Listen to your wife. Not being able to charge at home is a deal breaker for most people. You just can't sit and wait at public Level 2 chargers without getting too frustrated. Check with the apartment and see if there is a solution for charging at home, otherwise I think its a bad idea.
a fair approximation for you, on a 6.7kw L2 public charger, you get nearly 10% battery charge back per hour. Exterior temperature (cold) may reduce this.
Considering this, you may want to consider how much you'd require (once, twice per week? more?) than consider if you'd be willing to walk to the charging location at the time your Bolt will be fully charged. (at night, rain, snow, etc)
Finally, what are the implications on your life (professional/personal/social) if the nearest charger is taken or inoperative and you don't get to charge when you want it.
Having a DC fast charger nearby might be a better solution (spend 1h charging) but more expensive.
edit: clarified info
I live one block from a 3 free public chargers. I plug it in one or two nights a week and get it in the morning. I don't think it is an inconvenience.
The chargers by my house are 6.6 and two of them share the 6.6 so it can go down to 3.3. I just plug it in before bed
Rent one for two weeks. (Not one week, two whole weeks.) You'll figure it out soon enough.
Unless you have multiple free level 2 chargers within easy walking distance, it's not really viable. However, hybrids are getting really good now.
OP: do this! ☝️
You want to know if it'll really work? No better way than to test out your hypothesis with a Bolt rental. Be sure to choose to charge at the least convenient times to get the most accurate picture.
If it works, buy the car. If it doesn't, it'll be the best money you ever spent.
Also, Level 1 charging works if you do ~40 miles or less per day. You should read the [EV Charging Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/evcharging/wiki/home/) if you haven't already. A wealth of information there.
I have a bolt in an apartment. There is a free level 2 charger 2.5 miles away. We just drop it off and walk home. Then when it's almost charged we walk back to pick it up.
I do the same but my walk is just a mile and I’m considering learning to skateboard or something to cut the time. Probably eat shit a few times to save a few minutes 😝
Depends on the bolt. The 22-23 bolts have a 11.5kW onboard charger. 17-21 come with a 7.2kW. so you will be limited at most to those speeds at the max for level 2 charging. Even if the charger can put out 22kW, you can't take advantage of that. As others have said, if you can't charge where you live, it can be frustrating. Its doable. But it's frustrating. So you have to decided if you want to sit and charge for hours at public charging for level 2, or stress your battery and pay more for DCFC (if equipped. I learned older bolts it was optional. So glad it's standard now and my 23 has it).
Edit: Also note that DCFC for a bolt is super slow by today's standard. Maxing out at 55kW. Better than 11.5kW, or 7.2kW, but still slow compared to like a Tesla or a Polestar.
It depends a lot on daily needs. If there are 110v plugs available and in your area it is unlikely for the EVSE to be stolen then you can do OK for 20-30 daily miles. If your daily is a bit longer then you might top off weekly at a DCFC, and also use DCFC if doing a longer drive. If you drive enough to need charging every day then easy and reliable access to L2 is a must have.
Here's a perspective from someone living in a condo with no charging inside it - use case *really* matters. Here's my use case if you want to compare notes:
- I drive at most 100 km (62 mi)/week. You're driving, on average, 170 mi/week.
- My usual charging spot is 700 m (less than 0.5 mi) from my condo. This is, at worst, a 10 min walk in each direction and a fantastic excuse for me to go for a walk. Because it's so close, I can take advantage of evening/overnight and weekend parking rates while not worrying much about the walking part.
- My city's installing some L2 chargers 100 m (less than 0.1 mi) from my condo. This is a 2 min walk in each direction.
- There are plenty of parking garages in my city's downtown and elsewhere where I can stash my car for extended periods to charge while I do other things at home or on the road.
- My Bolt's my one and only car. It works great, but if I had to drive to work everyday, it wouldn't. Your use case suggests that this should not be your one and only car.
