The Chevrolet Bolt EV first arrived for the 2017 model year, with additional range added for the 2020 model year. As GM’s only all-electric vehicle offering, the Bolt has a number of rivals to contend with, including the Nissan Leaf, Tesla Model 3, Kia Niro EV and Hyundai Kona Electric. With that in mind, the upcoming 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV will need to bring its A-game, which is exactly what’s previewed in the following photos.
For reference, the 2021 model year introduces a new model year enhancement (MCE) for the nameplate, also known popularly as a model refresh or facelift. Outside, the new Chevrolet Bolt EV will feature new styling, starting with the two-tiered lighting scheme that seems to be more and more commonplace in Chevy’s latest design language.
We’ve seen this two-tiered lighting scheme before, most notably with the new Chevrolet Blazer and Chevrolet Trailblazer, both of which feature thin upper lights and rounded lower lights. Meanwhile, the current Chevrolet Bolt EV has a different sort of two-tiered lighting setup, with prominent upper headlamps and smaller corner lamps lower in the fascia.
To note, the 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV will offer styling that differs from the Chevrolet Bolt EUV, the brand’s up-and-coming all-electric compact “utility” vehicle, which will help to differentiate the two models beyond the obvious size, proportions, and segment differences.
The new Bolt EV tail lamp housings will also get a reshape. Beyond the lighting changes, it looks as though the entirety of the front and rear fascias will get several significant changes, offering a dramatic styling update for the 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV.
We also got an enticing look at the 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV interior, which, as we covered previously, is due for some rather substantial changes with this latest facelift. The new interior should include new seats, as well as a new design too.
Finally, with regard to the powertrain, the 2021 Bolt EV will likely receive a decent bump in range-per-charge, adding on top of the model’s previous 21-mile increase applied for the 2020 model year. The Bolt currently offers an EPA-rated 259 miles between plugs.
Look for the refreshed Bolt EV to arrive sometime in the fall of the 2020 calendar year.
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Comments
The Chevrolet Bolt is a cute car; but one would have wished that Chevrolet engineers would offered the Bolt as a small sedan like the Tesla 3 also.
@omegatalon
The main issue not just with the Bolt is that Tesla keeps making Battery Packs cheaper and cheaper. They keep lowing the price of their cars every four to six months as the Battery cost drops for them. You can now get a Base Model 3 for under $39,000 Dollars. Not even including the real Base that has to be special ordered for $35,000. Which even that one comes standard with the HUGE infotainment screen.
For comparison sake, the Chevy Bolt starts at $36,620. Why on this Gods Green Earth would anyone interested in an EV purchase the Bolt over a Model 3? It is much smaller, less practical, less Range, slower, and lets be honest much uglier in most peoples minds. Or any current EV around that price point to be honest.
Tesla never rests and keeps pushing harder and harder to bring the price down and the innovation way up. Nobody can come close to their Price point or efficiency. It isn’t even a competition.
GM and other Legacy Auto Makers cannot compete. They never really took the EV Technology and especially Tesla seriously from the Get Go and are now losing market shares to Tesla at an alarming rate. Specifically the So Called Luxury Players.
Model 3 has been outselling the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Mercedes C Class, and Lexus IS combined. It has been on sale for one Quarter in the UK and is the third highest selling vehicle in that time. Only the Fiest and Golf beat it.
I am not sure how GM or any other Legacy Auto Maker will be able to compete. Think of it this way, Tesla has at least a 5 year lead on any other company. At the very least. So the only two ways GM or anyone else will be able to catch up is this….Tesla rests on their laurels for some stupid reason. Or Battery Tech hits a Wall and cannot be improved any more. Besides one of these two things happening soon, everyone else will be fighting for second place. Like I have been saying here for a while, Tesla has secured the Apple spot, who will get the Google spot?
I just pray that second place will go to GM and NOT the VW Group.
At this point, VW Group will easily be second place with their MEB platform. The MEB platform can easily be used across multiple brands more easily than GM.
@Tyler Sannders
I agree with you. GM started earlier than VW but is somehow way behind. Makes Zero sense.
To me it looks like GM was just talking about EV’s and VW just put their heads down and went to work and will now most likely own that coveted second spot. Lets not forget VW owns their very own Super Charging infrastructure in Europe and America. GM has no plans for any Super Chargers they would own. Ask any Tesla driver how amazing it is to have so many Super Chargers you can utilize.
Makes me extremely upset/sad that GM is that far behind VW.
GM really dropped the Ball in my opinion.
