Too bad you missed the car at Kirkland Ford last weekend.
Are you kidding me?? ?That is literally 20 mins from home - I am linked to Bickford Ford in Snohomish!
You need to waste endless hours of your day here on the forum to stay up to date!
I know. I have driven that many times. Give them a call to see if the car is coming to them this week since it has been in the area.
Even the most conservative plans I've seen talk about charging up to 80% being fine (and probably higher). So I wouldn't worry about stopping anywhere short of that (assuming you're charging on 240V at home).
Called Bickford last night - my salesman was out of the office, and the poor guy they connected me to didn't seem to be very familiar with the whole process - I mentioned Kirkland had one last week and he said - I don't think that it true, dealers aren't getting Mach E's yet - so I had to explain that it was a travelling demo car. My salesman appears to be the Mach E focal... Luckily I have bought two other vehicles from Bickford - so I know my salesman. If I was a noob I would be totally discouraged after talking to the stand in. My salesman is supposed to call me today.
Lots of differing opinions and approaches on that. I'm in a similar boat, being retired. We may only use the car 3-4 days a week (after the initial excitement period). We drive maybe 5000 miles/year, not counting a few road trips.
As always that is one of those "it depends" kind of questions. Generally speaking the sweet spot for battery health is to keep it in the 20% to 80% range on a daily basis. Charging higher or letting it drain lower is fine as long as you don't do it habitually. However, all BEV's "hide" some of the range to protect the unwary from harming the battery. For the Mach E, Ford is "hiding" 10%-12% from you. What that means is that they won't let you charge more than 95% of the actual battery nor drain it below 5%. They do this by telling you (and the charger) that the battery is "full" when it really is only 95% or so charged, and what the car reports as 0 is actually 5% or so charged - it won't let you drive anymore when it gets to what it reports as 0%. What that means is that you actually can charge it higher than what it tells you is 80%.
Yes.
The battery likes to stay around 50% as much as possible, not under, not over. I don't think it really matters how often you charge. So if you stay as much as possible at 50% you'll have an exceptionally maintained battery. Now, your needs will require deviating from that 50, so maybe staying between 40% and 60% gives you enough range for your needs -- or 30 and 70%.
There's now a class-action lawsuit brewing against Hyundai.Another good reason to just charge to 80-90% unless the full range is really needed:
https://www.greencarreports.com/new...v-recall-owners-asked-to-charge-to-90-for-now
Fire concern prompts 2017-2019 Chevy Bolt EV recall, owners asked to charge to 90% for now
BENGT HALVORSON NOVEMBER 13, 2020
General Motors announced Friday that an ongoing investigation over fire concern is prompting a broad recall affecting most 2017-2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV models.
The recall includes 68,667 vehicles globally and 50,925 in the U.S. Since GM is still unsure of the root cause of the fires, it can’t release the customary percentage of vehicles affected.
For now, the recall remedy is effectively a band-aid—a software flash that needs to be done at the dealership that helps limit the Bolt EV’s maximum state of charge to 90%. With 2017-2019 models carrying a 239-mile EPA range rating, that potentially takes about 24 miles out of the Bolt EV’s available range.
2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV at public charging station
GM is recalling only those vehicles with cells made by LG Chem in South Korea. Bolt EVs with LG Chem cells made in Holland, Michigan, supplied for the car partway through the 2019 model year, aren’t included in this recall concern; neither are model-year 2020 Bolt EVs, which received a different LG Chem cell, as part of an upgrade to 66 kwh and a 259-mile rating.
The announcement follows a safety probe launched by NHTSA in October, in response to reports of at least three instances of fires. So far, there are five confirmed instances, each of them when the vehicle was parked with a full or nearly full state of charge.
“We were already deep into our own investigation,” said Bolt EV chief engineer Jesse Ortega, on a call with the media announcing the recall effort. Keeping cars on the road but with a reduced maximum charge reduces the risk while allowing GM time to find the appropriate repair.
2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV showing full charge
The 90% limitation is a temporary reduction, and GM hopes to have a remedy in place soon after the start of the year.
GM has released an info page and video, walking owners through how to make sure their vehicle is set to charge to 90%—and to activate the recommended Hilltop Reserve mode. If they choose not to do this, it recommends that owners not park their car in the garage.
The effort includes a stop-sale, in which any last new 2019s will need to be given the remedy before being sold, and it’s asking dealers to do the update before selling used or certified pre-owned Bolt EVs.
Dealers are being notified of the campaign today, and the software will be available on November 17.
