Chevrolet Bolt returns to the bow tie brand’s EV lineup! But it never actually went away.
Just a few months ago automotive news reports had Chevy saying goodbye to the Bolt electric vehicle. But flipping a complete U-turn. During its most recent earnings call, GM brass says the next-gen Bolt is now on the way.
Chevrolet Bolt Returns!
Chevrolet’s first mass-produced, all-electric vehicle is returning to the brand’s ever-growing lineup of EVs. This news came during GM’s most recent earnings conference call. When GM’s Chair and CEO, Mary Barra, made the announcement. Although it was light on details. More information is being forecasted, soon-ish.
Keeping Bolt Seems The Smart Move
And keeping Chevy Bolt seems to make a whole lot of sense. Because with the announcement, Barra shared compelling stats. For example, 70% of Bolt buyers are trading in a non-GM product. Even more, 80% of Bolt owners are staying loyal to the Chevrolet brand.
What Were They Thinking Getting Rid Of Bolt?
In the car business (or any biz) this is referred to as conquest sales. Aka stealing market share from your competitors. So, why were they thinking of getting rid of Bolt in the first place? With such a clear winner for the brand, who would want to kill it?
The answer is; who knows? Maybe internal politics. Or, perhaps external politics. Then again, it could be a mix of both. All of the above or something completely different. That tends to be the car business.
So What’s New For Next-Gen Chevy Bolt?
This leads us to the obvious question. What’s going to be new when the next-generation Chevrolet Bolt returns? Well, that’s the light-on-details portion of the announcement. During the call, Barra stated the return of the Chevy Bolt will continue delivering great affordability, range, and technology. Plus that it will include GM’s Ultium and Ultifi tech.
Ultium Technology
Ultium technology is GM’s new electric vehicle architecture. And most all legacy carmakers that are getting into EVs (which is pretty much everyone) have some version of this. EVs have far fewer moving parts than internal combustion engine vehicles – aka ICE vehicles.
GM Ultium EV platform
At the same time, EVs need heavy batteries to operate. And the solution to reengineering the vehicle from the ground up. Creating a platform for the car that’s skateboard-like. With the battery across the floor of the vehicle but inside the wheelbase. Then putting the electric motor(s) between the front and or rear wheels.
So taking this ‘platform’ a step further. It can be adjusted for various vehicle wheelbases, lengths, widths, and tracks.
Ultifi Technology
And as Utlium is to the hardware layout of the next-gen Chevy Bolt, Ultifi will be to the software system. Because Ultifi is GM’s end-to-end software designed to interface the vehicle to the driver and their ever-increasingly digital lives.
This will include over-the-air updates along with different features, apps, and services.
Sidebar: It’s surprising that Bolt didn’t have Ultium and Ultifi tech already. But as EVs have been evolving it was probably instrumental in helping to develop both in the first place.
Next-Generation – Chevrolet Bolt Returns – When?
During GM’s 2023 first-quarter earnings call Mary Barra announced the Chevrolet Bolt’s retirement. And most recently, during the 2023 second-quarter earnings call Barra announced the Bolt’s continuation and next-generation to come. So, perhaps it will be during GM’s third-quarter earnings call we’ll learn more details about the next-generation Chevrolet Bolt return. Stay tuned.
