Chevrolet BOLT: energy use, battery size and what it costs to charge
EPA figures for 2027 Chevrolet BOLT , plus the cost to charge at home in every U.S. state at May 2026 electricity prices.
28.09 kWh/100mi · 19th of 223
The Chevrolet BOLT uses 28.09 kWh per 100 miles. Across the 223 electric cars on sale that figure runs from 23.1 to 66.1, which puts this one among the more efficient.
How much does it cost to charge a Chevrolet BOLT?
At the U.S. average residential price of 19.42¢ per kWh, a Chevrolet BOLT costs about $5.46 per 100 miles, $12.86 for a full charge, and $655 a year at 12,000 miles. The same car costs $442 a year in Nevada and $1,777 in Hawaii — a 4.0× difference driven entirely by where you plug in.
Chevrolet BOLT vs. a petrol car
A typical new gasoline small wagon returns 29 MPG. At $4.32 a gallon — the U.S. average for the week of 2026-09-14, up 14.3% on the year — that is $14.89 per 100 miles against $5.46 for the Chevrolet BOLT on average-priced electricity. Over 12,000 miles the fuel difference is $1,132 a year in favour of the electric car.
- Nevada $442
- Texas $537
- California $1,171
- Hawaii $1,777
Cost to charge a Chevrolet BOLT in every state
| State | ¢/kWh | vs. last year | Per 100 mi | Full charge | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 13.11 | +6.9% | $3.68 | $8.68 | $442 |
| Nebraska | 13.25 | +0.8% | $3.72 | $8.77 | $447 |
| Utah | 13.37 | +2.1% | $3.76 | $8.85 | $451 |
| Louisiana | 13.49 | +5.9% | $3.79 | $8.93 | $455 |
| Tennessee | 14.07 | +1.8% | $3.95 | $9.31 | $474 |
| Arkansas | 14.12 | +5.6% | $3.97 | $9.35 | $476 |
| North Dakota | 14.12 | +3% | $3.97 | $9.35 | $476 |
| Kentucky | 14.26 | +6.4% | $4.01 | $9.44 | $481 |
| Oklahoma | 14.33 | +5.1% | $4.03 | $9.49 | $483 |
| Idaho | 14.37 | +19.1% | $4.04 | $9.51 | $484 |
| North Carolina | 14.74 | +10.2% | $4.14 | $9.76 | $497 |
| Mississippi | 14.88 | +5.8% | $4.18 | $9.85 | $502 |
The other 39 states
| State | ¢/kWh | vs. last year | Per 100 mi | Full charge | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 14.91 | +15% | $4.19 | $9.87 | $503 |
| New Mexico | 15.06 | +2.6% | $4.23 | $9.97 | $508 |
| Florida | 15.10 | -1.6% | $4.24 | $10.00 | $509 |
| Montana | 15.14 | +2.2% | $4.25 | $10.02 | $510 |
| Arizona | 15.18 | -0.3% | $4.26 | $10.05 | $512 |
| Wyoming | 15.24 | +2.4% | $4.28 | $10.09 | $514 |
| South Dakota | 15.36 | +8% | $4.31 | $10.17 | $518 |
| West Virginia | 15.45 | -2.3% | $4.34 | $10.23 | $521 |
| South Carolina | 15.55 | +5.1% | $4.37 | $10.29 | $524 |
| Kansas | 15.71 | +4.5% | $4.41 | $10.40 | $530 |
| Iowa | 15.93 | +3.9% | $4.47 | $10.55 | $537 |
| Texas | 15.94 | +4.5% | $4.48 | $10.55 | $537 |
| Missouri | 16.22 | +1.9% | $4.56 | $10.74 | $547 |
| Oregon | 16.32 | +3.3% | $4.58 | $10.80 | $550 |
| Georgia | 16.36 | +2.5% | $4.60 | $10.83 | $551 |
| Alabama | 16.40 | +2.1% | $4.61 | $10.86 | $553 |
| Colorado | 17.13 | +6.8% | $4.81 | $11.34 | $577 |
| Virginia | 17.22 | +13.1% | $4.84 | $11.40 | $580 |
| Indiana | 17.51 | +6.2% | $4.92 | $11.59 | $590 |
| Minnesota | 17.52 | +2.3% | $4.92 | $11.60 | $591 |
| Ohio | 19.19 | +9.7% | $5.39 | $12.70 | $647 |
| Delaware | 19.29 | +6.2% | $5.42 | $12.77 | $650 |
| Wisconsin | 19.56 | +5.6% | $5.49 | $12.95 | $659 |
| Illinois | 19.89 | +8.7% | $5.59 | $13.17 | $670 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.73 | +10.4% | $6.10 | $14.39 | $732 |
| Maryland | 21.84 | +13.2% | $6.13 | $14.46 | $736 |
| Michigan | 22.99 | +10.4% | $6.46 | $15.22 | $775 |
| Connecticut | 24.32 | -10.6% | $6.83 | $16.10 | $820 |
| District of Columbia | 24.39 | +7.4% | $6.85 | $16.15 | $822 |
| Vermont | 24.44 | +6.3% | $6.87 | $16.18 | $824 |
| New Jersey | 24.95 | +0.3% | $7.01 | $16.52 | $841 |
| New Hampshire | 27.01 | +14.9% | $7.59 | $17.88 | $910 |
| Alaska | 28.21 | +5% | $7.92 | $18.68 | $951 |
| Rhode Island | 29.23 | +8.9% | $8.21 | $19.35 | $985 |
| New York | 29.49 | +11.1% | $8.28 | $19.52 | $994 |
| Maine | 29.59 | +5.2% | $8.31 | $19.59 | $997 |
| Massachusetts | 29.61 | -2.4% | $8.32 | $19.60 | $998 |
| California | 34.74 | +3.4% | $9.76 | $23.00 | $1,171 |
| Hawaii | 52.72 | +28.7% | $14.81 | $34.90 | $1,777 |
Questions people ask about the Chevrolet BOLT
How many kWh per 100 miles does a Chevrolet BOLT use?
