As GM Authority reported earlier this year, the Chevy Bolt EV is in for a fairly extensive refresh. The updated model was supposed to have launched for the 2021 model year, but it will now be pushed back to the 2022 model year. So that means that the 2021 Chevy Bolt EV will go forth with only a handful of relatively minor changes.
Sources familiar with GM’s production plans tell GMA that order banks for the 2021 Chevy Bolt EV will open on October 8th, 2020 and production is will begin at the GM Lake Orion plant roughly a month later, on November 16th, 2020. The first units are slated to arrive at dealers shortly thereafter.
A prototype of the upcoming Chevy Bolt EV refresh
It’s worth noting that these dates are current as of this writing, but could change at a moment’s notice given the instability caused by COVID-19.
| Order banks open: | October 8, 2020 |
| Start of production: | November 16, 2020 |
| Reveal: | TBD |
As far as the Bolt EV refresh goes, the pandemic may have pushed the updates to the 2022 model year. As such, it’s entirely possible that the 2021 Bolt EV will see only a handful of minor changes along with a shortened model year before the refreshed model arrives for the 2022 model year, bringing improvements to the exterior and interior, but not so much to the powertrain.
The Chevy Bolt EV refresh will have a forward lighting configuration similar to the 2021 Trailblazer (pictured)
From a styling standpoint, the refreshed Chevy Bolt EV will feature a new front fascia that will take after the face worn by the all-new 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The new design will have significantly more personality and character than the current model. Additionally, the forward lighting configuration will be overhauled to include a thin strip of headlights to serve as the Daytime Running Lights (DRLs), while the actual headlights will be a bit lower on in the fascia. The rear end will feature a slightly updated rear fascia with new tail lights.
We also hear that the Chevy Bolt refresh will feature new forward-facing cameras for a new adaptive cruise control system. However, the model will not offer Super Cruise, which is being reserved for the Bolt EV’s larger brother – the yet-to-be-unveiled 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV.
A prototype of the upcoming Chevy Bolt EV refresh
The interior of the refreshed Chevy Bolt EV will get a major overhaul, with a redesigned instrument panel and dashboard, higher-quality materials and new seats. The center screen will be repositioned to the top of the dash, while the current model’s gear selector will be replaced with buttons. Rounding out the changes will be a new infotainment system and a sporty-looking flat-bottom steering wheel.
The Chevy Bolt EV refresh will also benefit from interior improvements slated for the 2022 Chevy Bolt EUV (pictured)
We were aware of all this after GM Authority spies caught a prototype of the Chevrolet Bolt EV refresh testing last fall. We also managed to snap some interior pictures of the updated model, and caught another prototype testing in Michigan a few weeks thereafter.
The updated Chevy Bolt EV will continue riding on the same BEV2 platform as the pre-updated model. It will also use the same 66-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and electric motor as the 2020 model, which delivered a small update to the battery chemistry, delivering an EPA-estimated driving range of 259 miles – 21 more than the 2017-2019 models. The Chevrolet Bolt EUV, which will be a bit larger than the Bolt EV, will use the same BEV2 platform and 66-kWh battery as the 2021 Bolt EV. The Bolt EUV will also share the updated cockpit of the Bolt EV, and is expected to launch several months after the 2021 Bolt EV.
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Comments
Well, I can see it still has the gaudy looking chrome swoosh on the bottom of the door.
I thought the updated Bolt EV was delayed (Covid-19) and was going to be released next year as a 2022 model with the 2021 model year shortened.
Where in the world did you hear that??
I don’t think that is true.
Pretty sure I remember the update was supposed to be the 2020 model year, but was delayed until 2021, not 2021 delayed until 2022.
All refreshes were delayed. The Bolt EV refresh was supposed to happen in CY2020 as a MY2021 but has been reported as early CY2021 as MY2022. Of note the Bolt EUV is not delayed and the refreshed Bolt EV and EUV were expected to launch about the same time now.
https://gmauthority.com/blog/2020/03/general-motors-to-delay-redesigned-and-refreshed-2021-models/
I’m very disapointed that neither the Bolt EV refresh nor the Bolt EUV will have a 300+ mile option battery. 300 miles is really the minimum acceptable range that people are looking for in today’s EV market. Again, the Ford Mustang Mach-E has a 300 mile option that can be ordered today for end of year delivery!!! GM you have no choice but to offer a 300+ mile range option in both the Bolt EV refresh and Bolt EUV if you really want to compeat with Ford’s Mustang Mach -E. ARE YOU LISTENING TO US!!! DO YOU HEAR WHAT WE WANT!!! DO YOU SEE THE COMPETITION HAS ALREADY SURPASSED YOU !!! THEN START HUSLTING MORE AND DO IT!!! BECAUSE MY NEXT EV MIGHT VERY WELL BE A FORD IF YOU DON’T STEP IT UP UP TO 300 MILES!!!
