While it may seem like the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV is nearly a 2016 Chevrolet Volt on electrified steroids, both vehicles offer a solution for very different consumers. Chevrolet product manager, Shad Balch, recently spoke with the LA Times about both the Bolt and Volt, and how they accomplish seperate goals in the market.
There’s an obvious one: the 2017 Bolt EV uses no gasoline at all, while the 2016 Volt utilizes a petrol engine as a range extender. “The Volt is for someone who still needs a car with a gasoline engine that can make that long drive,” said Balch. The Bolt EV works for those who aren’t making long-distance drives, but that doesn’t discount the EV’s capabilities, since 80-percent of the charge can be had in a very short time recharge period.
“We’re at about the 100,000 mark for Volts sold and we are the number one best selling plug-in hybrid in the U.S.,” said Balch adding Chevrolet has had top customer satisfaction with the Volt.
As for the 2017 Bolt EV, its arch rival, the Tesla Model 3 was brought up. Still, Chevrolet and General Motors aren’t worried about Mr. Elon Musk and his sedan that is still years away from mass production.
“Every story about the Model 3 includes a mention of the Bolt EV and our target date is ahead of theirs,” said Balch noting pre-production Bolts have already been built. The 2017 Bolt EV will begin production late this year at the Orion assembly in Michigan.
Finally, for curious minds, Chevrolet won’t offer too much variety with the Bolt EV. Balch stated most of the major options such as connectivity and creature comforts will be loaded at base-spec models.
“There will be some options, but the base car will have most of our content and connectivity features, including active safety features,” he remarked. “That will all be standard from the lower trim level.”
Comments
IMHO, it would make sense if fully-electric Bolt will be cheaper than 2nd gen Volt. Then it may really move electrified vehicles towards mass market.
Bolt, being a full EV, may have larger battery, but, at the same time, it is supposed to have considerably simpler internals, because, in case of Volt, adding the range extending gas engine and all the corresponding hardware greatly complexifies the powertrain and the vehicle as a whole.
AFAIU, in gas-range-extended EV, e.g. Volt, one retains all the EV vehicle stuff and adds all the conventional gas vehicle stuff, except the conventional manual/auto/CVT gearbox, because in gas-range-extended EV the gas engine does not move the vehicle directly (thus not needing this conventional gearbox), but instead the gas engine just charges the battery.
The Chevy Volt’s new electric drive unit 5ET50 does allow for parallel power input from the range extending gas engine when driven at highway speeds and the battery is at a low charge. This same drive unit (motors, controller, gears, and differentail in one package) is being reused in the new 2016 Chevy Malibu Hybrid, and a RWD versions is ready for the 2017 Cadillac CT6 PHEV.
The battery is the main cost driver in the differential between the Volt and Bolt. GM has the ICE down to a science and the range extender in the Volt is much less “stressed” than a typical vehicle application. I suspect that adding an ICE (and associated components) is still much less expensive than adding 42 kWh of batteries.
The Bolt is great for people with a place to charge their cars . Cities with limited charging the appeal of the Bolt can be limited. Now if you have limitations or the need for longer trips more often the Volt fills that need which is more of the country than the other right now,
As for the 3 while they claim it is $35K by the time you option it up to where you will like it the price will be closer to $60K, Their pricing structure at Tesla is much like Benz where the base car is gutted and cheap but the options can run a price right up.
The Chevy maxed out will be just at $40K. The intent is to keep the price down and add the government kick back to this even cheaper.
I will expect GM to do a car similar to the 3 next but it will be priced more inline with the 3 too.
GM is just trying to establish the market now and meet the zero emissions requirements some areas have right now.
While Tesla is not making money now they will have to soon. GM on the other hand can go on selling EV product at cost for a good while as they have so many other products supporting them. That is one luxury any automaker selling all types of models will enjoy during this growth period.