Chevy Bolt EV owners rejoice: your app just got a serious upgrade. The mychevrolet app is used across the Chevrolet range, but Bolt EV owners get a special feature with Energy Assist. And now, it's been powered up to make charging on the go easier by simplifying payment and giving you a heads-up about charging station availability before you arrive, among other things.
Charging forward with the Chevy Bolt EV
Bolt EV owners have been able to plot a road trip on their phone, as you can see demonstrated in the video above. Now though, you can get details about the availability of chargers in the EVgo and Chargepoint networks, with that info from more partners to be added in the future. It's one thing to know a charger exists – the app can show you 40,000 stations across North America, belonging to all the various networks – but it's quite another to know if a particular charger is out of service, or maybe busy charging another vehicle.
Energy Assist also keeps tabs on your car's state of charge and energy consumption as you travel a route. So, if for some reason your planned destination becomes a nonviable option, it will let you know.
One of the biggest hassles with charging has always been payment. Now, the app has Start-to-Charge, which allows you to pull up to a partnered spot, plug in, and tap your phone to begin the charging and handle the payment seamlessly.
Want to share your experience, good or bad, with your fellow EV drivers (or maybe your future self)? The app now allows you to leave feedback and rate the various stations you use. So, not only can you tell if a station is available, but you might also be able to find out what is especially good (or bad) about a particular stop.
General Motors apparently believes all this added information is valuable. Fortunately, they are making Energy Assist free for owners for the first five years. And, it is transferrable to 2nd-hand owners within that original time frame. After that, however, GM currently says it will charge. If you have a Bolt EV purchased after May 2018 you can choose between the Remote Access plan for $14.99 per month or the Unlimited Access plan for $39.99 per month. Owners who have purchased their vehicles prior to that date will have a different selection of plans.
Right now, the Chevy Bolt is, sadly, the only plug-in car offered by GM's various brands, but that will be changing. The automaker made huge waves with the announcement of its GMC Hummer EV coming in late 2021 and we'll also soon see the debut of an all-electric Cadillac crossover. While GM isn't saying how Energy Assist or similar features will be integrated into those vehicles, we have no doubt that they will benefit from the technology and that it will be further improved as we get closer to those launches.
General Motors Makes EV Charging on the Go Easier Than Ever
myChevrolet mobile app enhancements provide seamless and convenient access to
nationwide network of public charging stations and real-time station data to simplify EV ownership
DETROIT — 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 app1 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 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.
1Available on select Apple and Android devices. Service availability, features and functionality vary by vehicle, device and the plan you are enrolled in. User terms apply. Device data connection required. See onstar.com for details and limitations