As of right now VW has just about zero EV’s in the US. By the time the VW Cross is available in the US GM will have the second Gen Bolt and the Bolt EUV available. How exactly do you see VW ahead in the US? And GM can use the same chargers VW helped build. VW doesn’t own Electrify America. It was created as part of the dieselgate scandal.
@theflew
Second Generation Bolt? This article is about an MCE in 2021 for the current Bolt. What are you talking about?
The id.4 is almost ready. They said it will be on sale no later than Fall 2020. Meaning about 10-12 months away.
VW Group also has the Audi Q4 EV CUV coming around the same time. Shortly after that the Audi e-Tron Four Door GT.
And already on sale is the Audi e-Tron CUV and the Porsche Tayacan that just started Production.
But yeah, GM is ahead of VW.
You’re ignoring the fact you would never pay MSRP for the Bolt, but would always pay MSRP for the Model 3. The Bolt is easily $10k cheaper than the Model 3. A fully loaded Bolt is cheaper than the base Model 3.
Reportedly, 80% of EV “buyers” lease them, making the sales price a somewhat moot point; a Bolt EV lease will most likely always be a better value than a Model 3 lease
I bought and love my Chevrolet Bolt.
And does 80% people lease Tesla?
@theflew
I am not missing anything. Nobody shopping for a car online thinks about haggling with the Dealership. They do that once they make the decision to go check the vehicle out. However the point you are missing is the following, when you compare the two online, the Model 3 Blows away the Bolt when you take base price into consideration. GM completely overpriced the Bolt hence why they are Basically begging people to purchase them right now. You can get a 2019 starting at $29,000. Manufacturers do not drop their pants on vehicles if they are HOT in the market or competitive LOL
“For comparison sake, the Chevy Bolt starts at $36,620. Why on this Gods Green Earth would anyone interested in an EV purchase the Bolt over a Model 3? It is much smaller, less practical, less Range, slower”
Base Model 3 has 230 miles of range. Bolt has more range. New upgraded Bolt has even more range at 259.
Bolt interior space is similar to the Model 3. yes. Model 3 drives way better though. But Bolt can be bought way cheaper than MSRP.
So, Bolt is at least $5K to $10K less right now. Only suckers pay MSRP.
Sedans….yeah, thats whats hot right now, thats the ticket.
@Mr.R
You are making my point. Tesla Model 3 is a Sedan that is allegedly a dead Segment yet they cannot make them fast enough. Just imagine when the Model Y CUV goes on sale. That will basically destroy the segment leaders. Just as the Model 3 is killing the C Class, 3 Series, Giulia, IS, and A4 combined, so will the Model Y against the GLC, XT5, Q5, Stelvio, and X3.
Just imagine when the Shanghai Gigafactory opens up in China and frees up the Fremont Factory to strickly make cars for North America and Europe.
You are incorrect. You can get a Tesla Model 3 almost immediately. There is no backlog at all. I think the front end of the Model 3 is ugly.
@Bruce
My uncle and my friend just ordered one each last Monday. They have to wait for it to be built in Fremont. I am not wrong. Tesla cannot make these fast enough. Once in a while you might get lucky and someone cancels an order and if they can align a local potential buyer with the same configuration you get lucky. They will move you up instead of paying additional Logistics costs to ship somewhere else.
Also, if you do not pickup your car in a timely manner, they will simply pass you up and then you have to wait again. So yeah I don’t think they have an issue with Demand.
If Tesla sales are really that good right now, they wouldn’t have increased the free charging to 2,000 miles and throw in two FREE option upgrades for all the inventory cars.
Tesla build cars by batches, and then they match it to your order. At the end of the quarter, those brand new cars that aren’t matched to orders become inventory cars. The fact that they are rushing to get inventory cars out just shows that they have more supply than demand in the US at least.
The wait time for US orders haven’t increased past 2 weeks so far. That is a sign showing demand “flatten out”.
Bolt is still to fail. I can see the interior they have a big screen now but its not enough .
Reasons
1) look at rear, its still same cheap car suspension , not a multi-link rear suspension.
2) Still a front wheel drive ( not a skateboard with RWD and AWD options )
No WOW factors ( if some one spends 40k on a tiny car it needs to have enought WOW factor other than electric drive and battery ). Look around , none is selling than Tesla ( tesla sells for a 20 k more but people buy with pride, that pride factor is fully missing with the Bolt. its a cheap looking EV for fleets just for check boxes to be filled )
Bolt is not going to create image or sales for Chevy . They need to push the envelope way more.
