The Chevrolet Bolt is having its finest 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 can be on the menu.
GM officers confirmed to InsideEVs this week that the upcoming next-generation Bolt can 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’ll 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 right this moment.”
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That success is clearly pointing within the course of the crossover mannequin. Although GM does not escape 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 offered 49,494 examples of each fashions mixed, a staggering 125% enhance from the identical interval in 2022. By a particularly extensive 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 due to 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 vendor reductions, many Bolt fashions had been acquired within the $20,000 realm—not dangerous in any respect for an EV with a good 259- or 247-mile vary, relying on measurement.
On the identical time, the Bolt is getting outdated. The smaller one first debuted manner 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 rapidly 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 reasonably an up to date model of the present automobile with lower-cost LFP batteries, quicker charging, extra superior lively security options and different important upgrades. However the plan is to maintain the next-gen Bolt across the identical stage of pricing, which is nice information, as excessive EV prices are regularly seen as a significant barrier to wider adoption.
In any case, given the Bolt EUV’s success with crossover-crazy People, it is no surprise that GM would choose to go along with that physique model because the automobile’s sole Ultium-based successor. If the automaker can maintain true to that declare across the low price ticket, it would virtually actually have one other main hit on its palms.