Chris Militzer/Miliman12 Photography
“This car is awesome!”
It was my 8-year-old son who said it, but the entire family agreed.
We spent a week driving around Alexandria in a 2019 Chevy Bolt EV (electric vehicle) to find out whether buying an electric vehicle — or leasing one — would be the right move for us. We’re a family of four (six if you count the dog and cat).
Currently, we’re driving a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and a 2007 Ford Escape that’s… well, showing its age. When the time comes, we decided, we’d be replacing the Escape with a larger SUV or a minivan, and replace the car with another hybrid. Driving the Bolt EV changed our thinking.
We think we still need a “hauler” — something that can carry our kids, plus their friends and all their stuff (and, every two months, a couple thousand magazines). But the replacement for our Fusion is now very likely to be an electric vehicle.
Your Mileage May Vary
Fully charged, the Bolt EV can go up to 238 miles, largely eliminating “range anxiety” — the fear of being stuck somewhere with a dead battery.
Alexandria has dozens of charging stations in condo buildings, public parking garages, at hotels and in shop-ping centers, making it easy to charge on the go. The Bolt EV gets 119 miles-per-gallon equivalent – substantially more than the average 30 mpg our Fusion gets and the 20 mpg our Escape manages on a good day.
Like with all cars, your mileage will vary depending on a variety of factors from how aggressively you drive to how much you use your heat (or air conditioning). Chevrolet provided a number of tips on efficient driving, including keeping the heat on low, or compensating with the heated seats and heated steering wheel in the winter. Driving the Bolt EV in “low” gear provides additional power regeneration when stopping.
Eerily quiet, surprisingly peppy and packed with fun technology, the Bolt EV handled well in the cold December rain and felt surprisingly roomy.
Charging at Home
I was able to charge the Bolt EV from our standard, 120-volt outdoor electrical outlet at home, but the charge speed is called “trickle” for a reason. Two hours of charging at home yielded about 9 miles of charge.
Is it worth having a Level 2 or 3 charging station installed at home? As my 5-year-old would say, “one hundred thousand million percent” yes.
You may be lucky enough to live in a condo building or townhome community where there’s already a charging station. Or, the garage at your workplace has one. If you’re one of those people, that’s a huge benefit.
For the rest of us: Getting an Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSE) station installed at home isn’t difficult, but it will cost you $500 to $1,000 for the equipment. Installation is extra and the cost depends on how close you can install the ESVE to your home breaker box and whether your home electrical system needs to be upgraded before installation.
Yes, you can install an ESVE on the side of your home if you don’t have a garage. Newer ESVEs have wireless connectivity, apps, dedicated meterage and more, but Consumer Reports recommends going for a “dumb but reliable” ESVE. Most electricians should be able to install this, but some dealerships can provide a list of local, certified electricians they trust.
Charging on the Road
My need for a faster charge than the at-home trickle is why I ended up working from Starbucks on a Thursday morning.
Two hours of charging at a Level 2 charger in a public parking garage in the Carlyle neighborhood cost 90-cents for energy (plus $11 for parking). The car gained 37 miles of charge. Level 3 (DC Fast Charging) stations, which can provide up to 90 miles of charge in less than an hour, are harder to come by in public locations.
Download the PlugShare and ChargePoint apps for your mobile device to see what stations are available near you — but be aware that some are Tesla-only, and others are just wall outlets to provide that ‘trickle.’ Clicking on each map point will give you details and useful information from other EV drivers.
On the plus side, avoiding the boring task of filling up at a gas station in the chilly December weather was worth its weight (or price) in gold. Driving a Bolt EV saves the average driver $4,000 in gas over 5 years of ownership.
Courtesy of General Motors
BOLT EV, LEAF, TESLA
The Bolt EV we drove was top-of-the-line and packed with technology and conveniences. Wireless charging and Apple CarPlay (or the Android Auto system), as well as SiriusXM, OnStar, heated seats, a heated steering wheel, overhead and rear-facing cameras, intelligent high beams, cruise control, lane awareness and more were included. The base price for the Bolt EV starts at $36,620; the one we drove was closer to $42,000.
There are federal rebates still available.
The Nissan Leaf, Ford Focus EV, Tesla and other popular EV models also come in a variety of trim levels and price points, and it’s worth test driving all of them to see what you need and like.
If you take really long road trips (frequent drives to New York City or the Outer Banks), you’ll want to factor in charging time along the way. There are Level 3 charging stations at some rest stops, and Level 2 stations at others. Again, the ChargePoint and PlugShare mobile apps are your friends.
The rear seats do quickly and easily fold flat in the Bolt EV, giving you 56.6 cubic feet of storage.
If you really need a large vehicle that can carry people and a ton of stuff (a “hauler,” as we call it) or something with towing capabilities and this is your only vehicle, then this may not be right for you.
But the Bolt EV is a great option for anyone who needs a car for driving around Northern Virginia, commuting into the District or just getting around.
My 8-year-old boy gave it two thumbs up. I agree, little buddy.
