Traded in my Clarity PHEV Touring for a Chevy BOLT

S

sniwallof

Active Member
Well, after watching too many of Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield's Transport Evolved most excellent series of YouTube videos, I got back to thinking it is time to go BEV, all battery for my driving.

I took a quick look at the Nissan LEAF and did a test drive, and it is a nice car, but not for me (battery capacity, no battery thermal management, actual fast charge times, etc). Went over to the Chevy dealership, test drove, and bought a 2018 BOLT Premiere.

Clearly, I gave up the ACURA class Clarity ride, saw that (without surprise) on the highway drive home. However, most of my driving is local, and there the BOLT ride is fine. It is okay on the highway too, but not Clarity class suspension and comfort.

On the other hand, most of the technology and gadgets on the BOLT are far superior, and now I have back features like side detection for passing (both sides) and rear cross traffic radar. Also, the BOLT radio sounds surprisingly good, with a sub. The displays are beautiful, and I have back my actual kW numbers on the power display (as an EE, I like to see the numbers, others could careless, fine). I gave up actual lane centering and adaptive cruise, but knew that too going into the new BOLT.

There are more fast chargers now, many free at dealerships, so I'm hoping my four or five longer trips a year should be uneventful, even if I need to stop now to top off part way.

I leave with sincere thanks for all I have learned here about the Clarity. I mean no dis-respect to the fine Clarity, one of the nicest rides I have ever owned. For me, just time to move on, and experience all battery driving!

Best wishes to all!
 
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I'm not there yet. When I can get an 80% charge in 15 minutes with a 300 mile range I'll be ready. Everyone's parameters are different based on their driving patterns.

Enjoy the Bolt.
 
Thanks for that. Enlightening.

How is the size of the cabin compared to the clarity?

Got me a Model 3 so don't have that same itch. My wife drives the clarity still, it still works for her purpose.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 
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Congrats on the Model 3! Exterior of the Bolt is much smaller than the Clarity, both more narrow and shorter. My garage just got a lot larger! Interior BOLT is not bad with the hatchback opening and rear fold down seats. I once watched someone load a flat screen into a Honda FIT, the same idea. I think the BOLT is larger than the FIT, but not by a lot.

Also, BOLT has agressive one pedal driving in L to a stop on flat ground. It goes from D to L by a spring biased momentary pull to the rear of the "shifter", feels like deploying a drogue chute on a small jet (some years back, that was fun too!).

I was ready to return the Chevy technology packages, so no (for now) on the 250 mile Clarity. I might try another one in years to come, however, I imagine in 5-10 years there are going to be a lot of options.

yes, these decisions are very specific to our own personal needs, likes, and budgets.
 
Hi all, My wife has a Bolt and I drive the Clarity PHEV so I have a good feel for both. We like them both a lot. The Clarity feels much bigger but I think it is mainly due to it being a lot wider. The Bolt is a bit more practical since it is a hatchback, EPA says the Bolt has about 10% more interior space. The Bolt also sits higher and has more headroom. The interior is nicer in the Clarity but there is nothing wrong with the Bolt. I much prefer the Bolt's safety tech, especially the 360 cameras, blind spot and rear x-traffic warning. Wish it has the auto-cruise like the Clarity but I don't use it much, everyone cuts in front all the time and freaks it out. I find the lane holding function is very interesting in how they differ. The Bolt lets you drift out and then corrects, the Clarity tries to keep you towards the center of the lane all the time. Finally the Bolt is much quicker. Cheers

Bolt-Clarity Dim.webp
 
One other thing, moving our daughter down to Oregon State and saw my first Electrify America ultra fast chargers (are not powered up yet at this location). They must have another 6 coming up in Oregon, only one is running at this moment.

Not that any cars can accept this kind of power yet. The thought of a Bolt getting an 80% charge(48kwh) in under 10 minutes is something to look forward to.

I have a hard time getting my head around a hand help plug handling 1/3rd of a Megawatt

350kw CCS.webp
 
I quite liked the Bolt when I test drove it, but with the occasional long drive to visit family out of state I’m not ready for a full fledged BEV.

Additionally the cost of the Bolt was almost 50% higher than the Clarity PHEV (just under 30k for the Clarity vs 42-45k depending on options for the Bolt) which approaches the price of the Model 3 if you added in all the optional safety tech. In the end I ruled out the Bolt because of those 2 factors. Sounds like the first isn’t a problem for you though so I hope you enjoy your new ride.
 
bulls96 said:
Thanks for that. Enlightening.

How is the size of the cabin compared to the clarity?

