Chevrolet Bolt EV Powertrain Dissected: Video

In college, I studied to become an engineer. However, my inability to pass calculus thanks to an abysmal math program in high school made becoming an engineer improbable. And when you’re paying your way through college, the cost of retaking math courses over and over again weighs on you. So, I hopped over to journalism and never looked back. But that hasn’t made me any less fascinated with machines—and electric vehicles and the Chevrolet Bolt EV are no different. The video above with Professor John Kelly of Weber State University goes deep into how the Chevrolet Bolt EV gets its power from the battery to the wheels. 

The video clocks in at nearly an hour long. Comprehensive is an understatement. Kelly and the pristine auto shop in the background do bring back memories from my days in various auto mechanics classes, and listening to him methodically deconstruct and explain how the drive unit operates is fascinating. He leaves no stone unturned while describing how the unit works. The drive unit, which is already out of Chevrolet Bolt EV, is on a table with every outside part clearly labeled. 

Before disassembling the unit, Kelly goes over every outside part and how it works in concert with the other components to make the unit operate as intended. He then begins disassembling the unit, explaining how the disassembly process works before describing how the part functions. 

Yes, the video is a bit dry at times, but the methodical explanations and surgical dissection of the drive unit is nothing short of mesmerizing. You don’t need an advanced degree in mechanical engineering to understand how the drive unit operates. Don’t get me wrong, there are moments of complexity, but a quick Google search will provide any answers you need. 

The Chevrolet Bolt EV is an engineering marvel. Battery technology is advanced enough today to make electric vehicles viable for today’s consumer. While EV sales still make up a fraction of total car sales in the U.S., automakers know the future of the automobile involves electrification. Watch the video above to get an introduction to how such powertrains operate.