After dropping hints earlier, at this time GM CEO Mary Barra introduced that Chevy can be re-release its fashionable Chevy Bolt after it will get an Ultium makeover. The Boltium! After proudly owning two Bolts from 2017 till at this time, together with different fashionable EVs from Tesla and others, I really feel like I’ve a good suggestion of what GM must succeed right here.
I need to say first that GM is beginning with a rare automotive within the Bolt that even at this time fills the wants of many EV patrons. The Bolt has been enhancing in gross sales, and this 12 months it’s doing higher than ever. However GM is legendary for killing its most liked EVs.
What is going to a brand new 2025 Bolt Ultium must need to make it profitable?
1. Quick NACS charging
The simplest and almost definitely improve to the present Bolt is within the quick charging space. In 2017, when most quick chargers had been at 50kW, the 54kW max charging price of the Bolt made some sense. It wasn’t future proof, nevertheless it made sense and can be a ok expertise.
Nevertheless, so much modified from 2017-2023 together with the quick charging charges on most EVs moving into the 200+kW with some vehicles hitting 300+kW; what didn’t change in 2023 was the Bolt’s 54kW quick charging pace.
I’m not saying the Bolt and its small automotive battery must cost at 200+kW, although it will be good. I believe having 150kW charging over half the charging cycle would enable 20-minute quick charging stops. This needs to be pretty simple with GM’s modular Ultium batteries, which at present cost as much as 350kW and past on the Hummer and Silverado.
Add to that the NACS interface, which GM has already promised on its 2025 EVs, permitting the Bolt to cost at not solely its present charger choices however including Tesla’s very sturdy and ubiquitous community. With this setup, you may just about kiss vary anxiousness goodbye. Extra importantly, it will enable metropolis dwellers and people with on avenue parking to make use of the Bolt charging extra like a gasoline station as soon as each week or so.
Additionally Bolt homeowners gained’t get ostracized at quick charging stations if they’re out and in in 20 minutes versus the present scenario the place they usually have to remain for over an hour.
2. RWD/AWD choice
For these of us that stay in snowy and hilly climates, the Bolt’s FWD is one thing that works for 350 days out of the 12 months. That’s superb for a 3rd automotive or when you earn a living from home, however being reliably capable of get out these snow days can be a pleasant addition.
I’m not saying I want one other 200hp motor (although that may be enjoyable!) however even a low energy 50 horsepower motor to energy the opposite set of wheels in an emergency scenario can be nice and price just a few thousand {dollars} for individuals who want it. GM really confirmed off a low energy motor to do that actual factor at its 2020 Battery Day occasion.
And since we discovered that the Blazer EV may be FWD, RWD or AWD, why not provide all of those choices for the Bolt? In the event that they aren’t going to make the 2x200hp model, I’d desire my stronger motor within the rear. Oh, and the way about mild towing for bikes and Dwelling Depot trailers?
3. Sizzling hatch proud, not one other CUV
From the start, GM stored insisting the Bolt was an SUV, first calling it a “Micro-SUV” at launch. As a result of everybody needs an SUV?! Then it launched the EUV model that really regarded much more like a typical bland SUV. That added three extra inches of leg room within the again, but by some means diminished the general inside area.
Effectively guess what? Not everybody needs an enormous honkin’ SUV! Even when they do, Chevy has each the Equinox and the Blazer to supply.
In actual fact, I believe GM may need been shocked again into actuality in any respect the hype and pleasure across the tiny 3.4 sec 0-60 Volvo EX30, which has remarkably comparable specs to the Chevy Bolt. I think about that actually helped get the Bolt off the chopping block with one thing like, “We may make this with virtually no effort.” In actual fact, Mary Barra has stated that the event time of the Ultium Bolt might be a lot shorter than regular.
I say embrace the new hatch kind issue that the Bolt has at all times embodied. Possibly decrease the stance a bit, make the roof flatter, the inside cleaner, and we’d have one thing attention-grabbing right here.
4. Enhance the great issues, don’t take away them
GM CEO Mary Barra stated that the present Bolt costs could possibly be improved by round 20% if it had been moved to Ultium platform and that ought to enable GM to make the automotive worthwhile with comparable specs.
I really preferred Chevy’s $1000 tie-in with Qmerit to put in a house charger. I, nonetheless, had a foul expertise with that $1000 credit score that appears to be the fault of the supplier and the communications protocol that GM arrange between the sellers and Qmerit. GM ought to circumvent the sellers and determine a strategy to make that work so much higher; that, and/or proceed to supply a $500 EVgo credit score which is a pleasant strategy to begin up the quick charging expertise.
GM lately introduced it plans to finish smartphone projection in its upcoming EVs. Initially my tinfoil hat got here on, and I believed this was a strategy to decelerate their EV adoption price. After some discussions with the oldsters at GM, they genuinely assume their general expertise might be higher in the event that they do away with Apple and Google smartphone projection. I’ll say that CarPlay and Android Auto are higher than what GM gives in its in-car leisure at present, so it ought to proceed to supply these choices till prospects not assume they’re obligatory.
Another if GM thinks it may out-software Google and Apple: Simply put an iPad holder within the heart stack show space, and get out of the best way.
5. Supplier enhancements
Chevy’s sellers, in my expertise, have gone from straight up EV hostile to complacent within the six years I’ve been coping with them, which is by some means an enormous enchancment! I believe Chevy may do loads of good right here following their cross city rivals at Ford:
Make an EV aspect of the enterprise. Devoted salespeople who solely work in EVs and specialists who know them inside and outside. Individuals who really drive EVs to work and know fundamental electrical stuff.
Make DC quick chargers necessary at Chevy dealerships. Subsidize them. Not solely would this assist present new homeowners how briskly they will cost first hand, it will additionally provide a strategy to get prospects again to the dealerships the place they will upsell every kind of pointless stuff (haha). Once more, Ford is doing this and can have one of many largest DC quick charging networks within the US due to it.
If GM/Chevy can handle these 5 issues, I can virtually assure that the already profitable Bolt will do even higher in Ultium kind.
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