Got me a Model 3 so don't have that same itch. My wife drives the clarity still, it still works for her purpose.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
In your experience, how does Model 3 compare to Clarity in terms of quietness, comfort inside, highway driving?
 
Model 3 is better in all three, but just has a bigger cabin. Can fit more normal sized adults.

Model 3 is also set lower, since I think they were going for a sports car profile. So it's harder to get in than the Clarity.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 
sniwallof said:
Well, after watching too many of Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield's Transport Evolved most excellent series of YouTube videos, I got back to thinking it is time to go BEV, all battery for my driving.

I took a quick look at the Nissan LEAF and did a test drive, and it is a nice car, but not for me (battery capacity, no battery thermal management, actual fast charge times, etc). Went over to the Chevy dealership, test drove, and bought a 2018 BOLT Premiere.

Clearly, I gave up the ACURA class Clarity ride, saw that (without surprise) on the highway drive home. However, most of my driving is local, and there the BOLT ride is fine. It is okay on the highway too, but not Clarity class suspension and comfort.

On the other hand, most of the technology and gadgets on the BOLT are far superior, and now I have back features like side detection for passing (both sides) and rear cross traffic radar. Also, the BOLT radio sounds surprisingly good, with a sub. The displays are beautiful, and I have back my actual kW numbers on the power display (as an EE, I like to see the numbers, others could careless, fine). I gave up actual lane centering and adaptive cruise, but knew that too going into the new BOLT.

There are more fast chargers now, many free at dealerships, so I'm hoping my four or five longer trips a year should be uneventful, even if I need to stop now to top off part way.

I leave with sincere thanks for all I have learned here about the Clarity. I mean no dis-respect to the fine Clarity, one of the nicest rides I have ever owned. For me, just time to move on, and experience all battery driving!

Best wishes to all!
Click to expand...

Good to hear you're sticking with a plug, at least.

I finally got to sit in a Clarity last weekend and really loved it. Not sure I could go from that to a Bolt (I've sat in one of those too, but can't afford either), but everyone has different criteria. The Bolt does have lots going for it and I hope you consider sharing your ownership experience with us in the Chevy Bolt section of the Forum.
 
Last June, I drove to Kentucky from my home in Florida for a funeral. I went on to Ohio to visit with family. Then, I drove home from Columbus to Florida, 880 miles, in one day, 13.5 hours of driving time. The total trip distance was 2032.2 miles. I fueled a total of 8 times and used 45.8 gallons. Overall mileage was 44.4 mpg. If I subtract out the approximately 50 miles that were driven in EV mode, the gasoline mileage was still a respectable 43.3 mpg. My car was quiet, comfortable, and just about perfect for such a long drive.

I just cannot imagine that it would have been possible to have made that drive in a Bolt, at least not without very serious planning and several extra of days. I checked the Tesla supercharger locations. The trip would have been possible with a $50,000 Tesla 3 long range, but some careful planning would have been needed, particularly in Tennessee and Kentucky.

I love my Clarity. It will go where I want to go when I want to go. I have driven it about 3,000 miles on electric and about 2,500 miles on the ICE.
 
Speaking of super fast charge, don't you guys worry about the battery degradation? I personally don't mind slower L1 charge when not in urgent needs, if that means a longer and healthier battery.
 
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We have both a Clarity Touring and a Bolt EV Premier. I largely agree with the original poster's comments about the differences:
  • Bolt is "peppier" than the Clarity (even with the Clarity in Sport mode) and is generally more fun to hoon around in. Bolt also has current generation safety tech, more informative displays, better regen, and a hatchback design that swallows lots of gear. It's also easier to park, especially with the 360 camera. The Bolt is amazingly roomy on the inside given that it is really a compact hatchback. However, the interior is a bit more plastic-y and the front seats are narrow. We use it mostly for zipping around Seattle and within about a 70 mile radius. There are a couple of fast chargers on the highway which we've used on occasion, but we've never taken a trip of more than a few hours in the Bolt, and I think the seats would start to annoy me on a real road trip. My wife loves loves loves her Bolt! She traded a gas hog SUV for it and has never looked back.
  • Clarity is our "nice" car. It's quieter, more comfortable, classier, better interior, generally more of a touring car. I like it for all the reasons that have been talked about in this forum. We use the Clarity to go on longer trips or to a nice dinner, as well as on my daily 25 mile round-trip commute -- probably about 80% EV and 20% ICE by mileage. We got the Bolt first, then decided that the second car would be a PHEV, and bought the Clarity about a year later.
Both are charged in my garage from 120V -- I found I didn't need a Level 2 charger. The Clarity gets a full charge overnight, and Bolt's battery is so big that if it doesn't get completely recharged from the day's driving, it doesn't really matter. I miss the Bolt's regen and zippiness when I drive the Clarity, but I miss the Clarity's overall superior refinement and smoothness when I drive the Bolt. It's good to have both!
 
