The 2021 Chevy Bolt EV Premier sits at the top of the Bolt trim level lineup with a host of impressive features, including 480-volt DC Fast Charge capability, which is now standard for the 2021 model year. However, with the addition of standard DC Fast Charging, the 2021 Bolt EV Premier is also slightly more expensive than the preceding 2020 model year.
With the latest 2021 model year changeover, the 2021 Bolt EV Premier is now priced at $42,695, $800 more than the 2020 Bolt EV Premier, which starts at $41,895.
Previously, the 2020 Bolt EV Premier offered DC Fast Charging as an available option. The 2021 Chevy Bolt EV LT trim will continue to offer DV Fast Charging as an available option. Just like the previous 2020 model year, both trim levels will once again come standard with Level 1 (120-volt) and Level 2 (240-volt) charging capabilities for the 2021 model year.
| 2020 Bolt EV LT | 2020 Bolt EV Premier | 2021 Bolt EV LT | 2021 Bolt EV Premier | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 (120V): | S | S | S | S |
| Level 2 (240V): | S | S | S | S |
| DC Fast Charge (480V): | A | A | A | S |
The 2021 Bolt EV was originally set to debut a refresh for the all-electric nameplate, ushering in a raft of changes including a new design for the front and rear fascias, an updated interior, new seats, and a redesigned trim level structure with the introduction of new 1LT and 2LT equipment groups.
Unfortunately, the refresh was pushed back as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and is now slated to arrive with the 2022 Chevy Bolt EV.
The 2021 Bolt EV is currently rolling off the line at General Motors’ Lake Orion Assembly plant in Michigan, while the refreshed 2022 Chevy Bolt EV will hit production next year. The all-electric five-door is powered by a 66-kWh lithium-ion battery and electric motor combo that puts down 200 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque. Range-per-charge is rated at 259 miles.
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Comments
That price is a joke for that ugly little turd!
You’re a joke since you known NOTHING about what new Bolts sell for.
What’s a joke is Tesla’s practice of subtracting the cost of the gasoline you won’t be buying to make their cars appear less expensive. That’s like listing a house for $100k less than the actual selling price by subtracting the additional taxes a buyer would pay over 10 years had they bought some other house.
But I do agree that the Bolt isn’t a $40K vehicle, MSRP or otherwise. EV prices really need to come down for mass adoption, but to a degree, manufacturer’s hands are tied with the cost of batteries.
What are you talking about?
The Price of my vehicle was clear as day on the website.
gm is jumping the gun. april fools’ day isn’t for another 3 1/2 months.
That is just MSRP. The Bolt EV typically sells for $6-$10k less. At those selling prices, it’s actually a very practical and competitive EV, even if not the most attractive. The 2022 should look at least a bit better.
How does one qualify for $10,000 off MSRP?
This month I understand there’s about $8500 across two incentives (one is employee price incentive), plus until January 4th, Costco offers a $3000 coupon towards the purchase of a Bolt. $10k seems about right. I started shopping for one back in September, and the range is about $6500-10k. I’ll let y’all know what I finally pay when I get my 2021 at the dnd of the month.
You can actually get about $18000 off after dealer discount
Bret, Please tell my Chevy dealer here in New Mexico!!!
Freddie,
I’m using Galles Chevrolet in ABQ. They have a fairly new facility, and the large service garage area sparkles. DM me for specifics, if you want, including the dealerships to steer clear of.
Hopefully at that price it comes with all the bolts required!
The Bolt actually looks decent in person. Pics just don’t do it justice. But the new one can’t come soon enough.
My 2017 Bolt Premier was $44k+ MSRP and I paid $39k out the door. Plus the federal $7500 tax credit at tax time.
I would normally spend about $400 a month in gas and now with the bolt I pay about $100 to charge at home. For a while I had access to free chargers at a work location and I paid nothing.
The car has zero maintenance other than tire rotations, and the big service for coolant and such is little over 100k miles.
The bolt is very small and not very comfortable for someone my size but I wouldn’t sell it. It’s a great car to sit in traffic, do those 10 mile round trip errands.