Just to add, 3 of my friends got model3. believe me or not, the next car i look or lot of our friends think is model 3 or model y once its out. I think the GM management needs to buy one, experience with open mind and make sure GM engineers and designers also do same so they can create a better one than it. Not a checkbox job. One great example is how supercharging network come in the picture of range anxiety. Its really something to learn as part of history.
Tesla’s sale because it’s a Tesla and they have a following. You have to look at the long game. The Bolt was never meant to sell 200k’s vehicles. But Tesla making a sedan was a mistake given every automakers sedan sales are falling. Notice how Tesla has to keep expanding into new markets to maintain sales.
@theflew
I completely disagree with you. Tesla is far superior in the EV world and that is the reason they are selling so many vehicles.
Once the Shanghai factory goes live in a couple of months, Tesla might be selling 500K to a Million vehicles there annually. Just in China alone.
The reason they do not sell that many in China now is due to Factory constraints. They do not have the room in Fremont. They can only make so many vehicles that have to be dispersed to the USA, Europe, and China.
Lets also not forget they will have a Gigafactory in Europe lets say in what Three years max. Tesla is destroying the Legacy Auto Makers in the EV Wars. Nobody can compete. It really is that simple.
Once you drive a Tesla you will understand.
I just pray GM hurries up and actually starts competing with real EV’s. The Bolt while a nice attempt is simply not good enough.
Side note, I love Vettes, Ferraris and the like just like anyone else here, but Fortunately or unfortunately depending on each persons view, the future is EV’s and as a GM fan I want them to be better than everyone. I just do not think GM or anyone else for that matter will be able to leapfrog Tesla. But hopefully they can.
Is the Tesla superior to the Bolt? Yup.
Is a Lexus RX350 superior to a Ford Escape? Yup.
Two different vehicles, different price points. Tesla owners are really coming off kinda snobby and pretentious here.
Do you honestly think in China’s declining auto sales market Tesla is going to sell 500k $35k vehicles? You need to take a look at the average new car price in China. It’s not like the US.
@theflew
Yes I do think that Tesla can sell 500K vehicles in China. 500K sales in China is not that many in the Grand Scheme of things. Remember Tesla will build locally so the local price will come down. People in china are waiting for that Factory to open up and start production. When Tesla opened up Pre-Orders on their site so many people in China kept logging in that it kept crashing their site. Tesla will soon become a Million vehicle per year seller probably within two years. The demand for great EV’s is there. Unfortunately GM gave us the Bolt which is a nice enough car but not when you compare it with better options. It is GM’s fault that they do not have other EV’s on the market yet. It is borderline unacceptable that lets say Cadillac or Buick doesn’t have an EV in America to help offset some costs.
The Bolt is an economy EV. The Model 3 is a “luxury” compact sedan EV. They are completely different classes.
The MSRP of the Bolt is not the selling price. A Tesla M3 sells for $38k+ tax, take it or leave it, no negotiation. The Bolt goes for $25k+ tax. Sometimes $25k OTD for the base models.
It’s like complaining that a Corolla doesn’t have the same suspension and features as a Mercedes. For a thermally managed 200+ mile range EV the Bolt is an AMAZING value that Tesla can’t touch. Also used 2017 models are now under $20k.
The Bolt is the EV for us non rich people. Congrats on your Tesla M3.
@aajoe
The Bolt starts at $36,620 Dollars. Not sure where you see $25,000 on their Website.
Are you talking about the massive rebates right now because GM cannot sell the Bolt because everyone out there knows they can simply purchase a Tesla Model 3 for basically the same money?
Even with the insane $7,900 Rebates that GM is begging you to utilize, the Bolt still starts at $29,000. And that is ONLY for the remaining 2019 Models. So the 2020 Model will once again start at $36,620 Dollars unless GM raises the price for 2020.
So again, why would anyone (besides the ones that get the Rebates for Model End) decide to purchase a Bolt over a Model 3?
The Bolt should seriously be starting at $25,000 if GM ever wants to sell these in any type of real volume. You are correct, the Bolt should have been the EV for the masses. Tesla has constantly dropped their pricing as they have gotten Battery pricing down. GM has not done that at all. That is the reason why Bolt doesn’t compete with Model 3. Has nothing to do with being Rich or Poor. The only way the Bolt makes any sense (while the Model 3 is available) is when you can get crazy end of model year rebates. Other than that, they are basically the same price.