Agreed. The Bolt is still at the top of the list for my next vehicle, but a 300 mile range would pretty much seal the deal. I can live with 260, but it would require exchanging vehicles with my wife’s for certain travels which, while not a huge issue, would be nice if unnecessary.
The battery capacity requirement really depends on how the car is used. The current 2020 model useable range of about 250 miles makes pretty good sense because not too many people have daily commutes plus side trips in one day that would exceed that. The Bolt has pretty generous room in front for several adults and a large rear seat for several other passengers, and decent but not huge luggage space. The Bolt would be fine for a day trip, but probably not large enough for a cross continent family vacation racking up a lot of miles every day. This is from personal experience with a 2017 Bolt I’ve had for three years, and before that I had a LEAF that I bought used. If I were going on an extended family trip, I’d rent a larger car.
GM appears to be citing the worst case scenario for the battery capacity. Yesterday, when I got in my car, it estimated the available range at 301 miles. I had mixed use city and interstate driving of 62 miles and when I ended the day, the estimated range left was 248 miles. I don’t drive sheepishly and I made liberal use of the A/C. Of course, winter driving is a different story because plain resistance electric heat is inefficient, but the car will still generally manage the promised (2017 model) 238 miles. I would like to see a heat pump mode for 30+ degree Fahrenheit winter driving. That would help as much as or more than having a larger battery.
If you’re a home owner or renter, it is no big deal to plug in whenever you’re at home, which is a different behavioral model from only going to a gas station occasionally. There is less need to store a lot of energy all at once. The exception would be apartment dwellers who do not have a readily available place to plug in and thus need to use public chargers only infrequently.
As far as my wish list goes, I would like to have a built-in GPS map. I don’t want the for-pay OnStar subscription verbal prompts, or have to tether my phone to the infotainment system for maps via CarPlay. That, and heat pump mode for the HVAC.
Dear Bill, I agree with you. I also own a 2017 Bolt and love it. However, I can only afford one car, so it has to be able to go for my daily chores and across country. Right now, I really can not travel conveniently from Pahrump to Pheonix because of the lack of superchargers in Arizona. But if my 2017 Bolt could get 300+ miles I could easily get to Pheonix and back no ptoblem. As it stands now, I have to make three charging stops and one has to be at a level 2 charging station for a couple of hours to get enough to safely make it to the next supercharger. That type of problem occurs in other areas of the country as well. And if a supercharging station is out-of-order than I want to feel safe enough that I can make it to another charging station and having 300+ range would do that for me. Plus, I really don’t want to have to stop to charge more than 2 times on the road during a long road trip, not including the overnight charge at the hotel. The first charge would be done while I had breakfast and the second one during lunch. Again 300+ miles would do that for me and allow me to go a safe maximum of about 750+ miles a day. Also, I would not have to worry about large elevation changes that really drain the battery on the way up.
Hello Jeff,
You are spot on with what you wrote. More than the car being the limitation, the lack of places to recharge quickly is a problem. Even if infrastructure exists, charging rate is a problem. It may be a good idea to take an hour break due to charging every 300 miles for a solo driver, however if there are several drivers in the car, an hour is a long time to wait. Until there is a revolution in battery charging technology, a Tesla car and Tesla’s supercharging network or renting/owning a gasoline powered car for long trips is the unavoidable reality. Personally, I have a 2001 Honda Insight that I got very cheap for long trips by myself – I can go almost 600 interstate miles on 10 gallons of fuel. For family trips, I have rented a larger car.
The Bolt is tiny though. It’s basically a city car.
Longer range on a larger EV would make more sense.
The EPA rating is always a conservative number for GM. As the past Chevy Volt and present Chevy Bolt EV owners can testify, both can get higher EV ranges than the EPA rating. I can guess that new Bolt EV owners have already passed the 300 mile range. Anyway, why fuss about range? Do you fuss about the gas tank size in your cars??