The Chevrolet BOLT uses 28.09 kWh per 100 miles on the EPA combined cycle, which works out to 3.56 miles per kWh.
How big is the Chevrolet BOLT battery?
Its usable battery capacity works out to roughly 66.2 kWh. EPA does not publish battery size directly, so this is calculated from EPA range (262 miles) and rated energy use, corrected for charging losses — expect a few kWh of error against the manufacturer figure.
How much does it cost to charge a Chevrolet BOLT at home?
About $12.86 for a full charge at the U.S. average residential electricity price of 19.42¢ per kWh, or $5.46 per 100 miles. Over a year at 12,000 miles that is $655. In Nevada the same driving costs $442; in Hawaii it costs $1,777.
How long does a Chevrolet BOLT take to charge on a 240V charger?
EPA rates it at about 6.8 hours for a full charge on a 240-volt (Level 2) charger. A standard 120-volt household outlet takes roughly five to six times longer; DC fast charging is far quicker but costs considerably more per kWh than charging at home.
Is a Chevrolet BOLT cheaper to run than a gasoline car?
On fuel alone, yes. A Chevrolet BOLT costs about $5.46 per 100 miles in electricity. A typical new gasoline small wagon manages 29 MPG, which at $4.32 a gallon costs $14.89 per 100 miles — $9.44 more. Over 12,000 miles the difference is $1,132 a year in the EV's favour. This compares fuel only — not insurance, depreciation, maintenance or your state's EV registration fee.
Cars to compare it with
Almost identical energy use
These use within a fraction of a kWh per 100 miles of the Chevrolet BOLT, so running cost is effectively a wash between them — the decision comes down to everything else.
| Electric car | kWh/100mi | Range | Battery (est.) | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMW i4 eDrive35 | 28.09 | 276 mi | 69.8 kWh | $655 |
| Subaru Solterra | 28.09 | 288 mi | 72.8 kWh | $655 |
| Nissan LEAF | 27.86 | 303 mi | 76 kWh | $649 |
| Toyota bZ4X | 28.32 | 252 mi | 64.2 kWh | $660 |
| BMW i4 eDrive40 | 28.56 | 333 mi | 85.6 kWh | $666 |
| BMW iX3 50 | 28.56 | 434 mi | 111.6 kWh | $666 |
Other electric small wagons
- Nissan LEAF — 27.86 kWh/100mi
- Nissan ARIYA VENTURE — 32.72 kWh/100mi
- Nissan ARIYA ENGAGE — 33.37 kWh/100mi
- Nissan ARIYA EVOLVE /EMPOWER — 34.39 kWh/100mi
- Nissan ARIYA ENGAGE /EVOLVE — 36.64 kWh/100mi
- Nissan ARIYA PLATINUM — 37.45 kWh/100mi
- Cadillac CELESTIQ — 41.61 kWh/100mi
Other Chevrolet electric cars
- Blazer EV — 32.41 kWh/100mi
- Blazer EV SS — 39.65 kWh/100mi
- Equinox EV — 30.92 kWh/100mi
- Silverado EV — 48.15 kWh/100mi
- Silverado EV 8WT — 49.57 kWh/100mi
Where these numbers come from
Energy use per 100 miles is 3,370.5 ÷ MPGe, because EPA
defines MPGe against 33.705 kWh per gasoline gallon equivalent. EPA meters
that energy at the wall, so charging losses are already included.
Usable battery size is EPA range × kWh per 100 miles ÷ 100 ×
0.90. The 0.90 corrects for the fact that EPA measures energy at the wall but
measures range from the pack; without it the estimate runs about 10% high.
It is an estimate, not a manufacturer specification — expect a few kWh of
error either way.
Cost assumes home charging at the state's average
residential electricity price (EIA, May 2026) and
12,000 miles a year. Public DC fast
charging costs considerably more; time-of-use plans can cost less.
The petrol comparison uses the median combined MPG of
current regular-gasoline, non-hybrid cars in this car's own EPA vehicle class
— not an all-car average — priced at the U.S. average retail price from the
EIA weekly series. It counts fuel only.