Chevy Bolt EV News

[Leaver]

I have a 2023 ordered and will take delivery in the new year so it qualifies for the tax credit. With the credit, the cost should be south of 20K. Can’t beat that.

[jonah-jorgenson]

Smart move on your part! Good delivery strategy as well. did you have to pay the dealer a market adjustment when you ordered?

[Leaver]

No “market adjustment” from the dealer I’m going with… just MSRP. However, I did contact about 6 or 7 different dealers and some did want to “up-charge” while others were fine with MSRP. So it’s worth shopping around.

[yvon-yuen]

If Aptera were available two months ago or now, I’d have bought Aptera with 600 mile battery pack. My premier Bolt euv out the door was $45K. The only advantage the Bolt has is that it can seat 4-5 people which Aptera only can do 2. 600 mile range and solar re-charge would be the ideal for me.

[jonah-jorgenson]

Yes, but new advantage for the Bolt. You can buy a 2023 Bolt EV LT1 for around 26K with the new pricing. Starting 1 Jan, the Bolt will qualify for a government incentive. That is five seats and 257mi range and the preferred form factor (Crossover/SUV) for the same price as an Aptera 250mi base. One more advantage, you can get that Bolt now.

[seth]

Is this a personal sales record, or are they actually outselling the competition?

Even if there is a bit of a premium I bet the range/lack of range anxiety will sway many people towards aptera (myself included).

[george-hughes]

What I read was they were planning to built 44,000 units this year but demand seemed to be higher and so they’re expanding production next year to 70,000 units of both Bolt models combined.

This comes as news as the model was literally shelved while GM went through a monster PR battle over the car burning down houses when parked in the garage.

The Bolt is a competent vehicle with over 200 miles of range that is quick (under 7 second 0-60) with five seats, a steel body and a 60~ kw battery that has a MSRP of $25,000.

It is not the best handling EV but all EVs benefit from low center of gravity and the Bolt, with its simplified suspension, unitbody and GM’s automation, is among the last of its car-based production systems. It literally benefits from GM’s parts bin for most elements outside its obviously simplified electric drive train (everything from suspension arms to door handles are from that bin.)

The only reason it wouldn’t sell is if they were still self-combusting – which as anyone with a petro-powered vehicle knows is a broad problem that was exploited by the fossil fuel industry to instill fear in buying electric. (That is why its problems were hyped.)

The real question was more whether the bad taste left in the mouths of early-adopters of earlier versions of the Bolt after being, in their minds, jerked around so much their eye-teeth are still jiggling, have successfully trashed the brand.

GM is also headed away from the car building business and may seek entry into the customer data industry and feels it important to get as many sales with this ‘now’ ancient EV platform figuring subsequent sales – especially services like On-Star – will make up for the slim margins on these vehicles. I.e. the MBAs are probably looking at the total ‘profit’ value of the unit over time in plotting their strategies.

[jonah-jorgenson]

The EPA range of the Bolts is 257 miles, roughly the same as the Aptera entrance vehicle.

I believe GM is not heading away from the vehicle business. This time next year they will have three Chevrolet EVs for sale, an electric pickup, a Cadillac SUV, and the Hummer EV. They are converting ICE manufacturing facilities to EV related production and will have a battery manufacturing plant as well. Such massive capital investment indicates a continuing commitment to vehicles and transition to electric vehicles.

None of the above is an indication of moving away from vehicle manufacturing.

• This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by  Jonah Jorgenson. Reason: update content

[george-hughes]

Sure, GM is going to continue to build vehicles but their pricing of those vehicles will be impacted by more than the profit earned or lost at the point of sale of the vehicle.

But the people in the executive offices are much more inventive than to consider the point of sale as the only point in the process of mobility as the majors plot how they’re going to profit in a world with self-driving cars that act like ubers. Who knows, they may eventually withdraw from consumer direct sales of vehicles opting into vehicles as a service and never sell a citizen a car again.

There is an old “Down East” joke about a fellow asking directions at a country store. After the old salt at the store rambles about heading east, then heading west, then heading north and a left and a right, nope, nope, you gotta head south and after rattling off a few more lefts and rights the salt suddenly stops talking and says, “You know, you can’t get there from here.”

I don’t know if that future will be all good, partly good, kind of meh, bad or horrid … but it will be radically different and will be decided by our ultimate balance of sustainability with exploitation – t he former being the logic and latter the driver and the question being the degree to which logic is sacrificed for greed.

[rayl]

I could easily get 300 miles on a charge from my 2017 Bolt. It is an excellent commuter car.

[Shawgrin]

It is embarrassing how much dealerships were charging for the Bolts just a few months ago. EV/EUV were mid to high $40’s (x1000) and they were still selling them. I stopped shopping for a Bolt just as they promised 2023 pricing.

[Greek]

I’m assuming as we get closer to the end of the year that there will be some type of credit GM will give to dealers for remaining 2022s. I went online to go through order process and it showed a bunch of dealers near me that have exact configuration that I am looking to order.

