on the Chevy Volt V's summer driving range although it missed the epa estimate, by just a hair I think it's still pretty impressive since, for much of my drive the car was facing a headwind and all, of the miles were strictly, highway unlike. A conventional, car and Evi does better in stop-and-go city, driving because it can use regenerative, braking, on the, highway there's no braking, going on so its range will drop this. Partially, explains why the EPA range, estimate, for electric vehicles is so much more conservative than the European, or Asian estimates, for the same vehicle being, so spread out in the u.s. highway range is more important here anyway. Thank you very much for watching please check out my Twitter feed if you're into that at a peak at my patreon, page would be much appreciated if, you'd like to support what I do on this channel I'll, see you next time.
2018-06-01