What EV Charger Do You Need for a 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV?
Wall units can push huge amounts of power, but your car dictates how much electricity gets stored. You need a 48 amp Level 2 setup to match the onboard charger. A smaller unit works fine, but you will wait longer for a full battery.
The numbers
| Maximum AC charging rate | 11.5 kW (48 A) |
|---|---|
| Charger size to buy | 48 A |
| Circuit breaker required | 60 A |
| Outlet / connection | hardwired (a 48 A EVSE must be hardwired -- no household receptacle is rated for it) |
| Charge port | J1772 |
| Full charge on Level 2 | about 6.3 hours |
| Range added per hour (Level 2) | about 41 miles |
| Full charge on a 120 V outlet | about 51 hours |
| Range added per hour (120 V) | about 5.1 miles |
| EPA rated range | 259 miles |
| Energy for a full charge | about 72.8 kWh at the wall |
Why 48 amps and not more
The onboard charger handles up to 48 amps at 240 volts, which delivers 11.5 kilowatts. Pumping more than 48 amps into the car accomplishes nothing because the onboard hardware throttles excess current. A 48 amp EVSE fills the 72.8 kilowatt-hour battery in 6.3 hours. Lower amperage gear slows down the rate. If you plug into a smaller 32 amp supply, charge times stretch out.
What the install involves
Feeding a 48 amp load requires a 60 amp breaker on a dedicated circuit. National electrical codes forbid plugging a 48 amp continuous load into a standard wall outlet. Hardwiring the unit directly to the breaker panel eliminates the failure point of a mechanical plug. Call a licensed electrician to run heavy-gauge copper wiring and mount the hardware safely.
Chargers that match this car
Energy monitoring built in. Hardwire it for the full 48 A.
Compact unit, good for tight garages.
Adjustable from 16 A to 50 A in the app, which helps if your panel is tight.
Worth having as well
Common questions
- What plug does this car use?
- The car uses a standard J1772 connector for Level 2 AC charging. This plug fits every non-Tesla EV sold in North America through 2024.
- How long does a standard household outlet take?
- A standard Level 1 household outlet delivers 5.1 miles of range per hour. Recharging the entire battery from empty on Level 1 takes 51 hours.
- Why does the EPA charge time differ from the max rate?
- The EPA test takes 7.5 hours at 35 miles per hour of charge. Standard compliance tests do not always run at the absolute peak AC rate of the vehicle.
- Can I use a 50 amp charger like the ChargePoint Home Flex?
- Yes, but the car will only draw 48 amps from it. You can adjust the ChargePoint in the app if your panel capacity is tight.
Other vehicles
Charging times derived from EPA data for the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV. Electrical requirements follow NEC 625.41, which sizes a circuit at 125% of a continuous load. Always have a licensed electrician verify your panel.