[Biker]

“The Chevrolet Bolt EV has not had smooth sailing, being affected by a battery problem that could result in a fire. GM and LG Chem fought for the blame for more than a year, while Bolt EV owners had to stop using their beloved EVs. Nevertheless, this year the problem was finally solved, and GM replaced Bolt’s batteries at LG Chem’s expense, but the Bolt EV remained unattractive.

GM then threw everything it got into the game to see what sticks, and, lo and behold, the Bolt finally turned into a success story. Of course, this was helped by a hefty discount, not to mention various incentives offered to Bolt customers, including a home charger and charging credit with third-party charging networks. At an MSRP of $25,600, the deal was sweet enough that Hertz wanted to buy many EVs from GM.

Nevertheless, the deal should become even sweeter from January 1, once Chevy Bolt will once again qualify for a tax credit. The Inflation Reduction Act forgoes the sales quota of the previous tax credits awarded to buyers of electric vehicles. Instead, it mandates that the car and the battery be assembled in the U.S. and the critical battery materials be sourced from the U.S. or a country that has signed a free-trade agreement with the U.S. If the car’s battery fits only one of these two criteria, it only qualifies for half the credit.

Initially, GM has announced that Chevy Bolt buyers will qualify for a $3,750 tax credit once the IRA starts to produce effects. Nevertheless, as the Treasury has delayed until March the rules around the battery sourcing requirements, EV owners will get the full credit until then. Thus, those buying a Chevrolet Bolt EV between January 1 and the day the new rules come into effect, “sometime in March”, will get $7,500 in tax credits.

This is not exclusive to the Bolt, but applies to all electric vehicles selling on the U.S. market. Nevertheless, Chevrolet’s EV is in a unique position thanks to its very low price. Add the tax credit to it, and you’re looking at an $18,100 entry price, the lowest among new vehicles sold in the U.S. The price could go down even more when factoring in various state and local incentives, although not for all buyers.

At this price, the Bolt EV is almost as cheap as a Tesla Powerwall, while having three times the capacity. Even if you never drive it and use it as a backup battery for your house, it’s still a great deal. Nevertheless, the Bolt EV is a good car now, and it has many interesting features, especially considering its price. But you’ve got to seize the moment because the window of opportunity closes in March.”

Chevrolet Bolt EV Will Be the Cheapest New Car in the U.S. for the Next Three Months – autoevolution

[jonah-jorgenson]

I live in a condo. An upstairs neighbor ordered a 2023 Bolt for delivery in 2023. with all of the incnetives, (Military discount, Cosco member) and now the change where Bolt will get a $7,500 tax credit until March, the dealer says he will pay just short of $18,000 before state tax for his base model. Hard to pass that up for 4-5 passenger EV with a 259 mile range. Good for families or anyone needing more than two passengers. The problem, four to five month waiting time.

He is buying from a Chevy dealer in Tampa FL who sells at MSRP with no deler fees, market adjustment fees, or prep fees if the car is ordered. (All are ordered as none stay on the lot)

TheBolt and the Eqinox (ESUV from Chevy in the 30K range before incentives) will be competition for Aptera starting in 2023 if Aptera ends up in production and distribution in 2023/2024

[harry-parker]

Are you able to charge EVs at your condo?

[jonah-jorgenson]

I can’t because I drive a Tesla. The condo association installed two charging points each with two cables in 2022 as a test. They are CCS1 so good for everthing except a Tesla. I pass by them occasionally. They seem to be relatevely unused. I think most in the Condo with EVs drive Teslas.

There are Tesla chargers on my commute to work I use.

[Leaver]

The new 2023 Bolt EV I ordered a few months ago should be delivered to me the first or second week in January. The deal should be nothing short of incredible with the 7500 rebate looking like a done deal now and an additional 1000 rebate from my local power company. After the rebates, my total price will be around 19K. I’m very happy with this deal. Fingers crossed that all of the battery issues have been ironed out.

[craig-merrow]

I’ve driven a couple of Bolts, and some friends just took delivery of theirs after a four month wait. It’s actually a pretty good car and hard to beat for the price. But I’m still holding out for an Aptera!

[Phil]

If I needed a new car now, the Bolt would be at the top of my list, but I have a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek that won’t be paid off until June 2024. Since I reserved my Aptera on Aug. 30, 2021, I’m around 11,000 to 12,000 in line, so I have no problem waiting.

[UnidentifiedDrivingObject]

I think the Bolt is a decent “econobox” priced EV. Though I never owned a GM product, I commend them for its competitive pricing. Hopefully, it improves more as the years go..

[jonah-jorgenson]

The IRS has released a list of EVs that are now eligible for the $7,500 Tax credit if delivered in 2023 before the March+ time frame when guidance on battery composition is published.

The Bolt EV is on the list and with the current MSRP and the tax credit can be had for about 19K. Must be “Put in service” after 01/91/1013 to qualify. A boon to both families with lower incomes and GM

https://www.irs.gov/credits-and-deductions-under-the-inflation-reduction-act-of-2022https://www.irs.gov/credits-and-deductions-under-the-inflation-reduction-act-of-2022

• This reply was modified 8 months, 3 weeks ago by  Jonah Jorgenson. Reason: corrected spelling
• This reply was modified 8 months, 3 weeks ago by  Gabriel Kemeny.

