Plans to launch a next-generation Chevy Bolt EV were confirmed by GM when CEO Mary Barra announced the subcompact EV’s return during the automaker’s quarterly earnings conference call.
GM Authority previously reported on Barra’s remarks during an early summer interview when the executive said the “Bolt is something that has built up a lot of loyalty and equity” and added that she couldn’t discuss future projects, seemingly hinting at the return of the Chevy Bolt.
The General seemingly axed the Chevy Bolt EV and Chevy Bolt EUV from its lineup back in January of this year as was exclusively reported by GM Authority. Manufacture of the Bolt was to cease permanently once production of the 2023 Chevy Bolt EV and 2023 Chevy Bolt EUV wrapped up on November 7th, 2023 after a model year production run time of 16 months and 70,000 total units built.
The current Chevy Bolt is a relic of an earlier era in GM EV development, explaining why the vehicle was scheduled to be discontinued. The advent of GM Ultium batteries and GM Ultium Drive motors marked the beginning of GM’s third generation of electric vehicle tech, while the Bolt used second-generation technology.
Streamlining production of EVs for efficiency and cost purposes led GM to focus exclusively on the third-generation technology used in the GMC Hummer EV, Cadillac Lyriq, Chevy Silverado EV, Chevy Blazer EV, Chevy Equinox EV, and others. Maintaining a parallel production line and technology branch for the Chevy Bolt alone would have been inefficient and likely costly.
Now, however, the Chevy Bolt is to rise phoenix-like from the ashes with a fresh, third-generation technology lease on life. GM plans on “updating the vehicle with Ultium and Ultifi technologies,” Mary Barra said during the earnings call.
She added that use of the third-gen tech will “significantly lower engineering expense and capital investment.” It will enable developing the new Chevy Bolt “more quickly compared to an all-new program.” This “will keep the momentum going” with GM customers, whom she said “love today’s Bolt.”
Barra praised the Chevy Bolt as one of GM’s more successful nameplates, noting it “has been delivering record sales and some of the highest customer satisfaction and loyalty scores in the industry.” She added that the small, chunky EV is “also an important source of conquest sales for the company and for Chevrolet.”
GM says that further details about the next-generation Chevy Bolt will be released at a future date, along with more specific information on when it can be expected to debut and launch. It’s unclear at the moment which platform the Bolt will be built on, and where the vehicle will be manufactured, as the GM Lake Orion plant in Michigan will be retooled to build Chevy Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV units.
Even as the current-generation Chevy Bolt EV and EUV enter their final few months of production, they continue to generate sales and revenue, with the Bolt outselling all but a handful of GM models in Canada.
The current Chevy Bolt rides on the GM BEV2 platform and is produced at the GM Lake Orion plant in Michigan.
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Comments
Yay that’s good news. I love my 2020 Bolt! My guess is production will move to Mexico but we’ll see. Super curious to see what kind of range values and metrics the Ultium platform Bolt will have
It is good news. If it has a big jump in fast charging then I’ll trade my Honda HRV in and get one. My 2023Bolt is great for 99% of my driving, I just need a fast charger for trips.
A Chevy Bolt with the NACS Charging port will be a huge product for GM if priced correctly.
Must have at least 150kW DC Fast charging though.
bolt is kinda small, current gen has 65kwh capacity battery
If the logic is right, on the blazer ev, the big battery should be in 100kwh.
The max reported DC speed is 190kw (Yet to be validated).
So, if next gen bolt sticks to 65kwh, then
x = 65/100 * 190 = 123.5kw.
I don’t think it works that way. The Hyundai Ioniq has a 77kwh battery and can charge up to 350kw/h. I would anticipate an Ultium Bolt to charge at the same speed as the Chevy Equinox EV, which is a respectable 150kw/h.
I’m just making apple to Apple ultium acheitecture. Hummer has 212kwh battery and it is currently the fastest in terms of kW pulling from a DC charger. The Hyundai has an 800V battery. GM varries with batteries sizes.
This is good news. If they can have similar range and price with around a 125-150 kW DC fast charge this would be ideal. Hopefully switching to Ultium would allow that.
Where is that poster that was crying in every Bolt post about how he was going to buy a Polestar wah wah wah?
