For too many years, fully-electric cars (also known as “EVs”) have been “just around the corner.” In their stead, green-minded consumers have had to content themselves with driving hybrids or lower-emission Internal Combustion (IC)-powered vehicles.
But it’s clear that fully electric cars now have momentum they just didn’t have a few years back. For example, in Norway, fully electric cars already account for 27 percent of new car sales, according to Electrek.co – a website tracking green vehicle developments. In July of 2017, both Britain and France announced that their nations would ban the sale of IC-powered vehicles after 2040. Other nations – including China and India – have announced “road-maps” calling for an accelerated shift to fully electric cars in the next few decades.
In the U.S., mass adoption of fully-electric cars has been held back by four difficult obstacles:
1. Prohibitively high cost
2. Limited range
3. Lack of a widespread nationwide charging network
4. Limited availability at dealerships
But Chevrolet has a long history of not letting barriers get in the way of automotive technology progress, so let’s take a look at how its new Bolt EV – available from Bical Chevrolet – zooms past each and every one of them:
Cost
Fully-electric cars are cheaper to operate and maintain than conventional IC-powered vehicles, which means that many consumers don’t mind paying a bit more up front for them in exchange for their lower cost of ownership. But Chevy’s aggressive pricing of the Bolt – along with the $7,500 Federal Tax Credit and – in New York – a $2,000 Drive Clean Rebate – does away with the “pay more now to save more later” paradigm. Once you factor in all the incentives, it means you can get a fully-electric car – right now — for under $29,000.
But a lower purchase cost is just where your savings begin, and Chevy has a handy online calculator that lets you precisely reckon how much Bolt ownership can save you in terms of reduced fueling costs. For example, if you’re currently getting 20 MPG from your IC-powered car, drive 40 miles a day, and make this drive 5 times a week, driving the Bolt will save about $859 a year. (These figures are based on an estimated $0.13 kWh national average.)
Another important factor affecting the total cost of driving a car is maintenance costs, which will be lower for a fully electric car than for an IC-powered one. Say goodbye to costs associated with oil changes, transmission fluid, spark plugs, and mufflers!
Range
In years past, the limited range of fully-electric cars has restricted them to low-mileage city driving duties. But Chevy’s Bolt boasts an industry-leading 238 mile range, “setting the mark for all-electric vehicle range.” Those aren’t our words – they come from Consumer Reports, which reported the findings in its August 2017 issue (do we need to mention that the much-hyped Teslas don’t run quite as far?)
Vehicle range is, of course, dependent on the way you drive, how many electrical accessories you operate while driving, and how often you must stop and go. The Bolt’s regenerative braking system – which puts power back into the battery when you hit the brake pedal (and also allows one-pedal driving) – is designed to make the most of any stops or decelerations made along your route.
Recharging network
Bolts come equipped to accommodate a wide range of electric charging options, and Chevy includes a handy guide for exploring the many ways to keep your Bolt topped off with electric power.
Your Bolt includes a standard (Level 1) 120-volt portable charger, which is convenient, but on the slow side (12 hours of charge yields about 48 miles of range). An optional (Level 2) 240 volt, 32-amp charging unit lets you tap into your home’s 240 volt utility line (a licensed electrician must interface this unit with your home’s wiring); this charging unit will add about 25 miles of range for each hour of charging.
Every Bolt comes supplied with a card in the glove compartment providing access to the ChargePoint electric car charging network. Right now, there are hundreds of ChargePoint stations on Long Island, with many more to come as the network expands. The myChevrolet Mobile App – available for Android and iOs – will let you easily map the location of a nearby charging station along with the charging level provided by that station.
Bolt owners can also, with the optional DC Fast Charge port, take advantage of ultra-fast DC charging available at some public charging stations. For every hour of charge, DC Fast Charging will add 160 miles of range.
Availability
Fully-electric cars haven’t generally been available in quantities sufficient to meet public demand. But Chevy wants to put plenty of Bolts on the road this year – up to 30,000 – the most serious push ever made by a major automaker to make fully electric cars standard on American roads. Chevy’s timeline calls for Bolts to be delivered to New York-based dealers during the summer of 2017, which means you can get one right now.
If you’d like to know more about what the revolutionary Bolt can do for you, your finances, and the planet, come on down to Bical Chevrolet – or use this website’s contact form – to arrange a test drive in the revolutionary, environmentally-friendly Chevrolet Bolt.
Connect with us
