Chevy Bolt Survives Long Distance Road Trip (Video)

Early Chevy Bolt Owner Proves New EV Is Fully Capable and Ahead of Its Time

If you’re on the fence about making the switch to an electrical vehicle, you aren’t alone. Concerns over range, battery life and replacement costs weigh heavy. But the all-new Chevy Bolt seems like the EV that will erase those concerns. And if you need further convincing, early Bolt adopter and YouTuber News Coulomb has a series of videos to prove it.

Coulomb lives in California, the only state where Bolts are already on dealer lots. After owning and driving a Chevy Volt for many years, scooping up this latest EV made a lot of sense. But as Coulomb notes early on, he isn’t a typical Bolt owner. That’s because he routinely drives 100 or more miles a day, sometimes in less than ideal conditions.

This includes driving through snow covered mountains in sub-zero temperatures. And in his latest video, Coulomb takes the Bolt on a 1,152-mile road trip. That’s something that would give most EV owners (and potential future owners) a bit of pause, for sure. But the Bolt handles the long trip admirably and without drama, just like any good gas powered vehicle should.

The trip takes place in cold (by California standards) temperatures and moves across a variety of terrain. This includes some mountains and higher elevations. Coulomb reflects on the trip in the video above, singing the praises of how well his Bolt performed.

However, there was one major problem. But it’s with the current state of the electric charging infrastructure, not the Bolt itself.

Finding an EV station, even in California, still isn’t as easy as finding a gas station. And prices vary greatly, as do charging speeds. But in the end, the road trip cost Coulomb a total of $40. That’s half what the Volt would have cost, and a relative bargain by any standard.

So if you’re on the fence about buying an EV, check out Coulomb’s real life experiences with one. His subjective reviews and real world use are exactly what you need to make a solid decision.

Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.