Chevy Bolt Owner’s Routine LA–Vegas Trip Entails ~1 Hour Of Round-Trip Charging On The Road
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In the comments of an article we recently published regarding an odd New York Times road trip in a Chevy Bolt, one Chevy Bolt owner who routinely drives that route chimed in. She explained that her trips to Vegas from Los Angeles typically entail just one ½-hour charge in each direction. Given the length of the journey, that offers a nice opportunity to stretch, use the restroom, and quickly grab a bite to eat. The Bolt owner also briefly explained some of the tremendous benefits of EV ownership. Since the comment was so good, we decided to republish it as a full article below.
By
Driving to Las Vegas in an electric vehicle is NOT a big deal and I don’t have to spend any significant amount waiting for my car to charge — certainly not 5 hours!!!
I live in Los Angeles County and my son and mother-in-law live in Las Vegas. I visit them often and I always drive my 2017 Chevy Bolt EV, which has a 238 mile official range, and I have never had a problem. My one-way trip is 270 miles (540 round trip plus some other driving around town to visit my mother-in-law usually results in a 600 or so mile week-end trip).
I leave my home with a full charge since charging up at home is easy (and effectively free with my home solar panels). I generally stop once for a half hour charge at the Victor Valley Mall or Baker and grab something to eat. When I get to Las Vegas, I have stayed at the Rio or other hotels that offer charging (sometimes free). When I drive home, I stop once for a half hour charge at Baker or Victorville and grab something to eat. My electric vehicle offers a smooth, quiet experience compared to a gasoline vehicle, which I personally prefer.
In the 2 years I have had my EV, I have driven 63,000 miles (most on my 50 mile one way commute to my office, but I have also taken trips over 1,000 miles). I generally charge at home or at work (both have solar) and I have saved over $4,000 per year in gas. Charging on trips has never been a problem.
On a long trip, I typically charge for ½ hour or 45 minutes, generally after 200 miles or so, and I pick a place to stay overnight that either has a level 2 charger (that will charge my EV to full overnight) or has a level 2 charger close by.
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