The internet strikes again. Automakers do their best to keep things covered and under wraps until an official debut, but spy photographers have a job to do. And they’ve done one hell of a job today.
Spy photographers have captured the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV completely uncloaked, which you can see here.
The initial impressions form the GM Authority staff? It looks quite good. Designers seem to have taken key traits from the Bolt EV concept and trickled them into a production vehicle with a fluid shape. Chevrolet Volt influence is noticeable, and a certain Bavarian automaker seems to have had some influence, too (*cough i3, cough*).
More importantly, Chevrolet seems to have learned its customers do not want their EVs to lean towards an outlandish, futuristic styling motif. Therefore, we have to say the 2017 Bolt design will most likely go over well, unlike the split opinions over the first-generation Volt’s design.
The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV will debut at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this January before making its auto show circuit debut, likely at the 2016 North American International Auto Show.
Comments
It will be nice looking Opel, when it arrives.
It kind of already looks like the Astra. Or is it just me?
With the Chevy Volt, Bolt & Spark EV along with the Cadillac ELR the General will be a serious contender in the Electric biz.
With the ELR in it’s last and final hurrah after being held back – not having a 2015 model year…And a
hurriedly-slightly improved version with $23,000 sliced off it’s MSRP now coming to Cadillac showroom
floors – we should not jump the gun and say GM is a “major player” in anything electrified. GM has already
tamped down enthusiasm by EV fans by saying the Bolt will dribble off the same assembly line as the
Sonic at around 30,000 units/yr. Compare this to a Camry or Accord, expected by their makers to sell well
over 180,000 units/yr. and you know the Bolt, like the Volt – is expensive to build ( batteries are EXPENNNSIVE! ) and the profit margins on these cars is minimal at best. Without the $7500 tax refund – these cars would
be an even smaller niche in an already very small niche. In fact, we remember just before the 2nd gen Volt was revealed, GM execs blatantly notified the auto press that Volt is a “halo” vehicle for a niche audience. They likened it to Corvette ( so we say Volt and Bolt are “green halos” for the brand ), and went on to say they only sold well on the coasts – esp. ( CA ) where state consumer incentives also exist along with HOV lane access stickers for zero or very low emissions vehicles.
You can’t become a major player building compliance cars – and selling them in 3, 7 or 11 ZEV Credit states. Naturally, GM throttled back the retail introduction of 2016 Volt v.2 to those few states and decided to label the Volt that will eventually roll out to all 50 states – a 2017. This, in part is about the low margins, part about C.A.R.B. Compliant, ZEV Credits that profit the General, and part about keeping under the 200,000 federal limit on cars by each automaker eligible for the $7500 low-emissions consumer tax credit. GM has sold over 90,000 Volts and SparkEVs so far – so they have to slow down sales of v.2 Volt so Bolt buyers in 2017 will be able to factor the full $7500 into their 200-Mile BEV Bolt purchases.
It’s all very complicated – yet simple. GM, Ford, FCA and all others just make far too much money selling complex, greasy gas cars with lots of parts that need service and replacement. EVs are a whole different ballgame, and GM will wait and see if Tesla ups the game with it’s mass-produced Model III that will surely face many delays and may not be on sale until 2018-19. This gives GM time to figure things out.
One bright spot is Malibu Hybrid and CT-6 Plug-In Hybrid. These new models about to hit showrooms use Voltec parts right out of the Volt’s bin. This is how Toyota spreads the love around with Hybrid Synergy Drive, and drives the costs down for their more expensive electrified products with bigger batteries and more expensive power electronics. I’m hoping GM keeps up the hybrid game and makes a Cruze Hybrid, an Equinox Hybrid and a Colorado Hybrid. This will spread costs and make the possibility of GM truly getting serious about fully electric cars like Bolt – and building them in numbers that actually make sense compared to the 1,000,000s of gas cars they pump out each year.
“GM has already tamped down enthusiasm by EV fans by saying the Bolt will dribble off the same assembly line as the Sonic at around 30,000 units/yr. Compare this to a Camry or Accord, expected by their makers to sell well over 180,000 units/yr. and you know the Bolt, like the Volt – is expensive to build.”
This is just buckets of WTF.
Bucket 1 — how does an EV enthusiast get ‘tamped down’ by a Bolt being available? You’re inferring they’re not making enough — but based upon what numbers.
Bucket 2 — why oh WHY would I compare the number of popular non-electric cars to newbie electric cars? Shouldn’t the Bolt production numbers (30,000) be compared to a like car? Like the Nissan Leaf? Which sold in 2014… wait for it… 30,000 cars. :eyeroll:
Bucket 3 — the number of anything anyone builds doesn’t indicate the cost of said item. It indicates the amount they believe they can sell of said item without getting years ahead on inventory.
James not sure how many Bolts you want GM to crank out each year as the demand is most likely not going to be very high.
Looks nice, I see 2016 cruze and volt with new design language. Even a little Honda fit & BMW i3 , but still looks like a chevy. Id look into possibly getting one.
I like it. I own a 2012 Prius c and I can see this as a good upgrade if I can get things I want like a sunroof. Which you can’t get in a Volt. But I think it will arrive too late by the time I’m ready for a new car which is hopefully next spring.
over design
Can you say better than the concept? I actually like the look of it now, the roofline in the concept was way too high, making it look rather goofy.. It reminds me of the first gen Volt in the back with that color.. All in all its good and glad to see GM on the for front of the top automakers leading the industry
I preferred the concept’s styling.