I could see this coming. The Bolt is too good of a car to cancel out. Despite the early issues with battery fires that could have killed it, its sales have spiked upwards as people more and more have come to realize its desirability as an entry level EV.
I bought a Bolt in 2017 and still love to get in and take it for a spin.
Kudos GM, affordability is a major issue. I have owned a 2012 Volt, 2020 Bolt and currently a 2023 Bolt EV. The Bolt is at a price point most would make it worth trying. Mass production of entry level EV’s will draw younger consumers into the fold. High volume, low cost is the key to profitability. Good luck GM!
Not that Excited … to wait .. but Let`s see how horrible this come, if from Saic GM Shanghai or Pacific California Detroit Studio
Where is it built? The Orion plant is impossible because it produces new EV pickups, and Springhill and Arizpe are impossible because of the production capacity. SAIC-GM Chinese factory is not considered because the U.S. government will not see them as good. I think the next generation Bolt is very likely to be produced in Korea.
From what I understand, the Orion plant got a addition (including a new paint shop) which was similar to a new assembly plant. Also, there was a lot of empty space from when they revamped it about 12 years ago to make the Sonic.
Spring Hill seems to have doubled in size too.
Korean factorie is more empty than Orion. Bupyeong II factory is empty because Malibu finished production in Korea a few months ago. GM can produce vehicles there at any time. All the facilities are normal because it has just been shut down. And GM Korea workers are demanding the production of electric cars there.
If it’s made in Korea count me and a lot of others out. I have always said that if I want a Korean import, I’d buy a Hyundai or Kia.
Making it in Korea means it won’t qualify for the $7500 tax credit.
GM ‘officially’ claims manufacturing costs and efficiency are more important than IRA.
Is those ashes the phoenix is rising from from a garage that burned down in an EV fire?
Bolt has had 18 fires, and GM replaced the packs. Tesla has had over 200 fires, and all Tesla did was reduce battery capacity in software update. Maybe take your FUD elsewhere.
EV fires: 25/100,000. ICE-vehicle fires: 1,530.
The next Bolt would be perfect if it came in hatchback form like the current model in FWD. then an EUV which has a bit more ground clearance in FWD/eAWD and then an EUT in FWD/eAWD.
Prices starting in the low$20s.
From 250-300 miles with quick charging.
A wise decision.
The Chevrolet Bolt, the people’s EV. Very good news to hear that GM aren’t the fools we think them to be, at least not all the time. GM couldn’t give up on the Bolt despite the battery fire debacle, with the current Bolt EV and EUV the nameplate sparked a remarkable comeback! Cant wait to see the upcoming Bolt offerings.
I just hope that they don’t make it any larger, and that they keep it’s comparatively sleek design(as opposed to the current SUV chunky trend), -as I once again plan on getting one in a few years.
If they make more features subscription only, I’m out. What happens when the cellular tech changes generation again and they can’t communicate with the cars? That’s why Onstar stops working on cars more than several years old. It is aggressively anti-customer and terrible for anyone that can’t afford new or nearly new cars.
GM is in the Business of selling profit generating New cars..
Your concerns mean zippy to them…
If this includes bidirectional charge capability and consideration to be an electric Honda Fit, they’ve got my money coming their way.
So this is good. I will be eagerly waiting to see what they do with it. Will they give the Bolt a proper place or will they turn it into yet another CUV only vehicle?
But here’s the rub. Just like the Trax where GM announced they were killing off the Trax way back and then months later came out and announced the all new Trax. Why? This is the exact same thing they have done with the Bolt. Why? Do these people not understand simple marketing or did (in both cases) they actually plan to fully kill each vehicle and then changed course due to backlash? It’s not a good way of doing business.
The second part of the rub will be pricing. There are probably more people like me who care little about the “newer” tech and the Ultium platform, etc. We are more interested in economy and pricing. We don’t need to drive a fat pig Hummer just to be seen. We appreciate a lower tech to higher value vehicle. So let’s wait and see where GM prices this “new Bolt” and how it looks. Although I feel this is good news, I’m not jumping for joy just yet. After all, this is GM we are talking about.
Hey Dan, glad for you getting Bolt production back, I know that when they made the announcement a month ago you were pretty upset. I feel I have to address your comment on “backlash”. I know you and I have a good amount of knowledge about the automotive industry so you may want to rethink your backlash comment. It takes 3 to 5 years for an automobile to go from concept to production.
