The Bolt is back from the grave. An uncool but unpretentious car that is the antithesis of the Tesla chic.
GM announced the Bolt in 2016. It was not a Model 3. It did not have hordes of devout acolytes — who sometimes mistake Tesla for a religion — cheering its release. But it was practical. It was comparatively cheap with long range (certainly cheaper than the actual price of a Model 3 at the time).
Ultimately, it tested* GM’s mettle, however. A recall and battery replacement on all 2017-2022 Bolts put the company briefly through an existential crisis. Despite this, it turned into GM’s best-selling EV (surpassing the Volt) and may log record sales this year.
The Bolt uncanceled, reborn
GM canceled the Bolt then uncanceled it. I think executives finally got the message to stop killing great cars.
Why? Here’s likely a big reason. “Eighty percent of Bolt owners are staying loyal to Chevy and nearly 70 percent of buyers who are trading in a vehicle for Bolt are trading in a non-GM product,” GM said this week.
But what is music to consumers’ ears is that General Motors is promising to maintain the tradition of the everyman’s EV.
The car will continue to deliver “great affordability, range, and technology,” GM said in its announcement this week.
Affordable: Chances are that the new (2024 or 2025) base trim Bolt comes in at a price at or below the cheapest Equinox EV, which starts at about $30K. And if you can’t wait… right now in California (where I live) you can get a 2023 Bolt EV 1LT for as little as $17,500** (approx.).
Ultium: the next Bolt will get GM’s new Ultium battery technology. Ultium offers better reliability, horsepower, and range — up to 300 miles. So, you can bet the next Bolt will offer decent range and faster charging speeds at a very competitive price.
Ultifi: the Ultifi software platform allows software updates over the air. Something, of course, Tesla has offered for years. So, GM is catching up here. As Tesla owners know, software updates are critical because they can add features, improve performance, and boost battery range.
When? GM will bring the Bolt back “on an accelerated timeline,” GM said in its announcement. No further details were given. Until then, you still have the 2023 Bolt, which, even in its present form, is a good EV.
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NOTES:
*And customer patience. But even that worked in my favor as I eventually got my money back from GM on my 2018 Bolt and got another Bolt with a new battery and longer range.
**That’s the $27,500 MSRP. Then subtract the $7,500 federal tax credit and the $2,500 standard California state rebate. And even less for people with incomes that qualify for a bigger state rebate and local rebates, which can bring the price well below $15,000.
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