Although the upcoming 2022 Chevy Bolt EV and 2022 Chevy Bolt EUV small electric cars have a close family resemblance, they do not share a single body panel and have significant styling differences. However, one thing common to both models is the positioning of the tail lights.
Both the EV and EUV technically have two sets of tail lights. The more prominent set is mounted on either side of the Chevy Bow Tie emblem (available only in black for these cars) on a black panel mounted below the hatch glass. They comply with Chevrolet‘s variable but distinctive tail light design language of horizontal elements becoming vertical, and are very noticeable from the rear of the car.
These are simply driving lights, conveying no more information than the presence of the vehicle. The more important tail lights are located lower in the rear fascia, immediately below the liftgate of both the all-new Chevy Bolt EUV as well as the revised Chevy Bolt EV.
2022 Chevy Bolt EV
These smaller tail lights illuminate to show that the vehicle is braking. They also act as the turn signals of both Bolt models. That said, it’s strange that their functions are not being undertaken by the upper lights instead – especially since the whole point of high-level tail lights is to make it easier for following drivers to see when the vehicle is slowing down or about to turn.
The new Chevy Bolt models will go on sale this summer, priced to start at $31,995 for the 2022 Bolt EV and $33,995 for the 2022 Bolt EUV. They are mechanically identical, sharing the same GM BEV2 platform, battery and front-mounted permanent magnet electric motor. The motor drives the front wheels, and is rated at 200 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque.
The principle structural difference between the two vehicles is that the Bolt EUV is longer, giving rear seat passengers an extra 3.1 inches of legroom. GM is also differentiating the models by making several options – including ventilated front seats, roof rails and the Super Cruise semi-autonomous driver assistance system – available for the Bolt EUV, but not for the Bolt EV.
Be sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more Chevy Bolt EV news, Chevy Bolt EUV news, Chevrolet news and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
Well…this is unnecessarily idiotic.
Well that’s dumb. Let’s put the tail lights at one of the lowest point on the car…
I think it may be regulations? You cannot put brake/signal lights on any moving tailgate or moving part of the vehicle where they might get obscured if opened so they have to be on a fixed location.
Ding ding ding. Exactly.
FMVSS 108 S6.1.3.2 When multiple lamp arrangements for rear turn signal lamps, stop lamps, or taillamps are used, with only a portion of the lamps installed on a fixed part of the vehicle, the lamp or lamps that are installed to the non-fixed part of the vehicle will be considered auxiliary lamps.
More like DINGALING! Nothing in this says the outer stationary portion of the lights across the midsection of the Bolt EUV cannot be used for BRAKE LIGHTS! it only says that the moving portion (affixed to the hatch) will be merely auxiliary.
Honda, Toyota, Tesla, for Christ’s sake, ALL operate similar light configurations and the only difference… people driving BEHIND them ABSOLUTELY know when they are slowing and respond likewise,
Why?
Because that is where people have always looked for the brake lights just below the rear glass of a vehicle and to its outer edges!!
I really hope that GM has to suck it up with a big punitive charge when somebody gets stuck with a big lawsuit because they rear ended a Bolt EUV, and they claim in court that they could not see it. They will be absolutely awarded judgment because there is absolutely knowledge that GM is choosing to try to change the way people look for this common alert.
That is not reasonable that is irresponsible! That is putting innocent lives at risk both the ones that are driving there lumber wagon EUV’s (yes I am an owner now seeing a Chiropractor every other week due to poor ride quality) and those that could not be expected to avoid the rear ending of the EUV in fron of them because they did not plainly see its brakelights in their typical and “expected” line of sight!
There are enough visible light from the fixed portion of the tail light this wouldn’t be required. Even then, the Bolt figured it out with auxiliary tail lights that come on when the hatch us opened. They could have easily done this again with the bumper lights.
So every other hatch vehicle figures this out before this one? Why do EVs have to get “cute” with everything?
This isn’t the only Vehicle to do this. Several other CUVs do it as well.
The rear floor is higher to hold the batteries. To preserve cargo volume, and to be able to market a subcompact econo-hatchback to a upper-middle class buyer who would otherwise be buying a SUV, they had to make the hatch wider, losing the space for the taillights. (Call it what you want, the chassis is still basically a Chevy Spark/Trax)
Because women like “cute”, and that’s who 100% of their customers are.
Yeah, cause if you’re a MAN you better buy a lifted truck on mud boggers to prove it.