If I had travel to another work location with colleagues we would always take my car. Save on fuel costs and 4 adults fit fine inside. The Bolt has more room inside than one would think because there isn’t any conventional ICE components protruding into the cabin area. BUT it is still a sub-compact car. If you need a Tahoe worth of space to drive to work then a Bolt or a Honda Fit would not be for you
To the person that called the car a turd. You clearly have never driven an EV.
Raising the price is a brilliant GM strategy for increasing sales….and the beat goes on.
The DC Fast charge was an $800 option before. Now it standard and included in the price. I don’t see it as a price increase. Its a box you would have checked off.
It makes ZERO sense to NOT make DC Fast charger standard across the entire model lineup. I never understood why someone wouldn’t want DC Fast charge. Maybe if you were buying 20 Bolts for fleet use but there have been times I need to DC fast charge for 15 minutes to get home or my next destination. Being limited to Level 2 charge would be a major pain.
Nearly every Bolt has DC Fast Charging. I would say at least 90% have it, which I found to be the case when searching for mine the entire month of January on the East Coast. Rarely did I see a Bolt w/o DCFC.
Glad they are leaving it optional…. I currently have 3 plug-in vehicles and would not want fast charging on any of them….Perhaps if I ever go 100% Battery electric (2 of the vehicles are GM PHEVs), I would want ONE of the 3 to have the fast charging option.
I have 66,000 miles on my Bolt ev and have never ever wanted or needed to fast-charge it.
Thankfully, the 2021 LT stripped version is still available WITHOUT the option.
Electric is the future. Bolt has a price point less 10K. Those who choose to stick their heads in the ground will be run over.
I am still looking for an “entry level” all electric vehicle, purpose built for limited city/urban driving of 25 to 35 miles per day. I would take a serious look at the GM E300PLUS, made in China, under $20,000, range of 160 to 190 miles and not available in the USA!! I did look at a Chevy Bolt and was impressed with the fit and finish and pep, however, the salesman, with a straight face told me the vehicle was $47,500. I wonder why GM will not bring the E300PLUS to America? The closest I have found is the BMW Mini EV at $29,900 with a 110 mile range, to include many nice features.
You can find used bolts in the $15k range now.
Dear Robert, Good point, yes you can find used Bolts in the $15,000 range.
Dear Freddie Winter, I absolutely agree withn you. I would love to see a USA street legal version of the GM/Baojun E300 Plus come out in the USA. In China it only cost around $10,500. Come on GM, we would love a BASIC mini EV at under $15,000 with around 190 miles of range.
I had to chuckle reading about your experience with dealership sales. Unfortunately, for too many dealerships, Chevy included, a friendly stress-free consumer experience ends at the front door.
The first dealership I visited had the wrong color of a Bolt 2020, but said they were highly motivated to sell it off the lot. They kept me waiting too long for finance to pull numbers. When they finally did I was looking at $225/month lease (after a huge down payment that I chose). Funny, the Chevrolet website was showing me $160/mo. That dealership must have a customer base of suckers. I walked.
Like most everyone here, I am an informed consumer. I read the venerable Consumer Reports magazine. I want a salesperson to be at least as knowledgeable as me, not less. At least, I don’t want their unpreparedness to hamper my consumer experience. Then I look to behavior that shows me honesty and fairness. Finally, when selecting a dealership, I always take a good look-see of the service department. Sparkling clean means a lot.
I know I’m not telling most of you something unknown, but just my experience with Chevy after being an uninterrupted Volkswagen customer for over 30 years. My new 2021 Bolt EV should arrive sometime at year’s end.
You can get a brand new bolt for less than $20,000 now
DC fast charging should really be standard on all models, not just the premier.
Jeff, How much does it cost to get fast charging in your home?
Freddie Winters: You do realize (assuming you are not being tongue-in-cheek) that the ‘faster’ charging (200-240 volts) at home is the ‘medium’ , ‘Level 2’ speed – about 30 miles of range gained per hour, as opposed to the 5 to 5 1/2 miles per hour leisurely speed you get at the ubiquitous ‘Level 1’, ‘110 volt’ receptacle.
