Chevy Bolt poised for a comeback with updated battery tech

12 June 2023

Like a Phoenix from the ashes, the plucky Chevy Bolt is poised for a comeback in style. GM’s CEO Mary Barra was interviewed for NPR’s podcast recently, and Chevy Bolt was talked about in detail. There is no getting away from the fact that Bolt is the cheapest EV on the US market - it starts at $26,500 before any incentives are applied, and if only GM could make enough of it and fast enough, it could have been the most popular EV as well.

The issue though, is always the same - money. While the Bolt may be inexpensive to buy, GM wasn’t making any money on it because of its expensive second-generation batteries. Those batteries were the reason for a major recall in 2021 and subsequent production halt for nearly a year - 142,000 vehicles were affected.

Both versions of the Bolt - the standard and the slightly larger EUV - featured the same 65 kWh battery pack. It was good enough for an EPA rating of 247 miles for the larger model and 259 miles for the standard Bolt. Not a bad result for a sub-$30,000 electric car. But the technology used in both models dates back to 2016 - and 7 years in EV technology is a lot of time.

While everyone seemed to have expected the new Chevy Equinox EV to take over from Bolt, GM itself appears to have different plans. The Equinox is built on Ultium technology, which according to GM, offers a whopping 40% savings in battery manufacturing costs alone. The $30,000 electric SUV will hit the showrooms at the start of next year, but it won’t be the smallest EV from GM.

Mary Barra suggested that GM is looking at the possibility of Bolt using the Ultium battery tech, which would make it far cheaper to manufacture. That would mean a second lease of life and possibly even lower prices for the Bolt. The company realizes that over the years, Bolt built up a strong fan base and giving up on it seems like a bad idea.

Chevy Bolt production is coming to an end, and both models will be retired this year. The 161.4 inches hatchback is powered by a 150 kW (200 hp) electric motor sitting in the front. The 266 lb-ft of torque is enough to catapult it from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.5 seconds, making it a really fun vehicle to drive. The larger EUV version has the same powertrain and is only 0.5 seconds slower, but it compensates it with more room inside.

Via