A fully loaded (non AWD since Bolt doesn’t even offer as option) is $44,000 (2019 Model)
A fully loaded (non AWD) Tesla Model 3 is $49,500 including Future Proofing the vehicle with Fully Autonomous Driving for $6,000. If you do NOT spend the $6K for FSD, the Tesla Non AWD Fully loaded is cheaper than the Bolt at $43,500.
I clicked on the bigger wheels the more expensive interior. I clicked on everything offered. So you tell me, whats the bargain vehicle again?
Do you and everyone else now see why Model 3’s cannot be built fast enough?
Model 3 does zero to sixty in 5.3 seconds. (Bolt 6.5)
M3 offers multiple Performance models which can take 0-60 in 4.4 or 3.2 (Bolt has no options)
M3 has Full LED’s everywhere including Fog lights (Bolt has HID)
M3 has Autopilot Standard which is different than Full Self Driving (Super Cruise is NOT in the Bolt)
M3 charges much, much faster than the Bolt. It isn’t even a competition.
M3 has a Supercharging Network around the World. (What does Bolt offer)
M3 has more interior room/volume
M3 is a much bigger car
M3 is the safest car ever tested.
M3 can be Future Proofed for Full Self Driving …6K for one day to have a Fully Autonomous Vehicle
M3 has Heated seats on all five seats
M3 has Over The Air updating (car just keeps getting better and better every few months)
M3 has a huge 15 inch screen. (Bolt is at 10 which isn’t bad)
M3 has a Frunk. (Bolt utilizes Front for Drivetrain, zero room)
M3 has much more storage room in the console
M3 has Sentry Mode which constantly records from all cameras that can be used in court to assist you.
M3 has video games
M3 has waaaaaaaaay better and more comfortable front and rear seats
M3 is soft touch upper Dash. (Bolt has the cheapest plastics known in the Auto Industry)
M3 has True Surround Sound Theater Speakers
I am sure I am forgetting more things but I think you get the point as to why the Tesla Model 3 is flying out of Tesla Stores around the World while GM is basically begging anyone out there that will listen to grab their Rebates and take delivery of the Bolt.
So again, which vehicle is the Bargain one?
You don’t seem to understand that no one is paying MSRP on the Bolt. The actual cost people are paying is around $25k brand new, and used prices (check any used car website) are below $20k with fairly low miles.
You typed a lot of information about all your fantastic features, and I’m so happy that you are enjoying your M3! It’s a great vehicle. However, some of your points were incorrect (like interior room) and pretty much everything else, honestly, I personally don’t care about….my last car didn’t even have bluetooth, I don’t give a toot about video games on a 15 inch screen.
Don’t forget not everyone has as much money as you do.
@aaJoe
I never said I own a Tesla Model 3
I was hopeful as a GM fan that something besides the Bolt would be on offer for me before my lease is up. I will be getting a M3 and it is totally GM’s fault they are losing a lifelong GM buyer. I am not that old but all four of my cars in my young Driving career have been a GM except the hand me down Toyota I started to drive with. An older ’89 Toyota Land Cruiser. Which was cool actually. Wish I had kept it. Those things go for some serious cash now.
I like to lease as I am a Tech loving person. I so wanted to like the Bolt enough to pass on a Model 3 but it simply makes zero sense. GM is way, way, way behind in the EV game. It is unfortunate but they waited too long to take Tesla serious and are now falling deeply behind. Hopefully when my lease is up in a couple of months and I get an M3 Tesla after those three years GM will have a Cadillac that will Spank a Tesla. Am I hopeful though? No I am not. But fingers crossed.
You sound like a Tesla fan boy though.
The Bolt is a subcompact with the interior volume of a compact…The Model 3 is midsize…
The Model 3 is closer to the size of the compact than mid-size competition. It’s 5 inches longer than a Chevrolet Volt, 3 inches longer than a Toyota Corolla, and 7 inches shorter than a Toyota Camry, a mid-size sedan.
It is not the latest design language and it is NOT going to sell. GM is trying to design it according to what a wide range of competitors think is a successful design. GM is not paying attention to what the people want, or what the people need.
The Cadillac EV’s will compete against Tesla, Chevy is a mainstream brand, and the Bolt was intended to compete against the Leaf and Kona EV. The Bolt was never intended for an Affluent Buyer. Over time, cost will come down for future generation Bolt’s, it will be around $25-30 K, and at that price, it’s great value against the Prius, Kona EV, or Leaf.
@unni
Totally agree with you. In order to really succeed in the Future which will be EV, you need a RWD based Modular Skateboard that you can add AWD.
If reports are true, GM is for some stupid reason working on FWD and RWD EV platforms. Makes zero sense. Will bring up costs unnecessarily unlike VW which will utilize one RWD/AWD Modular Skateboard.
