A few fresh information regarding the upcoming Chevy Bolt, which is anticipated to go on sale as a model year 2026 vehicle next year, were leaked by General Motors.
During a segment of today’s investor event, when the livestream was halted for “confidential” reasons so that the firm could display pictures of the still-unannounced car, GM president Mark Reuss hinted at the upcoming Bolt. Reuss’s lecture was still audible, though.
GM announced last year that it was stopping manufacture of the Bolt, but it subsequently stated that the EV would return as an Ultium car for 2025. (GM’s branding for their EV powertrains is likewise passing its prime.) As the firm prepares to unveil the next-generation Bolt, Reuss shared some fresh information.
Although Reuss did not specify how quickly, the next generation Bolt will charge in comparison to the present model. The current Bolt can add up to 100 miles in 30 minutes when plugged into a DC fast charger, however it absorbs electrons more slowly than most EVs on the market (50–55kW).
Faster charging would undoubtedly improve the next-generation Bolt’s reputation among prospective EV buyers, for whom charging is still a major drawback.
Reuss stated that we should anticipate a little more costly next-generation Bolt than the Bolt EUV, which has a starting price of $28,795. “And it will only be one Bolt, a member of a family that includes an even more affordable option,” he declared.
Reuss stated, “The 2026 Bolt will be a moneymaker for us and offer the same value as the original Bolt and much more.” “Consider that.”
It has already been disclosed that GM will only be transitioning the larger Bolt EUV to the automaker’s Ultium platform, rather than the original hatchback Bolt. It’s unclear exactly market niche the upcoming low-cost Bolt will inhabit without the hatchback.
When the Chevy Bolt EV was first released in 2016, it was meant to be the carmaker’s first attempt at producing a battery-electric car for the mainstream market that would be reasonably priced and have a range of more than 200 miles. Early in 2021, the company produced an updated model along with a somewhat larger EUV version.
But now that it’s returning, GM is already blowing its own trumpet. Reuss even took a go at Ford, which opened a “skunkworks” facility in Silicon Valley to produce new, affordable electric vehicles. He declared, “To create an affordable electric vehicle, we do not need to create a skunkworks.” “We are capable of doing this.”
