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Chevy Bolt - 200 mile range for $30k base price (after incentive)
- Thread starter FredTMC
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- bolt chevy Electric Vehicles review
I looked at the video again and I would agree that it will most likely be a single speed. One of the captions even said, final drive 7.05 to 1
Right. In the past, GM has had mechanical linkages from the shift handle to the transmission housing. I don't know about the Spark EV, but even in the Volt the shifter is mechanically linked to the transmission and the actual shift position sensing is in the transmission case. In the Bolt EV, they are changing this so the shifter has no external mechanical linkage.
With a single speed gear box in an EV you can't have a mechanically linked shifter as there is nothing to shift. When going into reverse the electric motor simply runs backwards.
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You are correct, that gear box has no idling gears and no shift forks. As you can see in the video, all gears are turning for the reduction, there is nothing that can be shifted. Retired pro mechanic here, as long as what you see in the video is what you get, this is a single speed gearbox, reverse is by reversing electric motor.
So, the proclamation of the final drive gear ratio (7.05:1) has what value? I agree it's a single speed set of gears, but the public-facing (marketing, etc) side of things is still thinking "transmission". Subtle example, perhaps, that they haven't made the mental shift to what an EV is all about.
Huh? This kind of specification applies to an EV as much as it does to an ICE. The Model S 85 specifications say:
"Single speed fixed gear with 9.73:1 reduction ratio"
The value is that people who care can understand how the motor torque gets multiplied by the gear ratio to the wheels.
All cars have a specification for "final drive ratio". In the case of a multi speed gearbox, it is the revolutions of the motor in comparison to the revolution of the drive wheel. This includes the gearbox in its highest gear and the ring and pinion gears of the differential. In the case of the Bolt or any other single gear EV, it includes the gear reduction in the gearbox, and the ring and pinion of the diff, which in this case and most cases, is part of the "all in one" gearbox.
The Volt senses the reverse shift position using the mechanical linkage to the transmission. In reality, the Volt moves in reverse by spinning the motor backwards just like a Tesla even when the Volt is in hybrid mode with the gas engine running. That linkage position is just being sensed using a Hall Effect device -- it isn't directly shifting any gears. The sensed position then gets sent to the Volt's control computer. They could have used the Bolt EV digital shifter in the Volt and they could have used a mechanical linkage to the motor and final gearing case in the Bolt EV. The only reason GM senses the position mechanically in the Volt is because that's the way they have always done shifter position sensing until now.
Yeah, its a hatchback. You have to like hatchbacks, I think. They were going for interior room, I am guessing. I like it better than a Leaf, and I do consider it as my alternative if the Model 3 doesn't work out for whatever reason.
HookBill
Member
Yeah, not the prettiest girl at the dance but better looking than her older sister. 
Yeah, not the prettiest girl at the dance but better looking than her older sister.
I think both sisters fell out of the ugly tree
JenniferQ
Active Member
Agree. Tried to sell my dd on it, but she deemed it too ugly. She loves the Leaf, her cute little 'face' and that her charger slot is a 'nose.'
twonius
Member
Unfortunately that hatchback shape is a bit of form over function to get max volume in a cheap package. I guess the usual trick of jacking it up and calling it a CUV wouldn't work here as it would cut the range under the 200mile target.
Where GM really missed the boat in my opinion is in DC fast charging. The whole point of a big-battery EV is that you can go on more trips. As of right now you'll only get about 90 miles for every 30 mins of charging. And they're not interested in building up the charging infrastructure. This is what killed my interest in the Bolt
GM confirms 60 kWh battery pack for the Bolt EV and DC fast-charging will be optional [full specs]
Where GM really missed the boat in my opinion is in DC fast charging. The whole point of a big-battery EV is that you can go on more trips. As of right now you'll only get about 90 miles for every 30 mins of charging. And they're not interested in building up the charging infrastructure. This is what killed my interest in the Bolt
GM confirms 60 kWh battery pack for the Bolt EV and DC fast-charging will be optional [full specs]
Rifleman
Now owns 2 Model S's!!!
I have seen the bolt in person. I am not a fan. They are trying to sell it as a small crossover, but in reality is is a subcompact hatchback. The pictures they show of it are always shot to make it look bigger than at actually is. A lot of people are going to be really disappointed when they see it in person.
It's not the ugliest car on the road, but it definatelly will not win any "best looking car" awards. The small size is the real deal breaker for it for me (and most other people with kids)
It's not the ugliest car on the road, but it definatelly will not win any "best looking car" awards. The small size is the real deal breaker for it for me (and most other people with kids)
SabrToothSqrl
Active Member
I'm not sure you can measure a GM by looks alone... if it hasn't killed anyone... technically it's not a bad car.
P85DBeast
Side tEsLa
I think both sisters fell out of the ugly tree
I undoubtedly wont even be touching one
.Actually, besides the Tesla and some other very high end vehicles, none of the fully electric vehicles are very attractive. The Mercedes B Class looks very utilitarian, and not pretty to me; the Nissan Leaf styling is just strange (didn't stop me from getting one though); the Ford Focus Electric is a little better, but not much,
For the Model 3, even if all Tesla does is simply come out with a good looking car, it should be hit.
For the Model 3, even if all Tesla does is simply come out with a good looking car, it should be hit.
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