GM has unveiled the brand new model of the Chevy Bolt, its well-liked, reasonably priced EV with an upgraded battery and an in any other case very related package deal to its final iteration, and we’re on the scene at a particular occasion for Bolt homeowners at Common Studios Hollywood to get you all the data you want.
The Chevy Bolt was initially launched within the 2017 mannequin 12 months. It was GM’s first actual, trendy effort at an EV, designed to be all-electric reasonably than a compliance automotive just like the previous Chevy Spark EV. (GM did beforehand design the EV1 from the bottom up, however it got here alongside earlier than the lithium ion period of EVs, and was decidedly a compliance automotive).
It was additionally a fantastic automotive. Not solely was it a superb dimension in contrast to the ridiculous land yachts we’re seeing so a lot of right this moment, it had an exceptional worth, particularly close to the top of the mannequin’s life. It was adequate to be Electrek’s automobile of the 12 months for 2022.
However, as a result of an prolonged recall and since the Bolt used GM’s first-gen EV platform, reasonably than its whiz-bang new “Ultium” system, GM retired the automobile in late 2023, regardless that it was having its greatest gross sales 12 months ever.
However, that wasn’t the top for the mannequin. After declaring the Bolt useless however earlier than ending manufacturing on it, GM mentioned that it will deliver again an Ultium-based Chevy Bolt (which our writer Seth Weintraub has taken to calling the “Boltium”).
And now, it’s lastly time for the official unveiling, and we’re readily available at Common Studios Hollywood for a “Bolt Block Occasion” displaying off the brand new automobile.
Meet the brand new Bolt, similar because the previous Bolt
When Chevy retired the Bolt and mentioned they’d deliver it again later, we anticipated it to be related, however maybe not this related. From the outside, the brand new Bolt and the previous Bolt EUV are almost indistinguishable.
The entrance fascia is barely modified with a black line between the headlights and no black border across the faux grille, and the rear has completely different taillights (positioned larger up, a giant demand from Bolt homeowners), and barely extra paint on the bumper. That’s about it. However we knew all that already, after seeing it charging in public final week.
Now we’re getting info on the inside and specs, that are the juicy updates we have been hoping to listen to adjustments on.
GM hasn’t publicized 0-60 instances but, however the Bolt will use the identical motor because the Equinox EV, which supplies 210hp. That’s about the identical because the earlier Bolt, and it weighs an identical quantity, so we’re imagining related efficiency because the 6-ish seconds 0-60 of the earlier Bolt – peppy and greater than sufficient for any day by day wants, however not a sportscar.
Particularly, the unique Bolt’s major technical limitation was its low DC cost pace. It maxed out at 50kW, however usually was even slower than that. In a world the place many automobiles can now cost at 200kW+ speeds, the brand new Bolt wanted an replace.
Fortunately, it obtained one. The brand new Bolt is now able to a 150kW cost charge, with a 10-80% cost in 26 minutes. GM says that is about thrice quicker than the earlier era.
This is because of a brand new 65kWh LFP battery, using GM’s Ultium EV platform. The earlier Bolt used LG cells, and was constructed earlier than GM developed Ultium. This led the Bolt to be the one automobile in GM’s EV steady on a distinct expertise, and is what necessitated its retirement and retooling.
Not solely does the Bolt cost quicker, it additionally has new discharging capabilities… within the type of bidirectional charging. The brand new Bolt helps GM Vitality’s V2H dwelling merchandise, and may offload energy at 9.6kW(!).
Nonetheless, by way of V2L onboard energy, there are not any 120V plugs out there, your solely choices to energy units are the included USB-C ports (2 entrance information+energy, 2 rear energy solely).
The brand new battery additionally provides 255 miles of vary (GM estimate). That’s a bit greater than earlier than, which is sweet, plus you’ll be able to cost to 100% each evening as a result of it’s LFP. However the DC cost speeds are actually the larger story right here. Sooner DC cost charges allow extra seamless roadtrips.
Additional enabling these roadtrips is the Bolt’s new NACS port, permitting it to use the Tesla Supercharger community. An adapter continues to be out there to make use of on CCS networks, however Superchargers are sometimes a greater expertise, and the entire trade is shifting in that course at this level.
One other main change is within the Bolt’s software program. The earlier one had CarPlay, however this one gained’t.
Lots of people are sad about that, and I perceive the unhappiness. Folks have gotten used to CarPlay (or Android Auto), and plenty of individuals adore it, as a result of it’s so a lot better than the software program from no matter 2010s-era automobile they got here from. Infotainment techniques have been horrendous in automobiles for a very long time.
Nonetheless, I argue that these phone-based automotive UIs aren’t truly that nice. They’re inherently generic, and unable to be tied deeply into automobile capabilities in a method that gives a single coherent interface. That’s why I truly favored the UI within the Blazer EV, GM’s first implementation of its post-CarPlay answer, and proceed to suppose that GM made an appropriate selection right here.
So, I do suppose the Bolt UI will end up okay. GM might take some time to iron out some kinks, however in the long run, I feel this answer is best, and can allow over-the-air updates which saves time and hassle for everybody.
It additionally has out there SuperCruise as an choice, and occurs to be the second automobile in GM’s steady that has entry to the brand new “route following” characteristic, beforehand solely out there on the Cadillac Vistiq, which can change lanes and take freeway interchanges for you. Fairly neat for the most cost effective EV in GM’s lineup to get a Cadillac characteristic in the beginning else does.
The inside has had a refresh with bigger show, added ambient lighting, and cupholders which may be rearranged to accommodate bigger cups. It additionally has extra sprint storage for passengers. And it nonetheless has a bodily quantity knob and HVAC buttons (and it has a warmth pump, for extra environment friendly winter heating).
