How Long Does it Take to Charge a Chevy Bolt?
When it comes to electric cars, the Chevy Bolt is popular due to its incredible power and dispositional features. This is a common question when it comes to considering electric automobiles: How long does it take to charge a Chevy Bolt? In this article, we will explain how to charge a Chevy Bolt, as well as all the ways from home charging to public chargers in between.
Introduction to Charging a Chevy Bolt
The process of charging an electric vehicle can be daunting at the start, but once one gets some tools and good knowledge, it will not be a big deal. Level 1 charging is standard in the Chevy Bolt, which can be charged with a cord that can be plugged into regular household wiring. Though, for more convenience and a quicker charging process, some Chevy Bolt owners may decide to install a level 2 charger at home or alternatively use the public charging infrastructure.
How to charge your Chevy Bolt
The flexibility of charging your Chevy Bolt means that there are quite a number of ways that you can possibly choose, based on your routine activity level.
Level 1 Charger- The Level 1 charger included with the Chevy Bolt is the most basic charger and involves a simple plug-in installation.
- It can be connected to any average home power outlet that has 120 volts of electrical current.
- The Level 1 charger is useful if the car can be plugged into a supply overnight but is considerably slower, adding about 4 miles of range for every hour connected.
- This charger offers faster charging speeds compared to the Level 1 charger.
- These chargers need to be connected to the 240-volt electrical supply outlet socket, which may be installed at one's house or at charging centers.
- Level two chargers enable charging up to a limit of 25 miles because it takes one hour to charge the car as compared to Level one chargers.
Charging Your Chevy Bolt at Home
This method of charging is preferable and cheaper because it makes certain that your Chevy Bolt is charged to its full capacity and is in a good position to go.
- However, when using home charging, most Chevrolet Bolt owners opt for a Level 2 charger, which takes a shorter time to charge a car.
- Level 2 chargers can be bought from several manufacturers on the market today, and they normally come with installation services.
- Getting a Level 2 charger at home also reduces the time spent using the charger and ensures that the car can be frequently charged during the day.
The Cost of Home Charging
There are a few factors that actually determine how much it costs to charge your Chevy Bolt at home:
Electricity Rates: The availability of electricity and its usage rates: Identify the cost of power per kilowatt-hour (kWh) from your local utility service provider.
Charging Speed: An SAE combo charger releases approximately 4 miles per hour and 25 miles per hour for a Level 2 charging station.
Vehicle Efficiency: The new Chevrolet Bolt has a driving range of around 259 miles on a single charge, according to the EPA. This may alter with driving style and road condition.
Charging your Chevrolet bolt from 0% to 100% at home will cost an average of $11. Assuming a charging efficiency of 85%, as well as an electricity rate of $0.15 per kWh it will sum to about $0.04 per mile of range.
The time of charging
Level 1 charging
If you will be charging your Chevy Bolt at home, you will find that there are a number of feasible ways to do so. The initial charging process that is commonly used is referred to as Level 1 charging. This uses the common full domestic socket, which is a 120-volt chamber that is usually installed in our houses. Level one charging normally takes between 35 and 40 hours, at an average time of full charging.
Level 2 charging
If you would like to be able to charge the car at a much faster rate, you might opt to get Level 2 charging. This usually requires having a 240-volt charging outlet in your home, which is usually done by planning for a charger installation. Level 2 chargers can also take a good amount of time less than Level 1 chargers will take. On average, using Level 2 charging, it would take a full charge in 9 to 10 charging hours.
Charging Your Chevy Bolt at Public Stations
Even though home charging is effective as a one-to-one charging ability, public charging equipment provides portability for journeys and other quick charging requirements. Let's explore the ins and outs of charging your Chevy Bolt at public stations.
How much does it cost?
- Pricing models may vary with the charging stations, but common patterns include per-use charging, subscription charging, or even free charging.
For instance, if the charging rate at the park is $0.25 per kWh and you charge your Chevy Bolt with a 60 kWh battery to full capacity, the cost would be: [$0.25 x 60 = $15]. This calculation helps you determine how much you may have to spend on charging your vehicle given the rate of electricity at the charging station.
The time of charging
A rough estimation of charging times for a Chevy Bolt at public stations is as follows:
Level 1 charger: A full charge may take about 8–10 hours, although this will often depend on the charging time of individual devices.
Level 2 charger: The battery requires two full charge-discharge cycles, which take 4.5–5 hours, to achieve 80% of its charging capacity.
DC fast charger: About 30 minutes to reach an 80% charge
All these estimated values can be dependent on some external factors and several characteristics of the charging station, automobile, and battery.
How long can you go driving?
The Chevy Bolt electric automobile has a great range capacity and an EPA range rating of up to 259 miles. This means that if you are lucky enough to drive your Chevy Bolt under perfect conditions, you can probably drive up to 259 miles before having to recharge the battery. But the tests are conducted under standard and controlled conditions, while in real-world driving, including weather conditions, traffic jams, and the steadiness of the car, they may affect the actual range obtained.
Conclusion
Charging a Chevy Bolt is not complicated, and you can select the charging method that better suits your daily schedule and frequency of driving. Regardless of whether you decide to charge at home or use one of many public locations, it is important to know what charging options exist and which one best suits your needs.
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