The New Chevy Bolt Has A Range Advantage Hidden In The Owner’s Manual

Battery Health Matters

We're getting to a point where battery technology for EVs is rapidly advancing; given that all brands are still betting big on their EV offerings, range and capacity are increasing with every new EV model.

However, just like a normal internal combustion engine, your EV's battery also needs proper maintenance. Some brands will tell you that charging it to a certain percentage and not depleting it below another is key to maximizing its overall longevity. In Chevrolet's case, those battery tips don't just increase lifespan; they also lead to interesting range differences between its models.

Smaller Car, Bigger Range

GM Authority, in a report, highlighted some very interesting points regarding the actual usable range of their EVs, based on the tips in the user manual for keeping the batteries healthy. The Chevy Bolt is the brand's baby EV, slotting in below the larger Equinoxand Blazer as the crossover EV.

Based on GM Authority's observations, the user manual recommends that the Li-Ion battery in the Equinox and Blazer be charged to 80% only for longer life, while the new Bolt's LFP battery is recommended to be charged to 100%. It's also worth noting that each car's battery should not be depleted below 20% to improve battery management.

Affordable and Convenient

The Chevy Bolt's full range is 262 miles, while the Equinox is listed at 319 miles and the Blazers at 312 miles. When accounting for the user manual's charging tips, it comes out to (still) 262 for the Bolt, 255 (at 80% charge) for the Equinox, and even less for the Blazer at 250 (at 80% charge). In total, it means that the Bolt has a usable advantage of 7 more miles than the Equinox and a sizeable 12 more miles than the Blazer.

The Chevy Bolt is also easier to charge and live with, according to the report, but the biggest difference is price. The Bolt is around $8,000 more affordable than the Equinox and a massive $17,000 cheaper than the Blazer.

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