[paul-schultz]

Yes, I spent an afternoon doing a lot of shopping and found a 2023 Bolt EV 2LT “in transit” to a local dealer and put my name on it. It should arrive by the end of January. I was hoping to wait on my Aptera but my 2107 Chevy Volt blew a head gasket and I needed another commuter vehicle. I snagged another $500 for being an educator. And, I believe I may be able to get the $2000 off through Uber. I signed up as a driver. Haven’t done any deliveries or rides. But, others have posted that they simply had to show their active driver account on their phone. I am hoping for a total of $10K in cost reduction.

I still am looking forward to my Aptera but the timing required a new vehicle now. From what I have read it is a frenzy at the Chevy dealers with actual fights breaking out between customers. Glad I had the foresight to get this done in the last week of December!

[Biker]

GM CEO Mary Barra hinted at this news in June, but now it’s officially official: The Chevy Bolt is back. Well, it will be back, as the current generation is still going to end production this year. But a completely new generation will eventually replace it. The company hasn’t said exactly when it will be offered, but offer it the company will.

Barra summed up the reasoning pretty clearly with this statement: “Our customers love today’s Bolt. It has been delivering record sales and some of the highest customer satisfaction and loyalty scores in the industry. It’s also an important source of conquest sales for the company and for Chevrolet.”

More specifically, Chevy noted that 80% of Bolt buyers are planning on sticking with the brand, and 70% of Bolt buyers were trading in non-GM vehicles. The model is also having its best-ever sales this year. Through the first half of the year, 33,659 have been sold. That’s a massive improvement over last year, when Chevy only moved 7,303 in the same time frame. This also means that Bolt sold more than some other key nameplates in the Chevy lineup, individually beating Blazer, Colorado, Suburban and Trax so far this year.

Unsurprisingly, the next Bolt will be adopting Ultium-style battery tech like the Equinox EV, Blazer EV and Silverado EV, as well as connected car services. This will mean that GM won’t have to be building two different types of battery systems for its EVs, and will probably improve fast charging capability, among other benefits. We’re a little concerned about how quickly GM will be able to get cars out the door with the slow ramp-up and production of other Ultium cars, but even with the “accelerated timeline” Chevy is promising, the Bolt is still probably a year or two out from now.

Presumably, the Bolt will continue to be the entry point to the GM electric lineup, and will probably continue to be offered at a sub-$30,000 price tag like the current one. This will be an important value play as more affordable EVs continue to arrive such as the mid-$30,000 Volvo EX30 and the next-generation Nissan Leaf, whenever that happens to show up. We, and likely plenty of EV hopefuls, will be looking forward to the next Bolt.

Chevy Bolt gets a next generation: It’s official – Autoblog

[Shawgrin]

Unfortunately Americans do not want small, efficient vehicles as much as they want their large wasteful SUVs. The batteries in one EV Hummer can power 4 regular EVs and 5 Aptera. I could go on and on about how more pedestrians are killed because the SUV could not see them, or because of the weight of the SUV during a collision became a fatality when the smaller vehicle was crushed, but I won’t. Still the amount of energy just to get a SUV rolling got a smaller vehicle 20 to 40 miles travel. Steps off of soap box now…….

[jacob-bunce]

I briefly thought about getting a Bolt simply because they are so cheap, but the numbers don’t work. The efficiency approaches 300 watt hours per mile which is awful. I need to be relatively free of charging infrastructure to avoid those problems.

[john-malcom]

This year I replaced my 2019 Tesla Model 3 Long Range (About $43,000 with 310 mi range) with a Bolt EV that cost a little over $18,000 with all of the discounts and a range of 259 mi. I am surprisingly very pleased with it. I drive it like the Tesla and get a little over 270 miles when not using HVAC. Like the Tesla, it will carry five passengers. It is a great EV for younger people and families that may be on a budget. This level of EV is what is needed now to super charge adoption of EVs. I am sure to be followed by the Tesla Model 2 and others in the near future.

[jacob-bunce]

The main factor that prevents mass adoption is apartment dwellers. In other words, those who only have public charging infrastructure. Those are the real masses, not just home owners. Aptera is the only EV that can appeal to that demographic right now.

[john-malcom]

There are no gas stations in apartments/condos. Residents don’t have a hard time filling their cars because of the plethora of gas stations. As the EV charging infrastructure is built out, the same will be true for EV owners living in apartments/condos. As only one example, I have a grandson living in a condo. He drives a Tesla Model 3 and has no problem charging it when needed locally as if it was an ICE as do other EV owners in his complex that are not Tesla’s.

[Mike-Mars]

> Aptera is the only EV that can appeal to that demographic right now.

Yeah exactly so. Something like 50% of the population here does not have off-street parking, it’s a huge demographic.

[craig-merrow]

I’ve had the opportunity to test drive a couple of Bolts, and was very impressed with them. It will be interesting to see what the next generation is like with the Ultium (sp?) platform. I would definitely give one serious consideration, especially if they can offer all wheel drive.