A few days ago, Chevrolet put out a press release about the new version of the Chevy Bolt. As press releases go, it was remarkably short. Here it is in its entirety:
The Chevrolet Bolt is back. Almost.
From its market introduction in 2017, the Chevrolet Bolt changed the game as the first long-range, mass-produced EV available to customers at a truly affordable price. Production ended in December 2023. But by popular demand, GM is bringing it back for the 2027 model year.
And it is better than ever.
More details will be revealed in a few months. For now, we can give you a quick preview of what’s to come. There will be updates to the front fascia and rear tail lamps, a NACS charging adapter port, and some other cool stuff that…we’ll show you later.
Hopscotching the automotive world for headlines, we came with a few details, but not many. InsideEVs reports that the new car will be much like the old car in appearance except for new headlight and taillight treatments. GM has previously said the Bolt 2.0 will be upgraded to use its latest suite of battery tech and software, similar to what it now deploys on cars like the Chevrolet Equinox EV, Blazer EV, and Cadillac Lyriq.
We do know that the next generation car will have an LFP battery pack, which should be a big factor in keeping the starting price down while making the car profitable. “While it won’t be a completely clean-sheet design, it will be a thoroughly modern EV with newer safety equipment,” InsideEVs says.
Chevrolet has not announced prices for the Bolt 2.0, but it will have be noticeably less money than the Equinox EV that lists for around $35,000. No doubt Chevrolet has a plan to deal with the discontinuance of the federal EV tax credit. While that is a setback for EV enthusiasts, such rebates have a way of keeping prices high, so once it disappears on September 30, 2025, we will see whether there will be any significant downward pressure on the price of new EVs.
“It’s going to be at a similar price point than the old one going out, which is very low,” GM President Mark Reuss told InsideEVs at the Detroit launch of the Silverado EV and Equinox EV last year. “We’re going to deliver it at a profitable point.”
GM Authority commented after seeing side by side photos of the old car and the new car that the latest version has a noticeable amount of extra bodywork — by about 6 inches — ahead of the front wheels. “While it may seem like a small design tweak, it could hint at broader changes under the skin,” it said.
“The 2027 Chevy Bolt EV is expected to ride on the GM BEV2 platform, which previously underpinned the now-discontinued Bolt EUV. In fact, spy shots suggest the overall proportions and silhouette remain quite similar between the different generations. And yet, the longer overhang suggests GM may be rethinking some elements of the front-end architecture
“”The new front overhang likely isn’t related to the battery pack or primary powertrain components, as those are typically integrated into the floor structure of BEV2 based vehicles. However, the extra forward length could serve several practical purposes. One possibility is more space for improved cooling systems, which may be necessary depending on the type of electric motor or thermal management system at work.
“”Another possible consideration is crash safety. Extending the front overhang could allow for improved crumple zones, absorbing more energy in the event of a frontal impact. This would help the Bolt meet more stringent crash-test standards and possibly improve insurance safety ratings.
“There’s also the possibility that the added space up front will accommodate the latest driver-assistance hardware. Modern systems like Enhanced Automatic Emergency Braking, Front Pedestrian Braking, and Cyclist Detection often rely on large sensor arrays, including radar modules and forward facing cameras that require physical space and specific mounting geometry.”
According to Ward’s Auto, the original Bolt was equipped with a 200 hp electric motor that had 266 lb.-ft. of torque (361 Nm). The 2027 Bolt is likely to use the same motor used in front wheel drive versions of the Equinox EV. That motor is rated at 213 hp and 236 lb.-ft of torque (320 Nm). While base models are likely to be FWD only, the Bolt 2.0 is expected to have a dual motor all wheel drive version available.
While Chevrolet has not released any technical specs for the new car — which is still about 8 months away from appearing in dealer showrooms — the motoring press is projecting a range of around 300 miles, which would be about 20 percent more than the original. In addition, the new car will come with a NACS charging port, which is raising hopes that charging speeds will be improved to between 125 and 150 kW — almost triple what the original was capable of. That will be a huge advantage for Bolt owners who want more than just a commuting car.
The Original Continues To Shine
My wife and I drive a 2017 Chevy Bolt with the upgraded battery in the summer. This is our third year with the car and it has been all over New England reliably and in complete comfort. We have put about 8000 miles on the car and it just keeps getting better and better. Recently we saw 307 miles on the guess-o-meter after a full charge and the car consistently gets about 4.5 miles per kWh, which is stellar performance by anyone’s standards.
90 percent of our charging takes place using a standard wall outlet, but we have noticed there are more and more charging opportunities in New England today than there were when we first bought the car. We have purchased an adapter to allow us to use Tesla Supercharger locations but have not tried one yet, as many of the Superchargers in our area are V1 equipment that is not compatible with our Bolt. We do have a 10 day road trip coming up later this month, so maybe we will get a chance to Supercharge then.
All in all it is a great little car — fast and comfortable, although it does tend to eat electrons at higher highway speeds, so we keep it between 65 and 70 mph and smile at the cement mixers and semis that pass us. EV drivers are less inclined to be the fastest cars on the road and we are comfortable taking our time, even if it adds 10 minutes to our trip.
If the Bolt 2.0 is a noticeable improvement over the original at an affordable price, it will be just what America needs to keep the EV revolution moving forward.