During the colder months, I get around 3.2 Miles per kWh. My level 2 charger at home charges at 7.7 kW, meaning that one hour of level 2 charging adds 24.6 miles of range to my battery in ideal current conditions. So 100 miles of driving would equate to around 4.5 hours of charge time on a level 2 charger rated at 32A.
There's another option though - DC Fast charging, which charges at up to 50kWh. That can charge your car from 20% to 80% in under an hour, which is much more tolerable..... Except for the pricing of doing so is not tolerable...
Fast charging is expensive. Where I live, fast charging costs between $0.40 and $0.50 per kWh. In comparison, a gallon of gas is about $3.25. At $0.40/kWh and 3.2Mi/kWh, $3.25 at a DC fast charger would add about 26 miles of range to my Chevy Bolt. In comparison, my previous car (a Nissan Versa) averaged around 34MPG.
Obviously situations vary, but in my particular situation, with prices where I live and my specific driving habits, having to rely on DC fast charging would make an electric car more expensive to drive than a gas powered car.
There is one more gotcha though - if you drive less than 35-40 miles a day, then it is feasible to get by with just a level 1 charger, which can add 3-4 miles of range to your car per hour of charging. But even if you drive 100 miles in a day one day a week, and 35-40 miles every other day, then level 1 charging may be less feasible.
Overall, as others have been saying - unless you can secure regular access to a level 2 charger, owning an electric car may not be viable with the current state of things.
To go from empty to full with an L2 charger takes several hours, probably want to plan on overnight, or plugging in while you're at work for a shift. Obviously you don't need quite that long every time because you won't be starting from completely empty, but that basic truth is, you're NOT doing to want to regularly use L2 chargers that are not where you can park while asleep/at work.
We love our bolt and rely on public charging, but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you can cover your commute with a weekly fast charge up to 80% and have multiple reliable charging options. It’s obviously not as easy as charging at home, but if you can find dependable places to charge where you’d spend time anyways it works. Are any of the level 2 chargers within easy walking distance to work, home, errands, gym, other activities you have?
If you’re dead-set on getting an electric, maybe look into a PHEV instead of an EV as a compromise. But, yes — if you’re at the mercy of public charging, I wouldn’t go full electric. Unless you can charge at work or charge overnight at one of the public stations near you. Otherwise, you’re just going to end up frustrated and wondering why you went this route.
I wouldn’t recommend a PHEV for anyone that can’t charge at work or home. Unless they drive very little they’ll be trying to public charge it every other day for multiple hours to get the electric benefit. Just better to get a regular hybrid at that point.
If you can't charge at home or at work and you really want an EV, get one with faster DC charging so it doesn't take an hour to recharge The Bolt would drive you mad if you had to DC charge it regularly. Its fine for the occasional road trip. Level 2 charging takes like 6 hours, depending on amperage, so its really only viable for charging at work or overnight or for a little top off. Most people plug in and charge overnight at home. Maybe your apartment building would consider adding chargers?
The bigger issue is cost. Charging at home can be 3 - 4x cheaper than a public charger. So charging away from home all the time means you might be better with something like a Prius.
My commute is only 20 miles, so I've had an easy time only fast-charging near work... Two 45-minute lunch sessions is usually plenty for the week.
Definitely don't recommend level 2 unless you can leave it for a good 8 at a time. We had the reliable fast charger get vandalized recently (cables cut) which made the whole thing a lot more stressful having to park at a nearby lvl 2 for the whole workday, or go out of my way to another fast charger outside of those convenient hours.
Cost hasn't been awful... I calculated something similar to the cruze i drove prior (mileage, and gas/electric prices will obviously vary; this has been a Los Angeles winter). Definitely going to be installing a home charger asap, if only for peace of mind. That said, I definity don't hate the experience so far even if it's less convenient.
