The Chevrolet Bolt is having its greatest gross sales yr ever—proper in time for it to get canceled. However Normal Motors is responding to the immense recognition of the pair of compact electrical automobiles by releasing a closely up to date Bolt with extra superior {hardware} in 2025. And when it does, solely the bigger Bolt EUV will probably be on the menu.
GM officers confirmed to InsideEVs this week that the upcoming next-generation Bolt will probably be EUV-only, citing the overwhelming recognition of the crossover mannequin over the smaller Bolt EV. “We’re glad to see the keenness surrounding the upcoming Chevrolet Bolt. We are going to share particulars as we get nearer to its launch date,” a GM spokesperson added. “We’re excited, as the brand new Bolt will construct on the formulation that has made it the success it’s at the moment.”
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That success is clearly pointing within the path of the crossover mannequin. Although GM would not get away the gross sales figures between the Bolt EV and the Bolt EUV, it is typically believed the latter is outselling the previous about two-to-one.
Between January and September, Chevrolet bought 49,494 examples of each fashions mixed, a staggering 125% enhance from the identical interval in 2022. By an especially broad margin, the Bolt twins have been GM’s hottest EVs, particularly because it has often struggled to scale up manufacturing for next-generation EVs on the Ultium platform just like the Cadillac Lyriq, Hummer EV and Silverado EV.
However this yr, scores of consumers had been drawn to the Bolt EV and Bolt EUV because of its low price ticket being additional reduce by the brand new Inflation Discount Act’s electrical tax credit. Between federal and state tax credit, in addition to seller reductions, many Bolt fashions had been acquired within the $20,000 realm—not unhealthy in any respect for an EV with a good 259- or 247-mile vary, relying on dimension.
On the similar time, the Bolt is getting outdated. The smaller one first debuted method again in 2016 and was joined by the compact EUV crossover in 2022. It is just able to 55 kW DC quick charging, making it far much less fast so as to add vary than extra fashionable rivals. Furthermore, the Bolt’s older battery setup was mentioned to be lengthy unprofitable, resulting in its cancellation earlier this yr.
However GM shortly reversed that call, citing the automobile’s recognition, and mentioned the following Bolt would as a substitute use the Ultium batteries and structure underpinning different new EVs—thus permitting it to be scaled up profitably.
GM officers, together with CEO Mary Barra, have mentioned the following Bolt won’t be a clean-sheet redesign however quite an up to date model of the present automobile with lower-cost LFP batteries, sooner charging, extra superior lively security options and different important upgrades. However the plan is to maintain the next-gen Bolt across the similar stage of pricing, which is sweet information, as excessive EV prices are frequently seen as a serious barrier to wider adoption.
In any case, given the Bolt EUV’s success with crossover-crazy People, it is no surprise that GM would decide to go along with that physique fashion because the automobile’s sole Ultium-based successor. If the automaker can maintain true to that declare across the low price ticket, it’s going to virtually actually have one other main hit on its arms.