General Motors (GM) announced this Sunday the 2022 model of its Chevrolet Bolt EV electric car and also reported on the new truck or SUV version called Bolt EUV (Electric Utility Vehicle).
The Chevrolet Bolt EUV and the Bolt EV are not as different as one would first imagine. The two GM vehicles share the same architecture, and the Bolt EUV is about only 16 centimeters longer and 5 millimeters taller.
The two electric cars have elongated and thinner headlights than the previous model and different curves that make them sportier than before.
Inside the cabin, the two Chevrolet Bolts feature new control panels, a 10.2-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system, and an 8-inch screen as the driver’s dashboard.
The infotainment system is compatible with Amazon Alexa and features Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Other features of the new Chevrolet Bolt EV and Bolt EUV include a charging range of 416 kilometers (259 miles) and 402 kilometers (250 miles), respectively.
Also, it has a motor that generates 200 horsepower (150 kilowatts) and a torque of 266 pound-feet.
Something to keep in mind is that although the Chevrolet Bolt EUV wants to position itself in the SUV market like the Tesla Model Y, the Chevrolet model does not have a four-wheel-drive version, a notorious disadvantage for something common in the segment.
Jesse Ortega, head of engineering for the two Bolts, said at a press conference on Friday before his official presentation that the Bolt EUV “has the proportions and style of an SUV”, while he does not consider that a vehicle “has to have traction. on all four wheels to be an SUV.
Either way, the Chevrolet Bolt EUV has a lot of competition because Tesla remains the clear leader of not only this class of vehicles but also of electric cars in general.
For example, it sold a total of 442,511 Model Y and Model 3s in 2020, while GM sold just 20,754 Bolts in the same period. Also, little by little the market is becoming more competitive and even Ford, GM’s main competitor, will begin to deliver the Mustang Mach-E at the end of this year, the company’s first electric vehicle that also wants to penetrate the SUV segment.
The Mustang Mach-E costs almost US $ 10,000 more than the bolt EUV at a starting price of US $ 42,895 but has already been awarded by different institutions.
GM seems to understand how difficult it is to stand out in this market, but it also includes a few extra things that add value to these new Chevrolet Bolts.
The first is that GM offers its “Super Cruise” system that allows the vehicle to “drive itself”, something that has never been offered in a Chevrolet before.
Also, GM says it will pay for the standard installation of equipment necessary to enable fast charging at the home of eligible customers who purchase one of these vehicles.
These are some good points, but Tesla for example has its “autopilot” and has a wider charging network. GM partnered with EVgo to add 2,700 more charging stations in the United States, but this won’t happen until 2025, and Teslas can also enjoy the stations EVgo offers.
Chevrolet Bolt Price and availability
The two new Chevrolet Bolt EUV 2022 and Bolt EV 2022 will go into production in the late spring of the United States and would be available in the summer.
GM has a disadvantage compared to most car manufacturers because buyers in the United States will not be able to obtain the tax credit of US $ 7,500 for the purchase of one of these electric cars. After all, they already meet the maximum number of sales to be able to grant this benefit. Tesla is the only other manufacturer in the United States that has also surpassed that number, and therefore its buyers can no longer obtain that same credit.
With that in mind, GM has decided to lower the price to better compete with all kinds of manufacturers. The new Chevrolet Bolt EUV has a starting price of US $ 33,995 and the Bolt EV of US $ 31,995, which is a reduction of more than the US $ 5,000 than the 2021 model.
These Chevrolet Bolts are not the only electric vehicles GM will have available this year, with the arrival of the Cadillac Lyric and Hammer EV expected later in the United States. Also, GM revealed that it wants to go completely back from combustion cars to electric cars by 2035.
