2020 Chevy Bolt EV Fearlessly Takes on Car and Driver's Death Valley Range Test

During a range test of the 2020 Chevy Bolt, Car and Driver writer Jessica Lynn Walker remembered an old Hunter S. Thompson quote: “On some nights I still believe that a car with the gas needle on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio”. Fittingly enough, the testing team was driving through Death Valley, one of the lowest towns in existence in the Western Hemisphere. A pretty brutal and punishing landscape, this is one location where if you do run out of juice, it will make a for plausible and rather intense memory!

Aside from a new grille, the Bolt looks pretty much the same as last year's, with the biggest changes in the form of an updated DC fast charger and newly-revised battery pack. The liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery still sports 288 cells, but the accomplishment of more energy storage was due to the altering of the cell chemistry on board. Now the storage has risen from 60.0 kilowatt-hours to 66.0, bumping the all-important final EPA-rated range to 259 miles. It was now time to embark on the journey, keeping in mind as all of us here at O'Rielly Chevy of Tucson would, that running the air conditioner CAN affect the outcome of a range test!

At about 51 miles in, the troup arrived at the first major climb, near the rustic town of Stovepipe Wells. Then began the gradual rise to Towne Pass, situated right at around 4956 feet. The gang realized here that going the speed limit helps, almost a safeguard to not be reckless during an era where so many choose to be while running behind. After traversing 20 miles uphill, 84 miles of range has been used up, but a steep 9 percent grade on the way down should help with the next 10 miles.

When they set the cruise control 5 miles below the speed limit, the Bolt did a great job with regenerating energy. During nine miles of a downhill coast, they got back an indicated 30 miles of range. In conditions that are perfectly optimal, the Bolt is capable of recouping energy at 70 kilowatts, a little less than half the maximum discharge of 160 kilowatts. 8374 feet above sea level is Mount Whitney, where the gang was treated to views of massive pines, steep granite, and waterfalls covered in surreal ice for the season.

The Bolt had then made the 134-mile journey to the turnaround point, and 75 miles left is what the range display now stated. The testing group descended into Death Valley right as the sun set, and a subterranean Martian glow was all over the land. They made it in one piece and had exceeded the EPA-estimated range by 9 miles, with 33 miles left to spare. If you're planning a road trip of your own, the myChevrolet Mobile App with Energy Assist puts to use key information such as the current charge of the vehicle, weather conditions, and nearest charging stations to find the most sensible route for you!