Finding an available public charging station and initiating a charging session has never been easier for Chevrolet Bolt EV owners. As General Motors moves toward its vision of a world with zero emissions, the company is making enhancements to Energy Assist, a standard feature available in the myChevrolet mobile app for Bolt EV owners.
Energy Assist, first available for customers in 2017, currently enables Bolt EV owners to plan and manage their routes more effectively, locate available charging stations – both along their route and in the area – monitor their route and receive real-time alerts if their range projections change dramatically. Energy Assist is integrated with data from the vehicle, which enables intelligent planning and precise charge time predictions.
“We’re providing EV owners with the tools to easily find available public charging stations,” said Rick Spina, GM vice president AV/EV commercialization. “The enhancements to Energy Assist offer Chevrolet Bolt EV owners a holistic charging experience while they’re on the go – whether traveling near home or on a cross-country road trip.”
Energy Assist enhancements include:
Dynamic Data Integration
GM is now displaying dynamic data from charging networks EVgo and ChargePoint within Energy Assist, so Bolt EV owners can have a more seamless charging experience with their GM vehicles. Information provided by charging networks includes real-time data on charge station status to indicate if a charging station is available. GM will integrate dynamic data from additional charging providers throughout 2020, which will include EV Connect continuing to enhance the customer experience.
Start-to-Charge
At eligible charging stations, owners can now link their EVgo account to activate and pay for charging sessions right from the myChevrolet mobile app, eliminating the need to toggle between apps and streamline the payment process. Eligible charging stations are noted within the myChevrolet mobile app. GM will continue to add eligible charging stations throughout 2020.
More Than 40,000 Stations
Energy Assist provides Bolt EV owners access to all Bolt EV-compatible charging station locations, regardless of the charge point operator. EV owners can now view more than 40,000 EV charging stations in North America, with access to 30 percent more DC Fast Chargers compared to 2019.
Review and Rate
With crowdsourcing on the rise, GM is implementing a new feedback feature for Bolt EV owners. Coming in early 2020, Bolt EV owners will be able to review and rate charging stations within the myChevrolet app. Similar to other popular crowdsourcing technologies, this feature will rely on Bolt EV owners to share their valuable insights about charging stations by providing a star rating and leaving comments about the station.
Original purchasers of new Bolt EVs have access to the Energy Assist features in the myChevrolet mobile app at no additional cost for five years from the vehicle delivery date, after they accept the myChevrolet mobile app terms. Energy Assist is available for Bolt EV owners in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
The Energy Assist enhancements are a continuation of GM’s commitment to an all-electric future; offering EV owners the solutions they need to charge at home, at work or on the road. Earlier this year, GM announced that the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant will be GM’s first plant 100 percent devoted to electric vehicles, and will build the new GMC HUMMER EV with initial availability in fall 2021. In 2019, GM announced a collaboration with LG Chem to mass produce battery cells for future battery-electric vehicles, and with Qmerit to create a more accessible at-home charging solution.