Seems like a safety hazard given the number of careless drivers on the road who may not notice these, but I hope I’m wrong.
don’t worry, 50% of drivers on the road dont seem to know how to use their turn signals anyways.
The Bolts could have vertical tail lights as in the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq.
Then they would be Cadillac Bolts
Les ingénieurs ne connaissent pas l’hiver. L’arrière bas du véhicule se remplit de neige.
I don’t get it. It has fixed lights at the bow tie level near the outside like the old Bolt on which, I believe, they show breaking and turn indication.
Another problem with the turn signals…they’re red!
But the old ones still have taillights on the fixed portion. Its a fed regulation. Still why not have them in both places
Law is the law. Should be sufficient. There now the only ones.
Would be nice if the brake lights would flash several times prior to going solid red when the brakes are applied. I see alot of motor cycle brake lights that do that. Certainly gets your attention.
Why no mention of the CHMSL? It does have the center high mounted stop light!
Another bad decision, no doubt made at the time, for all the right reasons. Can you say “Cost”?
Such a bad Idea. Hyundai and Kia have been doing this also. Only the car directly behind can see what you are doing. The second and third car behind you has no idea that you are braking.
Yet another byproduct of antiquated U.S. vehicle codes that don’t make any sense and require automakers do crazy things like this. Like others have said, the outer portion of the upper tail lights should have been the brake/turn signal lights but they can’t be because of our regulations. Instead we get the dummy lights in the bumper that no one will see and are more of a safety hazard by far. Same reason we can’t get a lot of the new headlight technology in the U.S. It’s not legal here.
This is FALSE! Regulations only prohibit placing the break light on the hatch (the portion of the vehicle that moves) Thus they ABSOLUTELY COULD AND SHOULD have placed them in the outer portion of the lens, as does Tesla and Toyota and Honda Etc!
This is exactly what those LED Light Strips from Amazon were made for. Install one in the small gap of your hatch and/or under your “spoiler” to increase visibility when braking or changing lanes.
It’s pretty clearly a cost-cutting move. The older Bolts do have the higher tailgate lights operating as stop lights, and they’re quite visible. But, because of the rules, they ALSO have tail lights in the bumper that illuminate when the tailgate is open. Turn signals have always been in the bumper (yellow in my 2017 rather than being shared with the red stop light). Moving everything to the bumper makes the circuitry for shifting the lights between tailgate and bumper unnecessary.
There is discussion in fan sites about how to make the tailgate lights act as stop lights again, or add LED strips up higher. It’s all very kludgy with odd side effects. Perhaps somebody can come up with a way to use whatever worked in the older ones?
Yes, the center high-mount stop light exists. It’s not as visible as the combination of that and the tailgate-mounted lights. Also note: with the high proportion of tall-front vehicles (pickups/SUVs/many crossovers) out there, moving the stop lights lower makes them nearly invisible to traffic behind you.
GM needs to FIX this and wire the OUTER Running Lights as Brake Lights ALSO! The position of the brake lights as they have installed is extremely deceiving to followers of the vehicle, as typically this area has been used for reflectors!!! Reflectors! The same size and shape are commmonly found in this exact area NOT Brake Lights! People are TRAINED to look at the upper most mounted vehicle lights for indication that a vehicle is slowing, so they can likewise respond by slowing to avoid a rear end collision. Whoever made this pathetic decision for brake light placement needs to be made to suffer thru every trial litigation for accidents as a result, and there have already been many!
This is a present and future liability to both vehicle owner and GM, as rear end collisions have always been considered 100% at fault for the one that is driving the vehicle that strikes the car in front of it. This could come into question in courts if the driver on trial for hitting a Bolt EUV from behind claims they literally did not SEE the brake lights come on! Then GM is going to be added as a defendent and have to pay HUGE sums in punitive damages because you all KNOW you made a mistake! The more affordable solution: Find a solution ASAP, whatever wiring you use to illuminate those lower “reflector area lights” split it, and run to the outer running lights! If the outer running lights need a split to be able to make this happen then DO IT! It is much cheaper to use wire snips, couple wire connectors and make the vehicle safe on the road than pay a billion dollar class action lawsuit or millions in Punitive Damages!
In the meantime, I suggest ALL Bolt EUV owners turn lights far right, to keep those “running” lights illuminated all the while driving, at least you may be seen sooner than later. And reduce your chances of being rear ended.