Rear cargo house is identical because the outgoing Bolt EUV (together with fairly a big underfloor storage space) at 16 cubic toes with the seats up, or 57 with the seats down. By the way, with the seats down, that is truly the identical quantity of cargo house because the Equinox EV, which is 20 inches longer than the Bolt. Fairly a feat of packaging effectivity right here.
Lastly, and maybe most significantly, worth and availability. Chevy says the automotive will launch within the early months of 2026 with an RS trim at round $32k, and an LT consolation package deal at $29,990. Later, there’ll an LT trim with base worth $28,995 – and all of these embody vacation spot prices, that are often round $1k, in order that’s the actual worth you’ll pay. That’s fairly a sexy worth, and as of proper now, makes it the most cost effective EV introduced in America.
Fast first drive impressions
We obtained an opportunity to get behind the wheel in a very, very restricted capability on the Common Studios backlot. So, solely low-speed driving, and just for a really quick quantity of drive time.
However in that quick period of time, we didn’t discover any explicit points with the drive expertise. The Bolt has entry to varied drive modes, together with a customizable “My Mode” the place you’ll be able to set completely different steering weight, brake really feel, acceleration really feel, and switch faux motor sounds on or off.
The regenerative braking system isn’t precisely the identical because the previous Bolt, which we thought-about one among that automobile’s strengths (and maybe one of the best regen system out there available on the market). Its system is extra like different present GM choices, with choices for “low” or “excessive” one-pedal mode, or to only use blended brakes.
We saved regen on “excessive” and acceleration to “sport” for the quick drive, and have been happy with how the automotive felt to drive. The regen may need taken only a tiny bit longer to ramp up than I’d have favored, however the throttle response was as peppy as I’d need, given the 210hp out there. Slightly extra energy can be good, however it’s a commuter automotive and didn’t really feel wanting for energy in any respect.
With regen on excessive, the automotive would come to a whole cease with out urgent the brake pedal. It did this easily and with out difficulty, even on hills. Curiously sufficient, that is one thing that the Bolt, a $30k automotive, performs higher at than the Porsche Macan EV, an $80k+ automotive, which got here to a cease much less easily than the Bolt did. Properly performed, GM.
We couldn’t actually inform a lot about dealing with on our quick backlot drive, or consolation on tough roads (apart from the 200 toes of cobblestone we drove on at a pace of <10mph…). We didn’t be aware any vital issues with these, however we’ll must get again to you after an actual take a look at later.
Electrek’s Take
One attention-grabbing factor about this unveiling is its timing – or reasonably, the timing of one other unveiling which occurred nearly 24 hours in the past. That’s when Tesla lastly took the wraps off its long-promised “extra reasonably priced” EV, which turned out to only be a stripped-down model of its Mannequin 3/Y with a nonetheless disappointingly-high $37k-$40k base worth.
Tesla’s timing for that announcement might have been an try to steal the wind from the Bolt’s sails, however given the pricing of that automobile in comparison with this one, we’re pondering that there is probably not a lot cannibalization.
My major disappointment within the Bolt is that the brand new mannequin relies on the EUV model, reasonably than the EV model. The earlier iteration of the Bolt initially got here in a smaller model dubbed the EV, with a six-inches-longer EUV model coming later. The EV truly bought in larger numbers than the EUV all through the mannequin’s life, however it was additionally out there for longer.
However when Chevy introduced it will deliver again the Bolt, it mentioned the brand new model can be EUV-only. On the time I discovered this folly, and I nonetheless do. We want smaller vehicles, not bigger ones. Whereas the EUV continues to be a extra reasonably-sized automobile than nearly the rest on the highway, I’m nonetheless disenchanted that it’s shifting within the fallacious course so far as dimension goes.
However, within the present US setting the place everybody appears decided to make utilizing roads as unsafe as potential, the EUV continues to be smaller than the overwhelming majority of vehicles out there within the US.
And the value, effectively, that’s actually the kicker. After republicans raised the value of each EV by $7,500 throughout an affordability disaster, with unwise tariffs additionally inflating client costs on the similar time, it’s getting more durable to afford any automobile.
However the Bolt now joins the fray as probably the most reasonably priced EVs on the market, alongside the brand new Nissan Leaf which can value below 30k (and even much less, as soon as a future lower-spec trim is introduced), and considerably cheaper than different low-ish-priced EVs just like the Equinox EV, Ioniq 5, and the aforementioned “extra reasonably priced” customary Mannequin 3/Y.
That’s a giant deal, and it makes the brand new Bolt an identical calculation as when it earned Electrek’s Car of the 12 months. However now, it doesn’t even have the primary draw back it had on the time – its low DC cost charge, and battery questions throughout what was a messy recall. Each of these issues have been solved right here, leaving a calculation with few downsides.
We’re nonetheless on the occasion proper now for the subsequent few hours (replace: not anymore, it’s over), so should you’ve obtained any questions that you simply’d like us to verify on or relay to GM staff, tell us within the feedback and we’ll see if we are able to get some solutions (particularly you Bolt homeowners). And, we simply obtained all this data, so we’ll be updating this text as we digest extra.
Replace: To reply a couple of of your questions: it does have a warmth pump, it does have a rear torsion bar (no rear multi-link suspension), it does nonetheless make an annoying “bong bong bong” sound at any time when the door is open and there’s no method to flip it off, and it does have bidirectional V2H functionality (at 9.6kW!!! on the most cost effective EV in America! Wow!) and is appropriate with GM Vitality’s dwelling merchandise
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