Photo: Chevrolet
The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt is one of the most anticipated electric cars in recent memory. Not only does the Bolt challenge the EV credentials of the still-not-ready-yet Tesla Model 3, but it can also be driven with only one foot thanks to regenerative braking.
Truth be told, the Tesla Model 3 will be available with Autopilot. But then again, Elon Musk has quietly hiked the priced of the semi-autonomous driving technology by 20 percent. Don’t know about you, but $3k to $3.5k on top of the projected price of the Model 3 renders the Tesla a more expensive affair.
While the Bolt is devoid of semi-autonomous driving technologies, the driver-selectable modes are kind of interesting in their own way. “Bolt EV customers who want an engaging driving experience will love the thrill of one-pedal driving,” explains Bolt EV chief engineer Josh Tavel. “They will be able to tailor the vehicle to their preferred driving style and maximize their range.”
The first mode is what Chevy dubs “Operating in Drive and easing off the accelerator.” In plain English, this is the lowest setting of regen braking, which requires the use of the brake pedal only to bring the car to a complete stop. The second mode, “Operating in Drive and using the Regen on Demand paddle on the back of the steering wheel,” is just what the label reads.
The final one-pedal driving modes, “Operating in Low and easing off the accelerator” and “Operating in Low and using the Regen on Demand paddle in tandem,” are stronger than the second driving mode. Hence, all but the first mode allow the driver to stop the Bolt without actually using the brakes.
But then again, do remember that this applies only in certain driving scenarios. More to the point, bear in mind that one-pedal driving doesn’t remove the need to jump on the brake pedal when the situation calls for it. Why did General Motors develop such a feature for the Bolt?
The answer to that is simple. According to GM, Bolt engineers have used a vehicle simulation model to compare regen performance on a testing cycle that simulated stop-and-go traffic with using one-pedal driving while in Low and also the Regen on Demand paddle. Expectedly, Chevrolet found that one-pedal driving can add up to 5 percent of range to the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt.
Regarding the topic of range, General Motors still mumbles something about 200-plus miles (321.8 kilometers). Fingers crossed the imminent debut of the Opel Ampera-e will give us a more precise estimate.
While the Bolt is devoid of semi-autonomous driving technologies, the driver-selectable modes are kind of interesting in their own way. “Bolt EV customers who want an engaging driving experience will love the thrill of one-pedal driving,” explains Bolt EV chief engineer Josh Tavel. “They will be able to tailor the vehicle to their preferred driving style and maximize their range.”
The first mode is what Chevy dubs “Operating in Drive and easing off the accelerator.” In plain English, this is the lowest setting of regen braking, which requires the use of the brake pedal only to bring the car to a complete stop. The second mode, “Operating in Drive and using the Regen on Demand paddle on the back of the steering wheel,” is just what the label reads.
The final one-pedal driving modes, “Operating in Low and easing off the accelerator” and “Operating in Low and using the Regen on Demand paddle in tandem,” are stronger than the second driving mode. Hence, all but the first mode allow the driver to stop the Bolt without actually using the brakes.
But then again, do remember that this applies only in certain driving scenarios. More to the point, bear in mind that one-pedal driving doesn’t remove the need to jump on the brake pedal when the situation calls for it. Why did General Motors develop such a feature for the Bolt?
The answer to that is simple. According to GM, Bolt engineers have used a vehicle simulation model to compare regen performance on a testing cycle that simulated stop-and-go traffic with using one-pedal driving while in Low and also the Regen on Demand paddle. Expectedly, Chevrolet found that one-pedal driving can add up to 5 percent of range to the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt.
Regarding the topic of range, General Motors still mumbles something about 200-plus miles (321.8 kilometers). Fingers crossed the imminent debut of the Opel Ampera-e will give us a more precise estimate.
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