The Chevy Bolt EV will pull a Terminator - it will be back

Domenick

Domenick

Well-Known Member
The Chevrolet Bolt EV/EUV is dead, or at least, production of it is ending later this year so that factory can be used to produce Ultium-based vehicles. But, it looks like it'll be back.

It's a shame to lose the current Bolt, because now that it's had its battery recall sorted out, it is a pretty decent vehicle. It's also the most affordable EV on the market and you don't have to give up range for that low price. It's earned a place in the heart of owners too.

Mary Barra recognizes that the Bolt nameplate has value as well. In an (awesome) interview with Kai Ryssdal on Marketplace yesterday, she mentions that prior to driving her Cadillac Lyriq that she recently took possession of, she drove a Bolt EUV for six months.

She talks about leveraging the names of GM vehicles - people know what an Equinox is - mentions that "Bolt is something that has built up an amount of loyalty and equity, so....can't say more because I don't discuss future product programs, but," and then goes on to say it's an important vehicle in the company's portfolio.

So, I'd say look for an Ultium-based Bolt to appear at some point in the future. I don't think they'd want to keep the name off a vehicle for too long, so I expect they'll show us the next Bolt before summer of 2025.

i-will-be-back-at-some-point-probably.webp
 
I am hopeful that GM does in fact produce the Bolt for 2025 using the Ultium platform! We leased our first Bolt in 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic. It had the basic trim package but we fell in love with its handling and economy. Then came the battery recall and we continued to enjoy the Bolt but that did generate some anxiety while we waited to be notified it was our turn to receive the new battery. Then in April of '22 I spotted a 2022 2LT Bolt at a nearby dealer that had already had the battery exchange and I hit them up about a lease. It turned out that GM was eager to buy me out of the lease if I took another lease on the '22 Bolt. I jumped on it. Now we're driving the 2LT with the upgraded seats from earlier models and actually lowered my lease to $298 a month from $308 on the 2020 1LT.
We're probably going to buy out the residual value at the end of the lease, because we like the car so much and so far don't see anything out there to compete with it. We average 4.3 mi/kw and have yet to charge it anywhere but at home.
Now that GM has cut a deal with Tesla for use of their charging network, I have even more reason to stick with the Bolt.
 
Do you suppose a smaller variant of the Ultium pack might be squeezed into a Bolt chassis?

The current trend toward large vehicles with long range capacity seems self defeating - what we want is reliable fast charging every 100 miles (or so).
 
Roland said:
I am hopeful that GM does in fact produce the Bolt for 2025 using the Ultium platform! We leased our first Bolt in 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic. It had the basic trim package but we fell in love with its handling and economy. Then came the battery recall and we continued to enjoy the Bolt but that did generate some anxiety while we waited to be notified it was our turn to receive the new battery. Then in April of '22 I spotted a 2022 2LT Bolt at a nearby dealer that had already had the battery exchange and I hit them up about a lease. It turned out that GM was eager to buy me out of the lease if I took another lease on the '22 Bolt. I jumped on it. Now we're driving the 2LT with the upgraded seats from earlier models and actually lowered my lease to $298 a month from $308 on the 2020 1LT.
We're probably going to buy out the residual value at the end of the lease, because we like the car so much and so far don't see anything out there to compete with it. We average 4.3 mi/kw and have yet to charge it anywhere but at home.
Now that GM has cut a deal with Tesla for use of their charging network, I have even more reason to stick with the Bolt.
Click to expand...
I heard someone make the comment that the current Bolt EV may not work on the Supercharger network after other GM vehicles areanted access. Something, I believe they said, about the car's charging software. I'll see if I can track that down and verify.
 
Jim Matthews said:
Do you suppose a smaller variant of the Ultium pack might be squeezed into a Bolt chassis?

The current trend toward large vehicles with long range capacity seems self defeating - what we want is reliable fast charging every 100 miles (or so).
Click to expand...
I suspect GM will give the car enough battery for 250-300 miles. The market has shown a strong preference, overall, for range, so I doubt that they would make a 100-mile version.
 
Domenick said:
I suspect GM will give the car enough battery for 250-300 miles. The market has shown a strong preference, overall, for range, so I doubt that they would make a 100-mile version.
Click to expand...
When the weather gets cold, I mean really cold, that 250 miles can suddenly become 125 miles range.
I do agree with Jim above on the 100 miles reliable fast charging leaving a 25 mile buffer.;)
 
electriceddy said:
When the weather gets cold, I mean really cold, that 250 miles can suddenly become 125 miles range.
I do agree with Jim above on the 100 miles reliable fast charging leaving a 25 mile buffer.;)
Click to expand...

Usually my winter range drops by about 15-20% and I usually only use the heated steering wheel and heated seat options, plus we don't generally have harsh winters here in the Ozarks. Keeping my tires properly inflated is the biggest pain (but so worth it). I used up most of my bend-overs as a young man, so I cheat by keeping them at 40psi instead of the recommended 38psi. telling myself it will take longer for them to drop below optimum range. I figure in the best of times it costs me $0.02 a mile to operate my Bolt (with my rooftop solar). Even if that cost is doubled during winter driving conditions, it's still a fraction of the cost of driving my powerstroke at $0.22 per mile, even in the best of times ...and I keep the tires in it at 60psi.
 