GM cars are much better than Tesla or any import. As a past (since 1975) and present owner and driver of GM cars, no one else builds them better. Ford has taken the new lead with the Mustang Mach-E, so GM has to bring out the eternal “Mustang killer (since 1967) “: an electric Camaro!
“Anyway, why fuss about range? Do you fuss about the gas tank size in your cars??”
You can’t be serious. Nobody cares about the tank size in a gas car because you can refill it to completely full in like four or five minutes.
The Bolt took something like 65 minutes to fill most of the way. Not even full. And full is far less than any cheaper, normal car. That’s a huge problem if you’re expecting people to adopt these.
I don’t have anything against electric cars, but willfully ignoring reality isn’t doing them any favors.
The reality is that my Bolt has a full charge every morning. I rarely drive more than 100 miles on any given day unexpectedly. Longer trips can be planned for and are a non issue for me. If you have to spontaneously drive 300 miles and need to be there in 4 hours you shouldn’t consider an EV at all. But there are very few people that applies to.
GM cars are better then Tesla or any import? I love GM products but think really they have a long way to go to match say a Lexus for quality or Tesla for modern technology
There are complaints about the arguably less than luxury feel of some of the interior materials and shape of the Bolt’s seats. That said, the build quality of the Bolt is very good, on par with Asian imports. The Bolt’s exterior paint job is very well done with even thickness and no orange peel or runs.
Quality of the paint is a problem for Tesla on the Model 3. On the other hand, the electronic systems in the Model 3 are significantly advanced compared to the Bolt. None the less, I like having dedicated knobs and buttons for HVAC functions on the Bolt. Physical knobs and switches make adjustments easier easier without needing to look away from driving.
Dear Raymond Ramirez, I only get higher range if I travel in the city with my Bolt. Highway range is lower, unless I reduce my speed to 50 mph, but then I have truckers honking at me on two lane highways. The problem with range is that superchargers are still not avaliable evenly across the country and Bolt EV owners can not use Tesla charging stations. Also, it still takes about 1-1/2 hours to supercharge a Bolt from 20% full to 100% at a 50kWh station. And you want that full charge to make it to the next supercharging station safely. I can only own one car and it has to do everlything, short daily trips and long vacation trips. The longer the range the more convenient it is. The newer 2020 Bolt with a longer range of 259 is still not enough. I need 41 more miles at least.
FYI – I would prefer on all electric Corvette 😉
BTW, there is a ~$200 adapter that allows Bolt EVs to connect and charge at Tesla charging stations. (The Lectron Tesla Wall Charger to J1772 Adapter is uniquely designed to connect J1772-supporting plugs to Tesla chargers. Customers with regular Electric Vehicles and Plug-in Hybrids can now enjoy Tesla charging stations anywhere.)
Dear iRon, Does that include Tesla super chargers. In otherwords, is there a Tesla super charger to CCD Combo plug adapter?
Not sure. My guess is not for super charging, just for level 2 charging. Check out the link and call the company for their answer.
I fuss about the range because I regularly drive 325 miles a day doing UBER and LYFT. I am currently doing it in a 2018 Malibu Hybrid(discontinued), so I am looking for a pure EV for my next car. It has to have a range of 350+. So far, all I have seen from GM with that range is the 2021 GMC Hummer EV.
Dear Detfan, You will have a long wait before there is an affordable 350+ mile pure EV. The the way you could use the Bolt is if you fully charge over night then drive until it is 10% full (214 mile range) then take a break for lunch while you charge up at a super fast DC charger, usually only about 30 to 45 minutes to 80% full which will give you another 171 miles before it’s down to 10% full again. So that comes out to 385 miles per day you can do in the Bolt with only one 30-45 minute, approximatly, fast charging break for lunch.
The biggest question is what will the charging rate be?
DRIP – DRIP – DRIP … Just the sound of more empty PC statements from a bloated dinosaur While not seeing the extinction event on the horizon. But hey! just look at all the great things GM’s doing – IN CHINA!
So is the 2021 going to have the redesigned front seats or is that pushed to 2022 because of CV19? The seats have always been the deal killer for me and many other potential buyers.