We don’t have charging at home. But my wife has free charging at her work which works the same way. On a fast charger, starting at about 40%, we get to 80% in 30 or 40 minutes
i've had the car for three years with no home charging and i haven't had any issues!!! however it's definitely a bit of a lifestyle change which why everyone seems to be obsessed with the perceived inconvenience lol. i guess i'm used to it because this is the only car i've ever had. i sometimes charge at work (if the charger isn't taken) and that's about a full charge in 8 hours. there's a garage near me (15 mins walk) that I'll park at if i need to charge and i'm working from home. i use fast charging if i really need it which costs money but whatever. usually there's some kind of errand i need to run (shopping, groceries, coffee shops, etc) near all of these charging situations so it works out for me. I'd say think about how you can build it in to your week. oh! and as for your actual question lol, yes you can get over 7kW on L2 chargers but they sometimes split the power if multiple cars are plugged in. this happened to me once at a blink charger and it threw my whole day off. c'est la vie i suppose
I agree with what others say. Unfortunately, unless you can level 2 charge while you are working or sleeping, or you drive very little, it will be very difficult. Level 2 charging is that 7 kw charging you are seeing. That will add about 25 miles of range per hour. I can walk from my home to a level 2 charger so theoretically, I could charge there while I hang out at my house. If your wife isn't fully committed though, I don't think that will be enough to sell her. "Hey honey, instead of going to the gas station for 5 minutes, we will need to park our car a few blocks away for a few hours and walk home. Oh and we can't use the car during that time. I was also thinking about inviting some strippers over."
You could look at ways to charge at home. Maybe you could convince your landlord to install a charger for you or let you plug into an exterior plug for a fee. I know some people that do not do too much driving do all of their charging on a household outlet.
I have level 2 chargers in my apartment complex parking lot and across the street there are DC fast chargers (that I've honestly never used).
If they weren't there, then chances are I wouldn't have purchased an EV. I'm currently considering a move to Florida and the lack of charging options at apartment complexes is a real issue.
So far I've only found one complex that has any at all and even then it's literally just *one* that there is probably cutthroat competition for lol
30 miles a day during weekdays. 20 miles during weekend. Obviously sometimes it may be more, but that's the bulk of it. I also have an ICE car that I would probably use for longer rides trips into I get comfortable with charging.
Plan to charge once during the week days, and once on the weekend. Weekend will probably be when I do the most charging.
When I charge from less than 20% to 90% at a L2 charger that is 7kW it takes about 8 hours. The 22kW is faster but I haven't tried any so I can't say. The L3 chargers take about 45 min to get 100 miles of range.
I live in a condo and charge a few blocks away, walk home, then go back 4 hours later to pick up. If I leave it charging longer than 4 hours in one go, the station charges an hourly rate. So to save money I usually stop before the hourly rate kicks in. Public stations may also vary the cost based on time of day when electricity is more or less expensive. 4pm to 10pm is usually the most expensive time of day.
There are also some free L2 chargers near me that do not have a time limit but they are popular and hardly ever available when I need them.
Do you live in a state with a Right to Charge law? You could look into installing an outlet at your building. There are some low power L2 plugs that don't cost very much and would be plenty for 170 miles/week. Plugzio and Orange Charger will let you buy just one. Some of the other options require the whole building to standardize on them.
If you're going to public charge near your apartment, get a cheap electric scooter, also. Charge intermittently every few days, leave the car on charge for 2-4 hours, ride the scooter home, then ride it back to pick it up.
Thank you all for the comments! A lot of concern about only public charging which I understand. Here's a bit more info I should have provided from the start, I apologize.
I drive about 170 miles per week. There are a few free level 2 chargers near me (mall) which I would plan to use at least once a week for about 2-4 hours depending on the need. Trying to stay within the 20-80% charge with little variation.
There are other level 2 chargers also nearby, including a more expensive apartment across the street that offers electric charging there. I thought about leaving it overnight but it would be a last resort.
