How many watts is a Chevy Bolt battery?
The Bolt’s battery stores about 66 kilowatt‑hours of energy (roughly 66,000 watt‑hours). Its electric drive can draw up to around 150 kilowatts from the pack during strong acceleration, and charging support includes up to 7.2 kilowatts on AC and up to 55 kilowatts on DC fast charging.
To understand what these numbers mean in practice, it helps to distinguish energy capacity (watthours) from instant power (watts) and to consider how the Bolt charges and uses that energy in daily driving.
Battery capacity and energy content
This section explains the energy stored in the Bolt’s pack and how that translates to range and everyday use.
Key numbers at a glance
- Battery energy capacity: approximately 66 kilowatt‑hours (kWh) gross; typically about 60 kWh usable in daily driving, with exact usable capacity varying by model year and calibration.
- Estimated range: around 259 miles on newer Bolt EV variants under EPA testing; earlier versions tended to be in the 238–259 mile range depending on configuration and year.
- Motor power: peak electrical output to the wheels is about 150 kilowatts (roughly 200 horsepower) when conditions allow.
In practical terms, the Bolt’s energy budget — the amount of energy stored and available for driving — largely determines how far you can go on a full charge, while the peak power figure describes how quickly the car can accelerate when you step on the pedal.
Charging and power delivery
This section explains how quickly the Bolt can draw power and how that translates to charging times and driving behavior.
Before listing the charging capabilities, note that charging performance depends on factors like battery temperature, state of charge, and the charging source.
Charging options
- AC charging: onboard charger supports up to 7.2 kilowatts (kW), typically using a 240-volt outlet and up to 32 amps.
- DC fast charging: supports up to 55 kilowatts (kW) with CCS, enabling substantially faster top-ups on compatible networks.
- Charging behavior: actual charging speed can vary with temperature and the battery’s current state of charge; the vehicle may taper power as the battery approaches full charge to protect longevity.
Understanding these charging capabilities helps drivers estimate how long a recharge will take on a given charger and plan longer trips accordingly.
Model-year notes and practical takeaways
While the core specs are consistent, there have been updates across Bolt model years, including refinements to battery management and range estimates. Always check the exact figure for a given year and trim (Bolt EV vs. Bolt EUV) when evaluating current specifications.
Summary
The Chevy Bolt’s battery stores about 66 kWh of energy (roughly 66,000 Wh), with usable energy typically around 60 kWh depending on the year and calibration. It can deliver up to about 150 kW of power to the drivetrain for acceleration and supports up to 7.2 kW of AC charging and 55 kW DC fast charging. Distinguishing between energy (kWh) and instantaneous power (W) is key to understanding how far you can go on a charge and how long charging takes.
