- Common Motors-made EVs, together with the Chevrolet Bolt EV, can use the Tesla Supercharger community to recharge.
- Homeowners want an adapter to high up at NACS-equipped stalls.
- Some Bolt EVs want a software program replace that may be carried out at a vendor.
Homeowners of Common Motors-made EVs lastly gained entry to Tesla’s expansive Supercharger DC quick charging community in the US final week, which is nice information for these lengthy highway journeys, seeing how the variety of Superchargers in North America exceeds 17,000.
The record of automobiles that may be recharged at Tesla stalls consists of names like the brand new Chevrolet Equinox EV, GMC Hummer EV and Cadillac Lyriq. It additionally consists of the venerable Chevy Bolt EV and Bolt EUV, which have been as soon as America’s most reasonably priced new battery-powered automobiles earlier than being discontinued (don’t fret, although, as the Bolt EUV is coming again with Ultium tech and an LFP battery.)
And it’s the Bolt that I’ll give attention to right here as a result of, with over 200,000 models bought within the U.S. throughout its eight-year journey, it’s protected to say that there are nonetheless a lot of them on American roads as we speak. It will not be the fastest-charging, the largest or probably the most luxurious EV on the market, but it surely’s at all times been the protected and reasonably priced selection for these in search of an city runabout.
Our personal Tom Moloughney was one of many first individuals within the U.S. to cost the Bolt EV on a Tesla Supercharger. He made a slightly useful video, which I’ve embedded on the high of this web page, and I’ll provide the gist of it in writing as properly.
First, if you happen to personal a Chevrolet Bolt EV, it is best to know that some 2019 and 2020 model-year models will want a software program replace on the vendor to work with Tesla Superchargers. You’ll additionally want a CCS to NACS adapter, both from Common Motors or a 3rd get together like A2Z or Lectron–the video covers a number of adapters.
One other factor to notice is that solely V3 Superchargers can be utilized to top-up non-Tesla EVs. You could find them by going to Tesla’s on-line Supercharger map and toggling the “Supercharger open to NACS” possibility.
With all this in thoughts, earlier than you present as much as a appropriate Supercharger along with your Bolt EV and an adapter at hand, it’s essential to hyperlink your automobile to a cost technique within the MyChevrolet app, in order that Tesla is aware of the place to attract cash from for the charging classes. All apps should be updated.
A 20% to 80% state-of-charge top-up of the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV on a V3 Tesla Supercharger.
That’s so much to soak up, however when you recover from all these preliminary steps, all it’s essential to do is park front-first at a appropriate Supercharger, plug within the cable, launch the MyChevrolet smartphone app, choose the right stall from the record and hit Cost Now.
In Tom Moloughney’s testing, each third-party adapters labored simply effective, funneling the utmost cost fee that the Bolt EV helps–55 kW–with out hiccups. The EV wanted 49 minutes to cost from 20% to 80% state of cost, which, once more, is regular Bolt EV habits, however there was one problem the place the automobile stopped charging at 70% SoC and wanted to be unplugged and replugged to get to 80%. The charging curve was the identical as on different charging operators equivalent to EVgo and Electrify America, with the speed slowly happening after the battery state of cost handed the 55% mark.
So it’s all good. Virtually. That’s as a result of the Bolt EV’s charging port is on the front-left of the automobile, versus the rear-left of Tesla EVs. This implies it’s a must to pull into the charger on the correct, successfully taking over two stalls. It’s the identical problem with Rivian EVs and the Ford F-150 Lightning. One answer to this drawback is to attempt to cost on the right-most stall if there’s area to take action–if not, you’ll must take up two locations.