I think that when GM made those announcements about the Trax and Bolt being taken out of production, they probably meant out of production as we know them. Just as the same statements that were made about the Camaro and Malibu. Now where finding concepts of the Camaro and Malibu EV’s being talked about. While I want nothing to do with EV’s, it’s a good thing that those two iconic names will live on.
Just food for thought
Peace, brother
AL
You very well could be 100% correct. So maybe I need to say that GM could do a better job of communication about the plans. Being in this business, I have found that when a brand kills (or says they are killing off) a model, the fire sale buyers start to come out. People read or hear about this stuff and word via internet and specific sites travels fast. To me, that hurts a model. But let’s see what happens here. All I can say is that I am totally happy with my Bolt.
It creates a lot of buzz in the media and then as you say, people rush to go buy it.
If they announce or reveal the replacement too sooon, people stop buying the current generation as they wait for the new model.
If you are so dissatisfied with gm , there are lots of other car manufacturers , so just switch and be done with it.
I come on this site to hear about GM news and very much like their products.
Not all products are for all people , so if you don’t have confidence in gm, that a choice you can make , just make the switch , if its Hyundai / KIA etc , then go on their sites and share your views.
After all this is gm and they cannot please everyone!!
give me one branch today which has a beauty car, all stylish correct … can not found any
Were you drunk when you wrote this?
Maybe the Ren Center has a walk-back room. I imagine Barra spends a lot of time there.
So although what you said ^^ is something I would say, the real “Dan B” didn’t say that. So whomever you are, can you grow up and use your own info for posting? Seriously, grow up.
This is the one that I did NOT post: “GM could of been smart and announced that a few months ago when they announced the end of production for the Bolt.
But that would require GM to be smart which isn’t possible with Mary Barra running the show. Even more comical is seeing her blame suppliers for the slow EV rollout.”
Didn’t they do this with Trax, saying it was axed and then releasing an all-new Trax a few months later? Sounds like one of three things: Engineers are in charge of strategic marketing and press releases, GM is really changing their minds based on public sentiment, or they were planning on these all-new vehicles all along but with new names, but they decided to just keep the name. I’m thinking the last one.
I’m curious which nameplate has more equity in it at this point, Volt or Bolt? I always felt like Volt sounded better and it had an extremely loyal following like Bolt, it’s just that it was a plug in hybrid and the bolt could not be a volt when they existed at the same time. Would have been interesting to see the volt name again.
I’d be interested in a Volt return all the way around. Love that thing!!
GM made a mistake in going all out for EVs when hybrids would help wean us of the ICE. Cold turkey rarely works.
Oh boy. Try selling or trading your old Bolt and getting top dollar. Perfect example of how a change in EV technology will kill your trade in value, or when the things eight years old and the dealer asks if you changed your battery pack. EV’s are disposable appliances, not cars.
My wife will never give up her Bolt, so it won’t matter if resale value drops. I’ll buy the new Bolt if they give me the option of a larger battery and it can DC fast charge. My 2016 HRV will be on the Carvana rollback the same day I buy the new one. Big oil and OPEC will never have me by the nuts 🥜 again. 😂
To each their own. Do you really believe electric is going to stay cheap? Not a chance! Carvana ?? You’ll get nothing from that vending machine.
Hopefully it will be at a lower price point than the current Bolt and get 300 miles of range.
I get 300 miles in the summer.
Hopefully they up the speed of DC charging to at least 100 and miles to 300+ OR at least the option to buy it with those features for those who would pay for that upgrade. A smart move on the latest platform as a sub to the Equinox and should continue to do very well on the latest Ultium Bev3 platform.
Going to be a tough decision if GM does not support CarPlay.
I have a 2012 Escalade Hybrid. Fantastic drivetrain. Bring the Hybrid platforms back
Smart move, the Bolt has earned a good reputation. Moving to the Ultium system brings a host of advantages:
– Multiple battery sizes possible. Ultium module is 8.8 kWh. The battery inverter allows the battery to be increased in size by adding two modules per step. So current size of the Bolt battery compartment would allow 4, 6 or 8 module batteries (35.2, 52.8, 70.4 KWH).
– Ability to easily swap modules for repair even with differing chemistry.
– Battery cost will be cheaper.
– Faster DC quick charging.