Dear Reynolds Chase, The refreshed Chevy Bolt with the newly designed (more comfortable) seats has been delayed to 2022 model year, so it will come out at the end of 2021. Also, the Bolt EUV is expected to be in production in 2021 as well for the 2022 model year. I assume the Bolt EUV will have the more comfortable seats as well. Both will have the Adaptive Cruise Control as an option and the EUV is suppose to have the Super Cruise as an option as well. The current assumption is both will come with the current 66kHw battery, but hopefully they will add an option for a longer range battery to compete with the all-electric Mustang SUV which has a 300 mile range option battery.
As it’s been reported several times, the shortened 2021 Bolt EV model will feature a nice set of mid-cycle enhancements including: more comfortable seats, new steering wheel, new front and rear fascia, and standard Level 2 charging (on the Premier trim). GMA also reported that the two-tone interior option is gone, along with the rear view mirror via camera and keyless entry. Can someone with insider knowledge confirm this?
My dealership just received its allocation and my vehicle is ordered! I hope to take delivery by the end of this year since the factory produces sixty cars per day. Does anyone with insider information know whether the Lake Orion Plant is starting its production a week late, November 23rd instead of the 16th?
I believe it is keypass, which lets you open the the car from a mobile phone that will deleted for 2021, not keyless entry. I don’t know why keypass is going away. I presume it is to discourage hacking. I haven’t found keypass that useful anyway. There is probably customer confusion over exactly what keypass is. Keypass is near field access to the car and that is different from remote start via the My Chevrolet app.
It is the bone white interior that will no longer be offered. The white top of the bone white dashboard caused really strong reflections due to the rake of the windshield glass, the long blue electroluminescent strip on the dash will not be on the 2021 model. The new steering wheel has a flat bottom instead of being round. The new dash has faux leather and the seats are softer with bolder stitching.
I believe the rear view mirror camera may still be part of the “comfort and convenience” option package. In 2021, you can’t order that package unless the car also is equipped with the DC fast charge option. DC fast charge is standard on the 2021 equivalent of the current Premier model. I am not a big fan of my rear view mirror camera; the image is too dark and grainy in low light. There is also a silver ring around the outside edge of camera mirror that doesn’t auto dim. My Toyota has no camera in the mirror, but the whole mirror auto dims, and I would trade that instead of having a camera in the mirror. The Toyota also has a three channel universal garage door opener built into the mirror – I definitely wish that were an option on the Bolt,
I also wish an onboard navigation system were available. I don’t like the idea of having to pay for being forced to listen to OnStar for verbal navigation. What do you do if you are outside of mobile phone reception? The Bolt telematics are pretty good, but there are still no-signal areas. I don’t like having to tether my mobile phone in order to get an on-screen map. An onboard navigation can also augment GPS data with the vehicle speed sensor and yaw sensor give better position data inside urban canyons or terrain with heavy tree cover.
Having said that, I still believe the Bolt is a solid value for the money, especially when combined with incentives or tax credits. The power train execution is very good and it is clear that GM spent considerable effort getting the driving feel right.
Grrrreat information, Bill, thank you. I was, in fact, thinking of keypass not keyless. I also don’t know why GM (or any company) reduces functionality without replacement functions. I’m looking forward to using the MyChevrolet app to control my computerized Bolt EV. I don’t mind using ApplePlay for my GPS navigation since I’m doing that now in my 2017 VW Jetta.
I’m also eager to see the cabin design upgrade in the 2021 premier trim Bolt. I like driving a desirable car and I want Chevy to succeed with the Bolt. From the descriptions of the 2021-22 MCE model, it sounds as if Chevy listened to the complaints and suggestions, and did something. Drivers like when car companies do that.
Thanks again for your detailed reply!
I’ve been driving a Chevy Bolt for just about three years now, which is long enough for any romance to have worn off and to be objective. The Bolt replaced a Nissan LEAF I had bought used from a dealer when it was returned from a lease. The Bolt has been a much better experience than the LEAF. The Chevy has been very trouble free. I had a squeaky bushing replaced under warranty right after I got the Bolt, but other than that I have had no expenses other than electricity, insurance, license and washer fluid. The LEAF had a lot of electrical problems and was VERY expensive to maintain. The owner experience has been quite a contrast between Chevy and Nissan. My unscientific data point of one is that the Bolt build quality is on par with Toyotas and Hondas that I have owned.
I have no problem with an affordable car that can get me from Eugene to Portland or even Seattle. How often will I drive cross country? It will be a lot cheaper to rent a vehicle for that than the extra money to buy a bigger vehicle with longer range that I rarely use.