This is making me extremely nervous as I fear VW will leapfrog GM and completely grab that second place I call the Google Spot in the Automotive World.
Bolt should be in the low to mid 20’s by now.
@91fairladyz
I 100% agree with you. It should start at like $25,000
I agree, the Bolt doesn’t cut it. I look at it like a battery powered Sonic. Nothing wrong with that but it’s just a cheap little car and really not in line with anything from Chevrolet’s rich history. If heritage nameplates like the Impala and Malibu are going away, the Bolt can’t be the only daily driver ‘car’ to carry the torch forward. Personally I’d love to see a Chevelle Electric, even using a Malibu trim line like it all was originally. That particular car worked as a coupe, as a sedan, as a truck and as a hot rod. It really covered a lot of ground. And people would pay good money for it if done right. They’d have to nail the exterior design though. It’s not a nameplate they could afford to screw up. Put the Avista team on it and people wouldn’t even care about a Tesla.
It’s kind of a shame they didn’t try to differentiate it from the EUV by making it a couple inches shorter. It’s too real for a hatchback because GM tried to make it somewhere between a hatchback and aCUV. Now that they have a CUV mode, they should make the original model a pure hatch, not a compromise.
The peiple with the thumbs down think that Chevy should sell one electric CUV called the EUV and another more-or-less CUV hatchback called the Bolt?
If you want the EUV, buy it when it becomes available. Why should Chevy’s other BEV also target almost the same niche? When the EUV exists, why wouldn’t you want Chevy to differentiate the Bolt from it?
Nice to see an update. The 21 mile range increase is cool and hopefully more next year! No it doesn’t compete with a Tesla. That will be Cadillacs offering and that is coming though likely a few years from production at this point.
Still ugly. The Bolt could be exactly the same car but be something less than disgusting to look at and maybe it would have a chance. As it stands, only nerds would consider buying this thing. I know, because I am one. But even I’m not nerdy enough for a Bolt!
It’s better looking than the Prius, which is so ugly even my mom asked “what the hell is that car”.
Love my Bolt. 20K miles and no gas, charge only at night at home. Yes I have a gas vehicle, big truck and love it also, but they are two different things. No stopping electric vehicles, once everyone figures out how cheap they are to drive they can’t resist. And, by the way, the first scheduled maintenance (other than rotating tires) is at 150,000 miles to flush the cooling system.
Bolt is a nice little car. It is just too pricey in todays EV Marketplace.
GM needed to do what Tesla has been doing for years and that is keep dropping the price of the vehicle.
I agree not having to pump Gas will be great.
I have a 2017 Bolt, and the model refresh does appear to improve the styling and other articles have indicated that the interior seating will be improved too. It looks like the change to the roof line acknowledges Tesla 3 and LEAF design cues and makes the Bolt look less like a shrunken CUV, to differentiate from the actual CUV (Bolt EUV).
I believe GM is probably making the right choice. The Bolt is intended to sell maybe 20,000 units a year because GM has lots of other vehicles to sell. On the other hand Tesla has to sell 250,000+ Model 3 per year to be a going concern. Tesla could face trouble when its market share is satiated – Tesla does not have room at the bottom to lower its price.
To me, I don’t care that the Bolt has a solid rear beam instead of multi link suspension, etc.; it is plenty competent as an every day car and to my surprise has routinely delivered driving range well in excess of the promised 238 miles. If anything the Bolt could have a smaller drive motor. I have only come near using the full power a couple of times in two years. People that just want to commute likely don’t care if they can some the tires.
Apologies, auto correct nailed me! That was supposed to say, “don’t care if they can smoke the tires.”
I also have a 2017 Bolt and think it’s a good car. It has plenty of pep and great range. If the new one looks less like a CUV to differentiate it feom the EUV, I think that will be great.
If I could change anything about it, of make it RWD.
*I’d make it RWD.
I convinced my brothers wife into at least Test Driving one later today. Her main reason for not wanting to even Test Drive the Bolt is due to the extremely cheap plasticy interior. She loathes it. Cannot say I blame her on her reasoning. Bolt interior materials are brutally awful.
She could care less about exterior design on any car she will purchase. Only cares about interior quality, Tech, and Room. Which is basically what I have been stating on this site most buyers now only focus on.
The ONLY reason I even got her to give the Bolt at least a Test Drive is due to the Crazy local rebates. It’s insane. They are basically begging people to purchase them. That is the issue at hand when you make such a really crappy interior. Lets see what she does.