– Retain similar performance with Ultium FWD small motor (180-210 HP), but FWD now possible with Ultium 90HP AWD Assist motor.
– Ultium heat pump will be 4-6X more efficient than current resistive heating.
Great news:
NACS, Frunk, Crossover design with slightly higher ground clearance, $25K price tag for 200 mile (320 km) range battery, multiple battery options. All these will be good. Having AWD option will be preferable. Hope their Ultium arch helps them in mass producing and making profit.
Just 1 model is enough, no need for the EV/EUV which only costs more to design 2 different models.
Price is very important.
Tesla/VW are coming up with $25K EV, so its important GM also has 1 EV in that range.
Sorry famlin, buy why on earth do we need yet another crossover? Seriously, why?
If you want a CUV/SUV, you have tons of vehicles to choose from. I beg GM to NOT turn the Bolt into yet another crossover.
Simple reskin of Buick Electra 4 will make for a fantastic Bolt. A Chevy front facia and rear would really be enough and such a model could hit roads next year.
The only problem there is the Buick is about 2 feet longer than the Bolt.
Marketing is more important than GM realizes. I own a Bolt and work at a Mini Cooper dealership and the Bolt has potential that needs to be unleashed. Young and old consumers love Mini because it is different and customizable. The Bolt designers need to study the Mini playbook, make the exterior and interior unique to the brand. Saturn tried to do that, to some extent. After all GM was the first domestic to make an entry level EV, just build on it, while staying with the original formula. It has a lot of brand equity, just like the EV1. Go for it General!
If it’s available with AWD, sign me up.
Isn’t it strange that GM has the distinct advantage of having produced the EV1. It was never sold retail, but most people realize GM was behind the first electrical propulsion car. The EV1 ads were awesome, it’s really a shame GM didn’t capitalize on the concept back in the 90’s! But, they still can with the Bolt, it’s the Beetle Bug of the 21st century! Small cars have always been a favorite staple of every generation. Bolt EV, EUV, what’s next??? A Bolt El Camino or coupe. GM could finally hit a grand slam with the Bolt with the evolution of the brand. It’s a great opportunity to seize the entry level market.
My two favorite cars, 22 LT1 Camaro and 23 EV Bolt were GM casualties until the Bolt was put on life support! I’m thrilled that GM reconsidered, the 22 Bolt was a huge improvement with better seats and instrument panel. I would only add about an extra inch of travel in the suspension on my 23 EV, it’s like a Swiss Army knife. It’s a complete package!
My 2012 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid gets 529 miles on a full tank on the highway. We can go from Elizabeth to a location and back the truck might be a little muddy on the way back 😎.
Just had a crazy idea: what if GM fixed the shortcomings of the current Bolt for the next gen Bolt?
1. Lower roof, wider car for improved shoulder room and stability (and less ugly looks).
2. Fully independent rear suspension for better ride and handling. It’s not that expensive to manufacture, Honda and Toyota offer it on their economy cars.
3. Optional high capacity battery for over 300 mile range.
4. Optional rear motor.
5. Keep CarPlay and Android Auto.
Too much to ask?
The general public doesn’t share your opinion of the Bolt. Chevy is selling everyone they make. The decision to keep making it comes from this fact. The idea that I can drive it 200 miles for $5.20 worth of electricity is a phenomenal reason to own this vehicle.
It would sell even better if GM made it an even better car.
The low operating cost you cite is true of any small EV so GM will need to differentiate it from competitors in other ways as more automakers introduce entry level EVs. They could of course wait until sales slow and then think about improvements, that’s the old GM I remember.
Overall I like the Bolt and expect to replace my Volt with one in the next year. It’s better now that GM fixed the seats and upgraded the interior. I’ve owned ugly cars before so that’s not a big deal but man if I could get a dual motor Bolt then I’d have replaced my Volt years ago.
I hope you get a choice for a dual-motor Bolt, that would interest me also. The seats are much better, the cloth ones are a little softer than the leather though, keep that in mind. Price wise it’s going to have to be lower than the Equinox EV, that’s going to be a win for everyone.
If you’re tall, lower roof is a non-starter. If you live in an urban area, wider is a loser. Some people want or need smaller cars.
Too much to ask if you want to keep a low price.
Everything you just listed sounds like the Equinox EV.