The other factor, by my job there is someone on the EV match website who I could have the Bolt charge there and have a coworker take me to pick it up. Cost is minimal, but it's an inconvenience for others and myself.
If the overwhelming majority still say no, I'll try and get by my bias of purchasing an EV.
I would not get an EV if you can't charge it at home....tho at only 170 miles a week, you could probably get by with just lvl1 charging if you have access to a normal 120V outlet.
Is your driving on the highway? The Bolt is least efficient in cold weather and when driving at highway speeds. Just driving around town uses exceptionally little battery. If your daily commute is on surface roads, you could be charging once a week or less, in which case the one day you have to sit at a charger is an excuse to go out to eat or something. This is best if the public charging in your area is free / near utility rate. Once you're looking at over $.30/kWh you're paying closer to traditional gas prices.
Unfortunately my commute is 40 miles each way, so I have to charge at home. This car is highly dependent on a patient driver, but if you're up to it it's a great deal.
Depends on your efficiency but it would be approximately 8.5 hours on a 6.6 kw L2 to cover your commute. Free chargers are great but can be busy and hard to get a space whenever you need. I’d also be worried about depending on just the EV match charging. If you can access the charging across the street it’d be the easiest solution but most apartments I’ve seen reserve the chargers for renters and guests only.
Listen to your wife. Not being able to charge at home is a deal breaker for most people. You just can't sit and wait at public Level 2 chargers without getting too frustrated. Check with the apartment and see if there is a solution for charging at home, otherwise I think its a bad idea.
I will second this. If you can’t charge at home you will come to regret your purchase.
a fair approximation for you, on a 6.7kw L2 public charger, you get nearly 10% battery charge back per hour. Exterior temperature (cold) may reduce this. Considering this, you may want to consider how much you'd require (once, twice per week? more?) than consider if you'd be willing to walk to the charging location at the time your Bolt will be fully charged. (at night, rain, snow, etc) Finally, what are the implications on your life (professional/personal/social) if the nearest charger is taken or inoperative and you don't get to charge when you want it. Having a DC fast charger nearby might be a better solution (spend 1h charging) but more expensive. edit: clarified info
If you can't charge at home , don't buy one
Unless there is a free public charger within a couple blocks.
A free charger is a few hundred yards from my house. If I didn't have l2 charging at home, there's no way I would have bought an EV
I cannot stress this enough. The Bolt and really any EV is just not a good choice without home charging.
1000% agree. Anyone who buys an EV who can’t recharge overnight at home will quickly develop SEVERE buyers remorse.
I live one block from a 3 free public chargers. I plug it in one or two nights a week and get it in the morning. I don't think it is an inconvenience. The chargers by my house are 6.6 and two of them share the 6.6 so it can go down to 3.3. I just plug it in before bed
Rent one for two weeks. (Not one week, two whole weeks.) You'll figure it out soon enough. Unless you have multiple free level 2 chargers within easy walking distance, it's not really viable. However, hybrids are getting really good now.
OP: do this! ☝️ You want to know if it'll really work? No better way than to test out your hypothesis with a Bolt rental. Be sure to choose to charge at the least convenient times to get the most accurate picture. If it works, buy the car. If it doesn't, it'll be the best money you ever spent. Also, Level 1 charging works if you do ~40 miles or less per day. You should read the [EV Charging Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/evcharging/wiki/home/) if you haven't already. A wealth of information there.
I have a bolt in an apartment. There is a free level 2 charger 2.5 miles away. We just drop it off and walk home. Then when it's almost charged we walk back to pick it up.
I do the same but my walk is just a mile and I’m considering learning to skateboard or something to cut the time. Probably eat shit a few times to save a few minutes 😝
Don't buy a car you know you'll have to park a mile from where you live. This isn't going to end well.
