Friday, 24 February 2017

Tech Inspection: We Dive Deep into the Chevrolet Bolt EV’s Infotainment

Leave a Comment
http://ift.tt/2lCeeJB

Our coverage of the Chevrolet Bolt EV has been extensive and includes naming it to our 2017 10Best Cars list and even validating that it indeed can achieve and even exceed its EPA-rated range of 238 miles on a charge. So far, to maximize EV credits, General Motors has limited Bolt sales to California and Oregon since the end of last year. However, the long-range electric Chevy should be in dealerships nationwide by September 2017. And sure enough, during our trip in and around Silicon Valley, up the coast on Highway 1, and through San Francisco, we saw a number of Bolts sprinkled into the seemingly endless sea of Teslas. Seriously, does anyone in northern California not own a Model S or X?

Since our first drive in a prototype through our most recent instrumented test, the Bolt has delivered on its lofty promises. Its combination of range and price ($37,495, or just under $30,000 after federal tax credits) places it in a uniquely compelling spot among EVs, and it’s dynamically sound as well. The Bolt has a surprisingly competent chassis, and scooting around town is effortless, with the instant torque of the electric motor helping to squirt the car from zero to 60 mph in just 6.5 seconds. We also really like that you can activate the aggressive regenerative-braking function via a steering-wheel paddle and come all the way to a stop without using the brake pedal. After the novelty of driving the Bolt wears off—we admit it may take a while—some may wonder what other tech it has to offer.

_MG_3839

With that in mind, we delved a little deeper into the infotainment system during this most recent drive. A 10.2-inch touchscreen, supplied by LG, is standard in both the base LT and the top-of-the-line Premier models. The interface is attractive, clean, colorful, and easy to use, with multiple themes and a reconfigurable layout. Controls can be handled via touch, voice, steering-wheel-mounted controls, a few redundant buttons, and a volume knob. Themes include Blue Sky, Sunset Orange, and a Black Eclipse night setting. We appreciate the included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, especially since there’s no built-in navigation system available (other than turn-by-turn directions if you subscribe to OnStar).

A five-pane home screen can be organized to prioritize specific information using prearranged layouts such as Eco, Family, and Standard as well as a free-form Custom setting. In the custom layout shown in the photo above, we chose to prioritize the energy detail panel. Here a pie chart, similar to one used in electrified GM products since the early days of the Volt, depicts the amount of battery energy deployed for driving, climate control, and battery conditioning since the last full charge.

Probing deeply into menus allows the user to set preferences such as automatically heating the seats during a remote start in cool weather, how long the lights stay on after exiting, and managing active-safety systems when so equipped. A graphic showing a Bolt rolling onto the screen as you switch between some of the menus looks cool the first time you see it, but it quickly grows tiresome, as you must wait for the animation to complete before the system will accept your next command. Beyond that, the touchscreen’s response times seem on par with those of most smartphones.

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV

A persistent bar at the bottom of the screen houses controls for the climate-control system and heated seats as well as information dedicated specifically to energy consumption and battery life. Tapping the vibrant green Energy button brings up a menu that gives charging options, provides battery-charge status, and offers the driver a variety of energy settings. One of these information screens is an energy usage score based on four elements: outside temperature, climate-control and accessory settings, the severity of the terrain, and the driver’s technique. When the Bolt is switched off, a pop-up message identifies how many miles have been driven since the last full charge, the amount of energy used, and a prediction of how many miles of range remain.

The list of standard features on all Bolts includes Bluetooth connectivity, a backup camera, a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot (with the first three months or 3 GB of data included), two USB ports and an auxiliary input in the center console, and a six-speaker audio system. A three-month trial subscription to SiriusXM satellite radio also is included. For those considering the $4285 upgrade to the Premier trim, it adds technology such as a rearview-camera mirror that broadcasts a video feed of an unobstructed view to the back, plus a 360-degree surround-vision camera. An optional $485 Infotainment package—exclusive to the Premier—includes a seven-speaker Bose audio system, wireless charging, and two USB charging ports on the back of the center console for rear-seat passengers.

The Bolt packs a lot of tech content into a compact and affordable EV package, and very nearly all of it is well executed and highly useful. Add in the car’s satisfying dynamics, range, and value proposition, and it’s no wonder Chevy’s latest EV is so compelling.

2017-Chevrolet-Bolt-EV-REEL

Let's block ads! (Why?)



from Car and Driver BlogCar and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/2lCid8N
via IFTTT

0 comments:

Post a Comment