GM’s decision to halt production of the beloved Chevy Bolt left a poignant impact on countless hearts. This wasn’t just about losing one of the few options among affordable electric cars but also bidding farewell to the second-best-selling EV in the U.S.
The announcement struck some people, including some within GM (we guess), like a shortsighted move, giving the automaker a rethink. And a mere three months after the heartbreaking announcement, GM CEO Mary Barra has promised that a next-gen Bolt is coming to the market.
Why Did GM Announce an End to the Original Bolt EV and EUV?
GM explained in April that the original Bolt EV and EUV production was ending because it plans to retool Bolt’s Orion Assembly plant to support the production of three new EVs. The EVs, Silverado EV, Blazer EV, and Equinox EV, are set to use GM’s new Ultium platform and not the Bolt’s older BEV2 platform.
While that is a tenable excuse, there seems to be more to it. First, the Chevy Bolt looks like it needs some life. The design is so-so, and the interior is more or less pedestrian. On top of that, multiple cases of battery fires have been reported, suggesting that some models have flawed batteries that make the vehicles vulnerable. Due to the battery fire concerns, GM recalled many Chevy Bolts.
What we know about the New Bolt
Besides announcing the next-generation Bolt, GM has not revealed details. But we know that the new EV will sit on the Ultium platform like the Cadillac Lyriq and other new vehicles from GM. The new battery technology should significantly reduce Bolt’s risk of battery fire.
We have no information on the metal sheet and interior, but we expect some fresh air from a redesigned exterior and more features and tech in the cabin.
The Chevy Bolt, VW ID.4, and Nissan Leaf are some of the few options on the EV market that offer true affordability today. The 2023 Bolt EV starts at $25,500, while the more SUV-looking brother, the 2023 Bolt EUV, starts at $27,800. And both vehicles are eligible for up to 7,500 tax credit. We do not expect GM to go back on its affordability promise with the next-generation Bolt, as anything over $30,000 will likely make prospective buyers consider the Tesla Model 3.
GM promises the Bolt will be “back to market on an accelerated timeline.” We suspect that GM’s silence on an exact launch date is because of the ongoing issue with automation supply for battery module production.
Announcing the new Bolt, GM CEO Mary Barra said, “Our customers love today’s Bolt. It has been delivering record sales and some of the highest customer satisfaction and loyalty scores in the industry,” said Barra. “It’s also an important source of conquest sales for the company and for Chevrolet.”
“We will keep the momentum going by delivering a new Bolt…and we will execute it more quickly compared to an all-new program with significantly lower engineering expense and capital investment by updating the vehicle with Ultium and Ultifi technologies and by applying our ‘winning with simplicity’ discipline.”
We hope both the Bolt EV and EUV will make the return. But if GM must drop one, we expect the next-generation Bolt to have everything to make us overlook the demise.
