Upon its release in 2017, the Chevy Bolt earned Motor Trend's coveted " Car of the Year " title, and in the couple of years since, drivers have continued singing praises. Pairing Pape's deal with the "sunsetting" $7,500 federal EV tax credit, the availability of EV charging rebates in New England, and the incredibly low price of solar makes a strong argument for driving on sunshine in 2019.
Driving with grid electricity is cleaner and cheaper than gasoline, by far, and when you power EVs with sunshine the cost of driving falls even further to the equivalent of $0.71 cents/gallon of gas.
This "solar gallon" is a slightly conservative estimate based upon average efficiencies of both motor vehicles and EVs, factored with the levelized cost of a typical residential solar array that provides charging - so it's exciting to mention that it might be cheaper than 71 cents in your case.
The best part? The solar gallon is locked in over the lifetime of your solar array! With a Chevy Bolt, your cost savings on gas will accelerate the payback of your solar investment - and after the array is paid for in fuel savings, you will essentially receive free power for the life of the system. A fixed fueling rate of $0.71/solar gallon is evidence of the unbeatable synergy of solar and EVs.
The FLO Home X5 Level 2 charging station is specially designed for residential homes and is universally compatible with all models of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Its casing is made entirely of NEMA 4X aluminum. Photo courtesy of FLO.
We haven't even mentioned yet that the Bolt runs at the equivalent of 119 MPG! Range anxiety is fast becoming ancient history. We recommend purchasing your Bolt with a comfort package that provides heated seating and steering - the EPA has rated the Bolt's range at 238 miles, but cold seats can sap your range via the heater!
However, ReVision has several Bolts in our fleet, and we've driven up to 300 miles on one charge. We can attest that the Bolt comes through, even on the coldest days. Most Americans rarely drive more than 40 miles for a day's commute, but to enable quick long-range travel, we suggest including the DC Fast Charge Port option when purchasing your Bolt. We've been busy installing charging all over New England, which has greatly enhanced public access. Take a look at PlugShare's map and you'll quickly see the freedom EVs enjoy nowadays.
If you want to drive an electric vehicle, you're going to need an electric vehicle charging point at home, either mounted in the garage or on the driveway. To charge your electric vehicle with solar, you need two components: a solar electric system and a Level II electric vehicle charging station. ReVision Energy can install both for you. Best yet, if you live in Maine, join up with the Future Grid Appliances Pilot to receive a sizable EV Charging incentive. Again, check out our comprehensive EV charging incentive guide for if you live elsewhere in New England.
Give us a call, and head to Pape to test drive a Bolt, pronto!