Domenick said:
I heard someone make the comment that the current Bolt EV may not work on the Supercharger network after other GM vehicles areanted access. Something, I believe they said, about the car's charging software. I'll see if I can track that down and verify.
Click to expand...
I'll be interested in what you find out. Time will tell. While I do very little long distance travel anymore, it would be a great feature to have and likely improve resale value as well. I'm hoping that's just a vicious rumor started by a Bolt hater? It's already the most economical ev in America and having access to Tesla super chargers would be great.
Not sure how well that will be received by Tesla drivers though...slow charging Bolts taking up space at the trough and eating real slooow.
 
Domenick said:
I heard someone make the comment that the current Bolt EV may not work on the Supercharger network after other GM vehicles areanted access. Something, I believe they said, about the car's charging software. I'll see if I can track that down and verify.
Click to expand...
I've spent a little casual effort looking for articles that might indicate that the Bolt will be excluded from using Tesla super chargers and have yet to come across any such mention. But I did come across this video from 3 months back, of the first Bolt charging on a super charger using the new Tesla Magic Dock. I have to believe that if you can charge a Bolt with the Magic Dock, that GM will be able to build an equivalent adapter?
 
Roland said:
I've spent a little casual effort looking for articles that might indicate that the Bolt will be excluded from using Tesla super chargers and have yet to come across any such mention. But I did come across this video from 3 months back, of the first Bolt charging on a super charger using the new Tesla Magic Dock. I have to believe that if you can charge a Bolt with the Magic Dock, that GM will be able to build an equivalent adapter?
Click to expand...

Oh, if it can charge using MagicDock, I think you should be good.
 
electriceddy said:
When the weather gets cold, I mean really cold, that 250 miles can suddenly become 125 miles range.
I do agree with Jim above on the 100 miles reliable fast charging leaving a 25 mile buffer.;)
Click to expand...

That’s really REALLY cold. Or lots of short trips. Short trips in the winter are less efficient than a single long trip because the heater has to work harder to warm up a cold car every time. I still get more like 150-180 miles at 70MPH when the temps go sub-zero (F) on longer trips.


Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
 
GetOffYourGas said:
That’s really REALLY cold. Or lots of short trips. Short trips in the winter are less efficient than a single long trip because the heater has to work harder to warm up a cold car every time. I still get more like 150-180 miles at 70MPH when the temps go sub-zero (F) on longer trips.


Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
Click to expand...
I was thinking along the lines of Canada's prairie winter conditions like this
example.
 
Last edited:
At those temps I always assume my doors are froze shut so there's no sense in getting out of my pajamas. Therefore, I never see less than 210 miles on a full battery and never drive when temps fall below freezing. Currently with summer temps and 40psi tires, a fully charge battery is carrying me 290 miles. :)
 
I tried starting a new thread but couldn't, so posting this here:

Back in February/March I was told by the dealer that I was sixth in line for my Bolt 1LT. Since then, GM has announced they're ending production this year (2023).
A week ago I called the dealer (in WA state) and asked for an status update. The manager spoke to me, told me I was "second in line" for my Bolt. I thought "Yay!" but then he admitted that "GM is operating under orders not to build any more base-model Bolts until all the EUV fully-loaded models are completed and sold."

I'm also wondering if going from sixth to second in line is because four orders ahead of me cancelled because GM announced they're ending production?? Should I hang in there, or cancel too? Go buy a VW ID.4 or a Kia?
 
Since both of the alternative EVs you mentioned are qute a bit more in price than a Bolt 1LT, why don't you just upgrade to the Bolt EUV and be done with it? I kind of wish I had taken a Bolt EUV instead of the Bolt 2LT since it has a little more room and virtuallly the same range as the Bolt 2LT. But we're very happy with it none the less.
First_Bolt said:
I tried starting a new thread but couldn't, so posting this here:

Back in February/March I was told by the dealer that I was sixth in line for my Bolt 1LT. Since then, GM has announced they're ending production this year (2023).
A week ago I called the dealer (in WA state) and asked for an status update. The manager spoke to me, told me I was "second in line" for my Bolt. I thought "Yay!" but then he admitted that "GM is operating under orders not to build any more base-model Bolts until all the EUV fully-loaded models are completed and sold."

I'm also wondering if going from sixth to second in line is because four orders ahead of me cancelled because GM announced they're ending production?? Should I hang in there, or cancel too? Go buy a VW ID.4 or a Kia?
Click to expand...
 
Not to pick nits ...but the battery pack GM used in the 2020-2023 Bolt is listed as 66kW. 65.6 ah gets rounded up not down. ;)
 
Ok, maybe. But when I got the battery recall applied to my 2017 Bolt, the paperwork they gave me said 65kWh. In the end, it doesn’t matter much to me. The car is what it is and it serves me well.


Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top