Now as far as the 2021 Bolt goes, looks like it will finally have a BIG screen (Not that the Bolt’s 10 inch is not good, more GM cars needed it to be honest) it is that most EV buyers tend to be more Tech conscious. Glad GM is Finally paying attention to interiors as the C8 shows. Lets all pray it isn’t Just the C8 going forward that will have a great GM interior.
Nice to see finally came down off that Tesla crack rock you were smoking all morning…..
@Mr.R
Would you like to try again?
She Test drove the Bolt and literally started laughing at me as soon as she opened the Door. She thought it was a Fake car. The interior plastics caused her to literally laugh in front of the sales person. Now just so everyone knows, my brothers wife could care less or know anything about cars. I have been stating for years here that even the people that do not know a thing about cars, they ALL can tell a Cheap as you know what interior. She didn’t even care about the crazy rebates being offered. That’s how crazy cheap the interior plastics are in the Bolt. Mind you she is shopping at a price point but not even she could justify that interior.
She will not be getting a Tesla as she wants a Hatch and the Model Y isn’t for sale yet. She will go look at the Kia, Hyundai, and Nissan EV’s. Hey GM, I did my best to try and get you a sale but your Beancounting ways bit you in the Arse once again.
GM, please start making better interiors. God only knows how many sales you have lost to cheap interiors.
I’m not sure what GM is going to do with a larger screen. The Bolt infotainment isn’t horrible by any means, but I believe they could get a lot more out of the screen real estate they have now. I know simpler is better in a car, and virtual buttons and indicators need to be generous size and contrast, but Bolt almost takes minimalism to an extreme. I get the feeling like the UI was designed by a sleep deprived graduate student in the last week of a class project. A little more dimensionality to the screen glyphs would be nice. The existing display is so flat and bland! What is weird is the Bolt infotainment is very different from most (all?) of the other GM platforms.
I will give GM huge kudos on getting touch registration on the screen right. I used to want to punch my LEAF’s screen because it would register a touch as soon as my finger hit the screen. On anything but a glass smooth road, it is tough to get your finger to land in exactly the right location. GM registers the touch when the finger is lifted, which results in almost zero misplaced touch registrations. This may not sound like much, but trust me, it is a huge deal.
I originally had a 2011 LEAF, and the Bolt interior is better than the LEAF’s (I have not seen the 2nd gen LEAF long enough to have an opinion of the interior). I’ve read a lot of excoriation of the Bolt seats. The trim version I have is the Premier, and I have not found the seats uncomfortable, and I’m over six feet tall. Perhaps GM did a running change part way through the model year and improved the seats? The interior isn’t a Rolls Royce by any measure, but everything fits without panel gaps, there are no exposed screws and most important – no detectable squeaks or rattles.
Can thank LG for the screen…
You do know the Bolt’s interior dimensions are equal or greater than the Model 3 except for shoulder/hip room. The Bolt’s rear seat room is a lot better than the Model 3.
Still looks horrible.
Don’t care what the whiny Tesla lovers say, I love the Bolt so much that I own 2 of them! Haven’t spent a penny on anything other than my home electricity. The vast majority of people touting Tesla or jabbing GM don’t even own an electric car, they’re the sideline stone throwers. They prefer to make derogatory comments that deride others or bring down those making progress in a fast changing environment.
I prefer to be involved, not waiting for change to happen. Change only happens when people are involved. As for the way the Bolt looks, if you don’t like it you don’t have to buy it. I think the car looks good and the hatchback offers us lots of room, much more so than the Model 3.
For those ragging on GM, you’re on a GM based website! Get with the program. Support the company or offer CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, we want this board to be a pleasant place.
As a happy ’13 Volt owner since new, and a Buell Ulysses rider, I don’t mind having something a bit different but you must work for GM if you think that “if you don’t like it don’t buy it” is a good way to run a biz. Maybe that’s why there are so many pro Tesla comments here. In a recent visit to my Volt dealer they tried to sell me a Bolt and my answer was I will by the first reasonably priced AWD EUV that comes to market – so far GM is only delivering lotsa corp BS.
The Bolt looks like it easy to get into (ingress/egress).
@Michael
Hope you are not directly speaking to me.
I have been here for years criticizing GM for not having better EV options as that is 100% the Future.
I have tried talking many people into a Chevy Bolt but unfortunately for GM most of them went the Tesla route.