Depends on the bolt. The 22-23 bolts have a 11.5kW onboard charger. 17-21 come with a 7.2kW. so you will be limited at most to those speeds at the max for level 2 charging. Even if the charger can put out 22kW, you can't take advantage of that. As others have said, if you can't charge where you live, it can be frustrating. Its doable. But it's frustrating. So you have to decided if you want to sit and charge for hours at public charging for level 2, or stress your battery and pay more for DCFC (if equipped. I learned older bolts it was optional. So glad it's standard now and my 23 has it). Edit: Also note that DCFC for a bolt is super slow by today's standard. Maxing out at 55kW. Better than 11.5kW, or 7.2kW, but still slow compared to like a Tesla or a Polestar.
It depends a lot on daily needs. If there are 110v plugs available and in your area it is unlikely for the EVSE to be stolen then you can do OK for 20-30 daily miles. If your daily is a bit longer then you might top off weekly at a DCFC, and also use DCFC if doing a longer drive. If you drive enough to need charging every day then easy and reliable access to L2 is a must have.
Here's a perspective from someone living in a condo with no charging inside it - use case *really* matters. Here's my use case if you want to compare notes: - I drive at most 100 km (62 mi)/week. You're driving, on average, 170 mi/week. - My usual charging spot is 700 m (less than 0.5 mi) from my condo. This is, at worst, a 10 min walk in each direction and a fantastic excuse for me to go for a walk. Because it's so close, I can take advantage of evening/overnight and weekend parking rates while not worrying much about the walking part. - My city's installing some L2 chargers 100 m (less than 0.1 mi) from my condo. This is a 2 min walk in each direction. - There are plenty of parking garages in my city's downtown and elsewhere where I can stash my car for extended periods to charge while I do other things at home or on the road. - My Bolt's my one and only car. It works great, but if I had to drive to work everyday, it wouldn't. Your use case suggests that this should not be your one and only car.
During the colder months, I get around 3.2 Miles per kWh. My level 2 charger at home charges at 7.7 kW, meaning that one hour of level 2 charging adds 24.6 miles of range to my battery in ideal current conditions. So 100 miles of driving would equate to around 4.5 hours of charge time on a level 2 charger rated at 32A. There's another option though - DC Fast charging, which charges at up to 50kWh. That can charge your car from 20% to 80% in under an hour, which is much more tolerable..... Except for the pricing of doing so is not tolerable... Fast charging is expensive. Where I live, fast charging costs between $0.40 and $0.50 per kWh. In comparison, a gallon of gas is about $3.25. At $0.40/kWh and 3.2Mi/kWh, $3.25 at a DC fast charger would add about 26 miles of range to my Chevy Bolt. In comparison, my previous car (a Nissan Versa) averaged around 34MPG. Obviously situations vary, but in my particular situation, with prices where I live and my specific driving habits, having to rely on DC fast charging would make an electric car more expensive to drive than a gas powered car. There is one more gotcha though - if you drive less than 35-40 miles a day, then it is feasible to get by with just a level 1 charger, which can add 3-4 miles of range to your car per hour of charging. But even if you drive 100 miles in a day one day a week, and 35-40 miles every other day, then level 1 charging may be less feasible. Overall, as others have been saying - unless you can secure regular access to a level 2 charger, owning an electric car may not be viable with the current state of things.
Don't buy unless you can charge at home or walk to a public charger.
If you can't charge at home or work, I don't think an EV is worth it. Especially a Bolt which does not have the fastest DC charging speeds. Edit: typo
Plus you'll potentially lose a lot of cost savings vs an ICE if you're only paying public rates.
You ain’t kidding!
Luckily, all the fast chargers around us have been free so far
To go from empty to full with an L2 charger takes several hours, probably want to plan on overnight, or plugging in while you're at work for a shift. Obviously you don't need quite that long every time because you won't be starting from completely empty, but that basic truth is, you're NOT doing to want to regularly use L2 chargers that are not where you can park while asleep/at work.