Assuming its a serious question – the Bosch 25,000 watt DC Fast Chargers (DCFC, or ‘Level 3’), that almost all the CHEVY dealers have available, is available for home use, but you have to have really stout electricals at home to handle it – it using about 120 amperes, and therefore requiring a 150 amp sub-feed off your main power, unless you deliberately throttle it down to what your home can handle.
And then there is the cost of the unit itself: Over $9,000 on Amazon. Plus whatever your electrician charges for the rather large electricity supply to it.
Jeff Poss: Just because you ABSOLUTELY require your vehicles to have this fast-charging option, does not apply to the rest of us. I strongly do not want it standard on a low priced car, preferring to spend the cash on something else. If they want to standardize it on an expensive Cadillac, that’s another matter.
Dear Bill Howland, I was referring to 50kWh level 3 DC fast charging with is not feasable or avaliable in the home, not only because of the high voltage but it also requires 3 phase electricity which is not avaliable to most home owners. Like you said, to got half that at 25kWh charging by installing the single phase Bosch EL-52240 25kWh fast charger would be very expensive and really not needed in the home.
I have a 7.2kWh level 2 charger installed as part of my solar array inverter box (SolarEdge). If the sun is out it can charge up to 9.6kWh maximum, but the 2017 Bolt can’t charge at that rate on level 2, only 7.2Kwh. The level 2 charger option cost an additional $800 including labor and parts, so it was a good deal as part of the solar array installation. Normally getting an electrician to install it separately would cost $550 for the charger and $500 to $1,000 for the electrician depending on how much work is needed.
HOWEVER, I discovered that I really don’t need the level 2 charger, because I rarely go more that 50 miles in a day. so, I use my level 1 charger 99% of the time, the one that came with the Bolt. So far, I have only needed to use my level 2 charger twice in the almost 2 years we have had it.
Regarding leaving DC fast charging as an option, that is a good point. Not everyone wants or needs it, especially if they never plan on taking long trips that would require fast charging outside the home at a level 3 DC fast charger. Since I like to take long vacation trips occasionally, I needed the DC fast charging option on my Bolt.
Dear Freddie winters, A level 3 DC fast charger would be extremely expensive and is really not needed at home. Level 3 DC fast charging is for taking long trips away from home or if you can’t charge at home.
The Bolt, with no optional DC level 3 Fast charging, can do level 2 fast charging at about 7.2kWh or 25 miles per hour if you use a level 2 fast charger.
If you are referring to the cost of installing a level 2 fast charger, which can charge up to 25 miles per hour, it cost me an additional $800 including labor and parts as part of my solar array installation. Normally, buying it seperatly and getting an electrician to install it would cost $550 for the charger and $500 to $1,000 for the electrician depending on how much work is needed.
HOWEVER, I discovered that I really don’t need the level 2 charger, because I rarely go more that 50 miles in a day. I use my level 1 charger 99% of the time, the one that came with the Bolt. So far, I have only needed to use my level 2 charger twice in the almost 2 years we have had it.
I only use the optional level 3 DC Fast charging when I go on long trips and it really cuts down on the charging times. I just have breakfast, lunch or dinner while it’s charging and it’s fully charged in about an hour to an hour and a half. Since I coordinate it with my meals, it’s really is no burden at all.
So the improved seats will not appear for another year? Those uncomfortable original seats are literally the only thing keeping me from buying a bolt.
Its the Premier Leather seats that are extremely uncomfortable. The LT’s bare bones Cloth seating is very comfortable for both driver and passengers – and this is one of the rare cars with more room in the rear than the front seat people have.
I just bought a 2020 Bolt Premier w/leather seats. I sat in it for five hours with only one bathroom break getting it home from the dealership the day I took delivery, and never had any “butthurt”. It is no less comfortable than my F-150 Platinum.