I am very happy that you enjoy your two Bolts very much. Not everyone views vehicles the same. I personally prefer not to drive something that isn’t up to par with the competition if at all possible. You can make fun of me that I will get a Tesla M3 but it is not my fault or most others out there. There are plenty of GM fans out there that I know who went the Tesla route. That is purely GM’s fault. They needed to do better. When you lease, you get the best you can for the money. I have always chosen GM as I am a GM fan. This time around I made the decision about six months ago that I will go the EV route with my next lease. I even had to excavate at my house already to get a 220 Line to my garage. It is not my fault GM hasn’t given me a true Tesla M3 competitor.
It will be EV’s for me going forward as I have already spent quite a few bucks getting my house EV ready. Hopefully after a taste of the Tesla life for a couple of years GM will bring me back with a vehicle that I will prefer to the Tesla M3
Is it too much to ask that it look less sh!tty?
This is a response to Momolos and his list of reasons why the model 3 is better than a Bolt.
I rented a M3 SR+ and a Bolt for 1,600 miles. Then I bought the Bolt. Although I loved the M3, I came up with a long list of Bolt advantages.
In addition to a center-mounted tablet, the Bolt has real live speedometer and energy display in the driver’s view. I never got used to craning my neck to look at speed and energy on the M3’s tablet. The Tesla Model S has a proper driver’s display, why not Mod 3?
The Bolt is much quieter. Little road noise.
The Bolt is smoother-riding but less sporty than the M3.
The Bolt is a better cargo hauler. An over-the-range microwave in box easily fits through rear hatch without folding the seats. On the downside, the Bolt is bigger and crossover-like. I don’t like crossovers. I think the M3 is gorgeous.
The Bolt seats are more comfortable. (I came up with opinion before reading the general world opinion on this. When in the M3, I was constantly reminded of the seats. The Bolt’s felt fine.)
The Bolt has a battery that is 20% larger than the M3. In my trips to and from the desert, Bolt had more indicated range left. This may have been due to extremely hot weather. The Bolt could make the trip with 30% range left; the M3 only had 15%.
Speculation: The Bolt’s larger battery will reduce the heating and A/C’s impact on range. (60KWh vs. 50 KWh)
The Bolt acts like a normal car. It has all the traditional controls on the dashboard that can be operated by feel.
The Bolt has satellite radio and an AM/FM radio. Tesla has a (optional) cellular-streaming radio and an FM-only radio. So, no AM or satellite on M3. No built-in streaming on Bolt.
The Bolt has a far more powerful regeneration effect.
The Bolt can drive at incredibly slow speeds. So slow that someone looking at the car would not know it is moving.
Geek alert: The Bolt display shows more detail on energy usage. Example: how much energy the A/C is using compared to the drive motor. Energy can be expressed in KWh instead of percent or miles.
Trivial difference: the Bolt a/c compressor has undetectable vibration when car is stopped.
Big difference: The Bolt has true one-pedal driving. It comes to a quick and complete stop without touching the brakes. Brake pedal is only used in emergencies or when the battery is fully charged. The M3 can almost do this but it rolls freely at about 2 MPH, slow enough to do a “California stop” but not a legal stop.
@Rastakins
Uuuum. You drove the Model 3 and thought the seats were more comfortable in the Bolt? You might be the only Human in existence to have that thought. Not stating you are wrong as that is you own personal view just saying you are in the very, very minority of people to think so.
Also, you do realize that Tesla has had “True” one pedal operation for years correct? It is completely up to the user how much Regen one wants. A Tesla Model 3 will come to a complete stop and hold all with letting go of the accelerator.
Again a Tesla has Crawl mode if you want it. It really all depends on each user. You can pretty much setup a Tesla however one would prefer.
It all depends how one would like to set it up.
Also, how did you come up that Bolt has a more powerful Regen? Is there a stat? I honestly have never heard that before by anyone. Again not stating it is untrue just didn’t know that was a real stat.
Lack of AM is an issue in the Tesla for some. Not me but for some. I give you that.
Bolt is much quieter? Have you ever driven a Bolt in Cross Wind? Not only is it noisy, you feel like the car is going to completely tip over. Bolt is way too narrow and tall. Feels extremely tipsy with the slightest tight turn or high wind. You lost me on this one.
I am very Happy to hear that you preferred the Bolt over the Model 3. GM desperately needs more shoppers like you. They need it in the EV Segment.
I am not a Tesla Fan Boy and was hopeful GM would have given me a better EV choice but have not as of yet. Not my fault. GM dropped the ball in the EV game not me or any other GM fan that wanted an EV and had to go elsewhere. It really is just that simple.