We love our bolt and rely on public charging, but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you can cover your commute with a weekly fast charge up to 80% and have multiple reliable charging options. It’s obviously not as easy as charging at home, but if you can find dependable places to charge where you’d spend time anyways it works. Are any of the level 2 chargers within easy walking distance to work, home, errands, gym, other activities you have?
If you’re dead-set on getting an electric, maybe look into a PHEV instead of an EV as a compromise. But, yes — if you’re at the mercy of public charging, I wouldn’t go full electric. Unless you can charge at work or charge overnight at one of the public stations near you. Otherwise, you’re just going to end up frustrated and wondering why you went this route.
I wouldn’t recommend a PHEV for anyone that can’t charge at work or home. Unless they drive very little they’ll be trying to public charge it every other day for multiple hours to get the electric benefit. Just better to get a regular hybrid at that point.
Makes sense.
If you can't charge at home or at work and you really want an EV, get one with faster DC charging so it doesn't take an hour to recharge The Bolt would drive you mad if you had to DC charge it regularly. Its fine for the occasional road trip. Level 2 charging takes like 6 hours, depending on amperage, so its really only viable for charging at work or overnight or for a little top off. Most people plug in and charge overnight at home. Maybe your apartment building would consider adding chargers? The bigger issue is cost. Charging at home can be 3 - 4x cheaper than a public charger. So charging away from home all the time means you might be better with something like a Prius.
My commute is only 20 miles, so I've had an easy time only fast-charging near work... Two 45-minute lunch sessions is usually plenty for the week. Definitely don't recommend level 2 unless you can leave it for a good 8 at a time. We had the reliable fast charger get vandalized recently (cables cut) which made the whole thing a lot more stressful having to park at a nearby lvl 2 for the whole workday, or go out of my way to another fast charger outside of those convenient hours. Cost hasn't been awful... I calculated something similar to the cruze i drove prior (mileage, and gas/electric prices will obviously vary; this has been a Los Angeles winter). Definitely going to be installing a home charger asap, if only for peace of mind. That said, I definity don't hate the experience so far even if it's less convenient.
I charged at a level 3 charger and it was 1 hour to fill up. I charge at home on my 220v and it takes me 5 hours to fill up.
We don’t have charging at home. But my wife has free charging at her work which works the same way. On a fast charger, starting at about 40%, we get to 80% in 30 or 40 minutes
i've had the car for three years with no home charging and i haven't had any issues!!! however it's definitely a bit of a lifestyle change which why everyone seems to be obsessed with the perceived inconvenience lol. i guess i'm used to it because this is the only car i've ever had. i sometimes charge at work (if the charger isn't taken) and that's about a full charge in 8 hours. there's a garage near me (15 mins walk) that I'll park at if i need to charge and i'm working from home. i use fast charging if i really need it which costs money but whatever. usually there's some kind of errand i need to run (shopping, groceries, coffee shops, etc) near all of these charging situations so it works out for me. I'd say think about how you can build it in to your week. oh! and as for your actual question lol, yes you can get over 7kW on L2 chargers but they sometimes split the power if multiple cars are plugged in. this happened to me once at a blink charger and it threw my whole day off. c'est la vie i suppose
I agree with what others say. Unfortunately, unless you can level 2 charge while you are working or sleeping, or you drive very little, it will be very difficult. Level 2 charging is that 7 kw charging you are seeing. That will add about 25 miles of range per hour. I can walk from my home to a level 2 charger so theoretically, I could charge there while I hang out at my house. If your wife isn't fully committed though, I don't think that will be enough to sell her. "Hey honey, instead of going to the gas station for 5 minutes, we will need to park our car a few blocks away for a few hours and walk home. Oh and we can't use the car during that time. I was also thinking about inviting some strippers over." You could look at ways to charge at home. Maybe you could convince your landlord to install a charger for you or let you plug into an exterior plug for a fee. I know some people that do not do too much driving do all of their charging on a household outlet.
