Very long time Electrek readers will know that I leased a Chevy Bolt EV from 2017 till the pandemic and actually cherished that electrical blue “Micro-SUV” EV; we’ve already taken a have a look at its youthful sibling, the EUV with Tremendous Cruise. However contemplating current occasions GM has cleaned up the battery “concern” and lowered the value by $6000, and launched 2023 mannequin yr – in addition to a tax rebate refresh alternative – I assumed it will be enjoyable to take one other have a look at the now sub-$30,000 Bolt EUV.
Again to the Bolt
I’ve been driving one model or one other of this automobile since means again at CES in January of 2016.. At the moment it was a prototype, and we had been among the many first to really get to drive it. We weren’t allowed on streets, only a large parking zone, nevertheless it was instantly apparent that there had been some nice engineering and packaging work executed right here.
Only for nostalgia, this was the 2015 Bolt prototype:
Chevy really constructed the Bolt EV and delivered the primary models on the finish of 2016. I received mine on the east coast in 2017 and fell in love with the very small kind issue “Micro Crossover.”
I cherished it a lot, I even wrote some blasphemy like “10 issues I like on my Chevy Bolt EV vs the Tesla Mannequin S.” When my 3-year lease was up, I attempted to purchase out the Bolt, however GM by some means needed to cost me greater than a brand new one so I handed. I additionally didn’t wish to undergo Chevy seller hell once more to get a brand new one.
So I wrote a retrospective and moved on, however after all, GM wasn’t but executed with the Bolt.
Quickly after GM wouldn’t promote me my Bolt, they started having Bolt battery fires and began buybacks and halted manufacturing. I dodged a bullet there.
Bolt EUV
The Bolt EUV was additionally unveiled in Feb 2021, and we took a primary drive of it. The EUV is six inches longer offering extra room inside, together with three extra inches of legroom within the again seat. It additionally makes the Bolt EUV look extra like a crossover SUV than the EV which extra intently resembles a hatchback. The drive practice stays the identical, so the larger EUV is barely slower and has a barely diminished vary.
- Chevy Bolt EV Vary – 259 miles on a full cost
- Chevy Bolt EUV Vary – 247 miles on a full cost
Maybe most significantly, GM noticed match to incorporate an non-obligatory Tremendous Cruise Autonomous driving on the EUV. It should be configured at buy and cameras/gear are built-in, nevertheless, so it could actually’t be added on later like Tesla’s Autopilot/FSD.
In any other case, the EUV is excellent for an affordable EV, that are few and much between as of late. The 0-60 in six seconds isn’t lightning quick, however it’s respectable. The seats of each Bolts improved dramatically in 2022, and I wasn’t among the many individuals who hated the early Bolt seats – the entire inside is only a lot nicer.
2023 Bolt EUV issues are lots of the identical from 2017
Sadly, the EUV nonetheless suffers from lots of the points I had with the Bolt again in 2017. Notably:
- DC quick charging velocity: 54kW permitting 100 miles in half-hour and 160 miles in an hour. In 2017, most DC quick charging was 50kW so this wasn’t an enormous downside. Right this moment, it’s.
- Entrance wheel drive, low resistance tires, wheels spin in rain/snow gravel fairly simply.
- No AWD choice. Placing even a 50hp electrical motor on the rear wheels and charging a number of thousand further for a quicker Bolt that might have the ability to deal with snow would have opened up a a lot larger marketplace for the Bolt. Chevy didn’t do that.
- Gear shifting buttons: In 2017, the Bolt had a gear shifter that didn’t present any tactile suggestions however appeared like a standard shifter. In 2022, with the Bolt EUV, Chevy modified the shifter to buttons. Drive and Reverse are pull buttons, whereas Park and Impartial are push buttons (see under) – I’m not in love with this resolution. The one good factor is that for us one pedal drivers, there’s a one pedal drive button that retains the drivers desire even after shutting down the automobile.
Wi-fi CarPlay/Android Auto is big step up
One of many larger enhancements to the Bolt is the CarPlay/Android Auto expertise. The ten.2-inch show shouldn’t be solely larger, nevertheless it feels brighter and issues like maps actually pop. The contact show can also be rather more correct.
The largest change, nevertheless, is that Carplay/Android Auto now works wirelessly, which means you possibly can simply go away your cellphone in your pocket or drop it down the cleverly designed wi-fi charging gap and see the charging standing on the show. In my testing, Wi-fi CarPlay labored virtually flawlessly on the Bolt EUV with a bit little bit of a lag time when switching songs.
The Bolt retains the power to vary songs and quantity behind the steering wheel, although it has modified the buttons considerably. When you get used to this, the ergonomics of the Bolt are improbable.
Bolt EUV vs. EV
There are some notable variations within the two automobiles together with the 6-inches of size and SuperCruise mentioned already.
Base Worth:
- Bolt EV: $25,600
- Bolt EUV: $27,200
Space for storing is remarkably comparable given the additional six inches of size. However surprisingly, as a result of it’s larger, the shorter EV really has extra cargo area on a volumetric foundation.
- Bolt EUV: 16.3 ft³, 56.9 ft³ with seat space
- Bolt EV: 16.6 ft³, 57 ft³ with seat space
Electrek’s Take
I can very extremely advocate the Chevy Bolt to anybody purchasing for an EV within the $30,000 or underneath value bracket. In truth, there’s not a lot else on the market to think about within the US market. The Nissan Leaf is analogous priced however decrease vary, Chadamo quick charging and slower. The Kia Niro/Hyundai Konas aren’t as zippy and are dearer (although they cost quicker). The remainder of your choices are used Teslas (which don’t age significantly properly) and different early EVs like Audi E-Trons or compliance automobiles.
The largest query you may need is EV or EUV, and I may need a stunning reply for you. I like to recommend the EV over the EUV UNLESS you want that three inches of additional rear room or Tremendous Cruise, which I really like (but in addition goes on a $25/month subscription after three years). The Bolt EV is extremely roomy for its footprint, and there may be really much less cargo area within the EUV.
The EV can also be $1600 lower than the EUV base value. What’s extra thrilling is that relying on if the the brand new regulation making its means by the US congress passes, it’d make the Bolt a sub $20,000 automobile. Plenty of satan will probably be within the particulars there, and it’s probably that GM will convey costs again up if it passes.
Nonetheless, you possibly can’t go improper with a Bolt EV buy proper now.
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