Charging a Chevy Bolt: Everything you need to know

The Chevrolet Bolt is the first mainstream electric car that can travel over 200 miles on a single charge, making it a great option for electric vehicle owners who want to use their car for more than just errands around town. Understanding your Chevy Bolt charging station options is an important part of electric car ownership.

"Fueling" your Chevy Bolt will take longer than filling up at the gas pump. Overall, it can take anywhere from an hour and 20 minutes to a full day to charge your Chevy Bolt. Your Chevy Bolt charge time depends on how full your car's battery is and the type of charging station you use. There are three types of Chevy Bolt charging stations.

Level 1 charging station for Chevy Bolt

Level 1 electric car chargers are the least expensive option and are typically provided when you purchase your Chevy Bolt. Level 1 chargers plug into a standard wall outlet. They are also the slowest type of EV charger available. A standard Chevy Bolt Level 1 charging station will offer about 4 miles of range per hour of charging. The Bolt has a 238-mile range, meaning it can take more than a day to charge its battery with a Level 1 charger. As a result, this type of charging station is best for overnight use at home.

Level 2 charging station for Chevy Bolt

Level 2 charging stations are considered an "upgrade" from the standard Level 1 chargers provided when you purchase your Chevy Bolt. With the help of an electrician, you can install a Level 2 charger at your home. A typical Level 2 charging station can fully charge your Chevy Bolt battery in nine and a half hours.

DC Fast Charging for Chevy Bolt

DC Fast Chargers are commercial electric car charging stations that are accessible to EV owners to use across the country. Not every electric car can be charged with DC Fast Chargers; however, the Chevy Bolt has DC Fast Charging capabilities. If there is a DC Fast Charger near you, you can charge your Chevy Bolt in about an hour and 20 minutes.

Charge time for a Chevy Bolt

Electric cars like the Chevy Bolt offer significant fuel savings on a day-to-day basis thanks to their efficient use of electricity as fuel. The cost to fully charge a Chevy Bolt depends on where you live because electricity prices vary from utility to utility and state to state. The cost to "fill up" a Chevy Bolt battery at home ranges from just over $6.00 (in Washington state) to more than $20.00 (in Hawaii) – a high cost, but significantly lower than the equivalent cost for a tank of gas.

Cost to charge a Chevy Bolt in top states