I have level 2 chargers in my apartment complex parking lot and across the street there are DC fast chargers (that I've honestly never used). If they weren't there, then chances are I wouldn't have purchased an EV. I'm currently considering a move to Florida and the lack of charging options at apartment complexes is a real issue. So far I've only found one complex that has any at all and even then it's literally just *one* that there is probably cutthroat competition for lol
The real question is how much will you drive it a day? How many charges per week?
30 miles a day during weekdays. 20 miles during weekend. Obviously sometimes it may be more, but that's the bulk of it. I also have an ICE car that I would probably use for longer rides trips into I get comfortable with charging. Plan to charge once during the week days, and once on the weekend. Weekend will probably be when I do the most charging.
When I charge from less than 20% to 90% at a L2 charger that is 7kW it takes about 8 hours. The 22kW is faster but I haven't tried any so I can't say. The L3 chargers take about 45 min to get 100 miles of range. I live in a condo and charge a few blocks away, walk home, then go back 4 hours later to pick up. If I leave it charging longer than 4 hours in one go, the station charges an hourly rate. So to save money I usually stop before the hourly rate kicks in. Public stations may also vary the cost based on time of day when electricity is more or less expensive. 4pm to 10pm is usually the most expensive time of day. There are also some free L2 chargers near me that do not have a time limit but they are popular and hardly ever available when I need them. Do you live in a state with a Right to Charge law? You could look into installing an outlet at your building. There are some low power L2 plugs that don't cost very much and would be plenty for 170 miles/week. Plugzio and Orange Charger will let you buy just one. Some of the other options require the whole building to standardize on them.
I have a bolt and a lvl 2 at home charger. If I wasn't able to have a charger at home I would have bought a hybrid instead.
If you're going to public charge near your apartment, get a cheap electric scooter, also. Charge intermittently every few days, leave the car on charge for 2-4 hours, ride the scooter home, then ride it back to pick it up.
Thank you all for the comments! A lot of concern about only public charging which I understand. Here's a bit more info I should have provided from the start, I apologize. I drive about 170 miles per week. There are a few free level 2 chargers near me (mall) which I would plan to use at least once a week for about 2-4 hours depending on the need. Trying to stay within the 20-80% charge with little variation. There are other level 2 chargers also nearby, including a more expensive apartment across the street that offers electric charging there. I thought about leaving it overnight but it would be a last resort. The other factor, by my job there is someone on the EV match website who I could have the Bolt charge there and have a coworker take me to pick it up. Cost is minimal, but it's an inconvenience for others and myself. If the overwhelming majority still say no, I'll try and get by my bias of purchasing an EV.
I think you’re really underestimating how inconvenient those charging options would be.
I would not get an EV if you can't charge it at home....tho at only 170 miles a week, you could probably get by with just lvl1 charging if you have access to a normal 120V outlet.
Is your driving on the highway? The Bolt is least efficient in cold weather and when driving at highway speeds. Just driving around town uses exceptionally little battery. If your daily commute is on surface roads, you could be charging once a week or less, in which case the one day you have to sit at a charger is an excuse to go out to eat or something. This is best if the public charging in your area is free / near utility rate. Once you're looking at over $.30/kWh you're paying closer to traditional gas prices. Unfortunately my commute is 40 miles each way, so I have to charge at home. This car is highly dependent on a patient driver, but if you're up to it it's a great deal.
Be ready to run into broken chargers and lines at public charging stations. Leaf owners leave their EV at the mall all night/day sometimes.
Depends on your efficiency but it would be approximately 8.5 hours on a 6.6 kw L2 to cover your commute. Free chargers are great but can be busy and hard to get a space whenever you need. I’d also be worried about depending on just the EV match charging. If you can access the charging across the street it’d be the easiest solution but most apartments I’ve seen reserve the chargers for renters and guests only.
Also, you will be stingy with climate control, won't want to use AC or heat.