New Chevy Bolt Hopes To Make EVs Affordable For Everyone

Chevy Bolt Is Aimed Squarely At Families

The Chevy Bolt electric vehicle will run over 200 miles on a single charge for $30,000. The Chevy Bolt is reportedly set to launch in 2017. This vehicle is the one that could introduce EVs to the mass market for the very first time. With Elon Musk gunning for a 2016 introduction of the affordable Model 3, the stars finally seem to be aligning for an electric car that everyday drivers can actually afford.

The production Bolt will be unveiled in January at International CES, the annual consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, rather than at a traditional auto show.

Chevy Bolt Caught On Film In Palm Springs

Production Model Bolt Caught Testing In Palm Springs

The production version of the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle, caught during a photo shoot near Palm Springs, Calif., closely resembles the 2016 Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid with its grille and side styling. There’s an element of BMW i3 here, too. Borrowing bits of the Impala, Malibu, and the 2016 Volt, the Bolt won’t be a particularly large car, but it could still attract a few families thanks to its utilitarian hatchback design.

GM And LG Partner On Battery Tech For Chevy Bolt

General Motors and LG revealed they’re working together on the development of the Chevy Bolt. LG is going to provide a number of components for the upcoming Bolt, including the onboard charger, battery cells and pack, battery heater and infotainment system. The two companies previously worked together on the Chevy Volt.

This is “the first time that GM integrated a full EV component supplier so early in vehicle development. In total, GM says that LG has invested over $250 million in facilities in Korea to support the partnership.

Chevy Bolt vs. Tesla Model 3

Chevy Bolt Interior

The Bolt will try to steal thunder from the Tesla Model 3 next year. For American automakers not named Tesla, the Bolt is a make-or-break electric car promising real-world range of over 200 miles for around $30,000.

An unintended consequence resulting from the competition between the Bolt and the Tesla Model 3 will be a substantial new strain on battery supply — something Tesla has developed Nevada’s Gigafactory in partnership with its own cell supplier, Panasonic, to avoid.

Comment on this article |