I’ve heard a lot about the uncomfortable Bolt seats, but that has not been my experience at all……
Steve,
Very good to know since I’m expecting delivery of my 2021 Bolt Premier w/leather seats. I hope my experience is the same as yours and not that of Bill Howland’s.
I was very disappointed to learn that the expected MCE for the Bolt 2021 was pushed to the 2022 MY, which will start production in the summer. I couldn’t wait since my current lease and registration expires in a few weeks. If the seats feel that uncomfortable to me, there are $30 gel seat solutions available on Amazon.
I have no issues with the seats at all.
Sooooooo instead of doing what I think they should do which is to make the Bolt start at 25K, they actually raise the Price?
Momolos: NO, to repeat ad nauseam, the $750 fast charging option is now included with the $800 increased price Premier Trim… Basically a wash.
Hopefully, GM will continue giving $8,500 off the car every month in 2021 also.
Freddie Winters: A possible point of confusion is that you get both Level 1 and Level 2 charging ability with ANY Bolt ev at no extra cost. Its the DCFC “Level 3” rate being discussed here.
Hello Robert
What do you think the cost of electricity will be for your or any other BEV owners once the Federal and State Governments realize the billions of dollars they are loosing on the Gasoline Tax, each year.
These Governments have a choice to either invent a new way of taxing BEV owners for the amount they would have gotten from the Gasoline Tax or to cut their State and Federal budgets by that same amount of Tax loss.
The public in general, do not like their Government services either reduced or cut and would most likely complain and or vote out the offending parties and I doubt any of the party member would would put up with that.
So, while the BEV appears fairly cheap to operate right now I think there will be some sort of an equalization process to show up in the future.
Though the concentration of BEV’s is very low at this point in time and the taxation loss is almost irrelevant, it will not always stay this way and some point all the BEV owners will realize a that owning a BEV is not the same economic advantage it presently is.
THEN WHAT?
That’s a point – Just States charging several thousand dollars for registration fees will make it so that not a single ev will be sold.
Perhaps GM is keeping that in the back of their collective corporate minds, and will gladly sell you a 100% ICE vehicle as an alternate plan.
Several thousand dollars in fees per year? no.
Hello. I pay an additional $100, I think it’s $100, per year in car registration fees in the state of VA. EV Tax… I was told this was to cover the loss of the fuel tax in the state. In any case my cost to commute for 2 1/2 years was car payment and insurance because I was able to charge for free at the office. Before I would add in another $400 for fuel or about $5000 a year.
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It’s not just about the cost of Fuel. That is huge part of it but convenience of having a set range every time I get in the car. I don’t have to stop twice a week for fuel and in the morning the car is waiting for me at the correct climate temp. Maintenance is also a big advantage, almost none. I take it in once a year for inspections and tire rotation and if I have time I’ll have the tires rotated once in the middle of the year.
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I will say an EV has no personality. It’s very binary, it’s like a kitchen appliance. There are no hard starts, no bleeding of fluids on the ground, no funny smells, no odd sounds, no vibrations. I don’t even speak to it in the morning like I did with my ICE commuter car. “Come on, don’t let me down today.. ” Or thinking. “oh damn, she running a little rough… ” Its very weird.
BTW, I own two corvettes and a silverado… Each of those car have their own personality.
In late January,my loaded 2020 Bolt LT: sticker was $39775. Out the door,I paid $27400. Chevy has been offering ~$8500 off the sticker since then. Plus whatever you can get from the dealer.
The MSRP is in line with other electric vehicles available thus far. With the $8500 discount given for the past several months it is the lowest priced new EV with over 200 miles range. I bought my 2017 LT with the desirable options : Heated seats and Steering Wheel, Blind Spot and rear crosstraffic warning, rear parking assist and DC Charging for under $16,000 used with only 24000 miles. That’s competitive with lots of conventional compact cars , crossovers, midsize cars and hybrids. It “is much quicker and more sporty handling than any Prius , based on my ownership experience of 6 Prius’. It has been excellent value for the price, as a used car!