seattleclarity said:
We have both a Clarity Touring and a Bolt EV Premier. I largely agree with the original poster's comments about the differences:
  • Bolt is "peppier" than the Clarity (even with the Clarity in Sport mode) and is generally more fun to hoon around in. Bolt also has current generation safety tech, more informative displays, better regen, and a hatchback design that swallows lots of gear. It's also easier to park, especially with the 360 camera. The Bolt is amazingly roomy on the inside given that it is really a compact hatchback. However, the interior is a bit more plastic-y and the front seats are narrow. We use it mostly for zipping around Seattle and within about a 70 mile radius. There are a couple of fast chargers on the highway which we've used on occasion, but we've never taken a trip of more than a few hours in the Bolt, and I think the seats would start to annoy me on a real road trip. My wife loves loves loves her Bolt! She traded a gas hog SUV for it and has never looked back.
  • Clarity is our "nice" car. It's quieter, more comfortable, classier, better interior, generally more of a touring car. I like it for all the reasons that have been talked about in this forum. We use the Clarity to go on longer trips or to a nice dinner, as well as on my daily 25 mile round-trip commute -- probably about 80% EV and 20% ICE by mileage. We got the Bolt first, then decided that the second car would be a PHEV, and bought the Clarity about a year later.
Both are charged in my garage from 120V -- I found I didn't need a Level 2 charger. The Clarity gets a full charge overnight, and Bolt's battery is so big that if it doesn't get completely recharged from the day's driving, it doesn't really matter. I miss the Bolt's regen and zippiness when I drive the Clarity, but I miss the Clarity's overall superior refinement and smoothness when I drive the Bolt. It's good to have both!
Click to expand...

You are the epitome of how lifestyle doesn't have to suffer for being environmentally responsible. The few BEV owners I know also have gas guzzling SUVs as their other cars (well, usually more than one), kept around mostly for road trips and pet hauling. In your case, you have your luxurious road trip car covered (Clarity) and your zippy hatch back for regional driving and pets. If you like to live large, there's no compromise here and you are still super energy efficient!
 
bigbug said:
Speaking of super fast charge, don't you guys worry about the battery degradation? I personally don't mind slower L1 charge when not in urgent needs, if that means a longer and healthier battery.
Click to expand...
Level 1 vs level 2 shouldn't be much of an issue.

Superchargers are largely known to be not healthy if used regularly.

Again I'm no expert though. [emoji16]

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 
sniwallof said:
Well, after watching too many of Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield's Transport Evolved most excellent series of YouTube videos, I got back to thinking it is time to go BEV, all battery for my driving.

I took a quick look at the Nissan LEAF and did a test drive, and it is a nice car, but not for me (battery capacity, no battery thermal management, actual fast charge times, etc). Went over to the Chevy dealership, test drove, and bought a 2018 BOLT Premiere.

Clearly, I gave up the ACURA class Clarity ride, saw that (without surprise) on the highway drive home. However, most of my driving is local, and there the BOLT ride is fine. It is okay on the highway too, but not Clarity class suspension and comfort.

On the other hand, most of the technology and gadgets on the BOLT are far superior, and now I have back features like side detection for passing (both sides) and rear cross traffic radar. Also, the BOLT radio sounds surprisingly good, with a sub. The displays are beautiful, and I have back my actual kW numbers on the power display (as an EE, I like to see the numbers, others could careless, fine). I gave up actual lane centering and adaptive cruise, but knew that too going into the new BOLT.

There are more fast chargers now, many free at dealerships, so I'm hoping my four or five longer trips a year should be uneventful, even if I need to stop now to top off part way.

I leave with sincere thanks for all I have learned here about the Clarity. I mean no dis-respect to the fine Clarity, one of the nicest rides I have ever owned. For me, just time to move on, and experience all battery driving!

Best wishes to all!
Click to expand...

Clarity gateway drug!


Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
 
My wife loves her Ody, and that's what we would use for long road trips (NJ-FL or even cross country next year), even though we are 4 adults.

But we did a an NJ-FL trip last spring just the two of us with an Outback and can definitely see those "no kids" trips being done in the Clarity now.

That said, she's still 'afraid' of driving the Clarity - not sure why... lol
 
Test drove the Bolt and Clarity and really liked both cars. If the Bolt was bigger and the front seats werent so small it would be a tougher choice for me. On the other hand loved the pep and readouts better.
 
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