On the seats: I did not read reviews before I rented these cars. So, yes, I was surprised that I found the Bolt seats more comfortable when the popular position says it is not. it could also be possible that the cloth Bolt seats are comfortable and I would not like leather Bolt Seats.
The Tesla Model 3 SR+ does not have “true” one pedal driving. In the Bolt, the Leaf S Plus, and (I believe) the BMW i3, you can come to a complete and abrupt stop at a red light without touching the brake. On the Model 3 SR+, I had to lightly tap the brake to scrub off the last 2 MPH. And I had to tap the brake a second time to get the M3 to hold the stop with the bechanical brakes. I had regen in “standard” mode. Try one of these three other cars to see what I mean. The difference is probably the cars that can completely stop and hold magnetically all have permanent magnet motors.
On the Bolt in L mode with the paddle, the stop is downright abrupt. Insideevs published a graph showing a about 0.2G deceleration in L and 0.3G deceleration in L+paddle. Off the top of my head, I think it regens at up to 70KW.
I have driven my 2019 Bolt almost 7,000 miles so far. Very little wind noise, like the M3. I would agree the Bolt is more sensitive to cross winds. You won’t hear the wind, though. The doors of the Bolt have double seals and the M3 only has a single door seal. I think that is one source of the M3’s road noise. That, plus the glass roof seems to reflect the road noise.
Realize that I also had a long, long list of Tesla advantages too. My Bolt ended up costing $7000 less than the M3 SR and the Bolt has considerably better real world range (with air conditioning) because of its 20% larger battery. I had to spend an extra $350 on a Level 2 EVSE because the Bolt does not include one.
Update: I borrowed my pal’s Tesla M3 Performance yesterday. I had regen in standard mode. This M3 Performance was like the SR+ in that it could not fully stop and hold magnetically without touching the brake. You’re not doing true one-pedal driving when you have to touch the brake! M3 Performance seemed to have more regen than the SR+ and waaaaay more acceleration. The Bolt has far more regen available than either M3 but slower acceleration.
I honestly do not understand this. I have driven three different Model 3’s that my friends have. All three came to a complete stop and held there until I decided to press the accelerator. It is probably in the settings. The Tesla M3 is almost violent when you take your foot off the pedal. That is how aggressive it is.
“The Tesla M3 is almost violent when you take your foot off the pedal. That is how aggressive it is.”
And you have compared this with the Bolt/Volt with regen paddle and L mode?
Only someone who has never driven both cars back to back would make the claim that Model 3 is quieter.
Even the reviewer Alex on Auto commented about the road/wind noise issue of the Model 3.
The Bolt EV’s seats are more comfortable than the Model 3’s seats for me as well (it’s likely a combination of the seats and seating position).
Present Bolt EV owners get much more range than the EPA rating. Some have passed 300 miles. This new Bolt Ev should have a greater EPA rating of over 270 miles, and their owners can reach 350 miles. I don’t believ in EPA ratings or even how auto magazines test their cars.
In the real world, EV owners get better range because they know how to drive their EVs. In my case I have a Fusion Hybrid and I get 54 MPG which is excellent for a 4,000 pound midsized sedan. On one downhill run I got 713 MPG, but that is so high because it calculates the long distance traveled by the little gasoline consumption. And in reverse, it is infinite MPG because it never uses gasoline, only electricity (the display shows 999 MPG).
You are a Ford guy, right ? Wait for the MY 21 Mustang CUV or F150 Platinum BEV. It is worth the wait and extra money. The F150 Platinum has always been the most capable and technologically advanced Truck, and Ford can’t afford to lose marketshare to GM or FCA when the F150 Lariat, King Ranch, and Platinum make up 75.3% of their annual profits. They will go all out on tech when it comes to the all new F150 Platinum BEV.
I am hopeful GM will have a slew of Top Notch EV’s soon. They need them.
The Bolt going forward should be starting at $25 to 26K
Problem with the Bolt and the Volt is they’re econoboxes. They’re great technology but uninspiring at best. WHY was the Bold not made as a CUV? IS THAT not the market today? Why make an econobox vs what the market is demanding?
GM needs to retain the Volt name and slap that on the next EV-CUV and call it Volt _____ (fill in the blank) as they’ve already invested in the name and Volt does have name recognition.
Unfortunately they’re too stupid to do that they’ll create some idiotic new spew and spend millions to create an awareness, they after it doesnt meet sales expectations due to crappy dealers, poor customer service and “jet black” crappy plastic interiors, they kill it…. and your resale… this company is SOOOOOOO predictable.