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After dropping hints earlier, right this moment GM CEO Mary Barra introduced that Chevy can be re-release its fashionable Chevy Bolt after it will get an Ultium makeover. The Boltium! After proudly owning two Bolts from 2017 till right this moment, together with different fashionable EVs from Tesla and others, I really feel like I’ve a good suggestion of what GM must succeed right here.
I need to say first that GM is beginning with a rare automotive within the Bolt that even right this moment fills the wants of many EV consumers. The Bolt has been bettering in gross sales, and this 12 months it’s doing higher than ever. However GM is well-known for killing its most cherished EVs.
What’s going to a brand new 2025 Bolt Ultium must need to make it profitable?
1. Quick NACS charging
The simplest and probably improve to the present Bolt is within the quick charging space. In 2017, when most quick chargers have been at 50kW, the 54kW max charging price of the Bolt made some sense. It wasn’t future proof, nevertheless it made sense and can be a ok expertise.
Nevertheless, loads modified from 2017-2023 together with the quick charging charges on most EVs stepping into the 200+kW with some vans hitting 300+kW; what didn’t change in 2023 was the Bolt’s 54kW quick charging velocity.
I’m not saying the Bolt and its small automotive battery must cost at 200+kW, although it might be good. I believe having 150kW charging over half the charging cycle would enable 20-minute quick charging stops. This needs to be pretty straightforward with GM’s modular Ultium batteries, which presently cost as much as 350kW and past on the Hummer and Silverado.
Add to that the NACS interface, which GM has already promised on its 2025 EVs, permitting the Bolt to cost at not solely its present charger choices however including Tesla’s very sturdy and ubiquitous community. With this setup, you possibly can just about kiss vary nervousness goodbye. Extra importantly, it might enable metropolis dwellers and people with on road parking to make use of the Bolt charging extra like a gasoline station as soon as each week or so.
Additionally Bolt house owners gained’t get ostracized at quick charging stations if they’re out and in in 20 minutes versus the present scenario the place they typically have to remain for over an hour.
2. RWD/AWD choice
For these of us that stay in snowy and hilly climates, the Bolt’s FWD is one thing that works for 350 days out of the 12 months. That’s advantageous for a 3rd automotive or in case you work at home, however being reliably capable of get out these snow days can be a pleasant addition.
I’m not saying I want one other 200hp motor (although that may be enjoyable!) however even a low energy 50 horsepower motor to energy the opposite set of wheels in an emergency scenario can be nice and value just a few thousand {dollars} for individuals who want it. GM really confirmed off a low energy motor to do that actual factor at its 2020 Battery Day occasion.
And since we discovered that the Blazer EV may be FWD, RWD or AWD, why not provide all of those choices for the Bolt? In the event that they aren’t going to make the 2x200hp model, I’d want my stronger motor within the rear. Oh, and the way about gentle towing for bikes and Residence Depot trailers?
3. Scorching hatch proud, not one other CUV
From the start, GM stored insisting the Bolt was an SUV, first calling it a “Micro-SUV” at launch. As a result of everybody desires an SUV?! Then it launched the EUV model that really regarded much more like a typical bland SUV. That added three extra inches of leg room within the again, but someway diminished the general inner area.
Properly guess what? Not everybody desires a giant honkin’ SUV! Even when they do, Chevy has each the Equinox and the Blazer to supply.
In actual fact, I believe GM might need been shocked again into actuality in any respect the hype and pleasure across the tiny 3.4 sec 0-60 Volvo EX30, which has remarkably related specs to the Chevy Bolt. I think about that basically helped get the Bolt off the chopping block with one thing like, “We might make this with nearly no effort.” In actual fact, Mary Barra has mentioned that the event time of the Ultium Bolt will probably be a lot shorter than regular.
I say embrace the new hatch kind issue that the Bolt has at all times embodied. Possibly decrease the stance a bit, make the roof flatter, the inside cleaner, and we’d have one thing fascinating right here.
4. Enhance the great issues, don’t take away them
GM CEO Mary Barra mentioned that the present Bolt costs might be improved by round 20% if it have been moved to Ultium platform and that ought to enable GM to make the automotive worthwhile with related specs.
I really preferred Chevy’s $1000 tie-in with Qmerit to put in a house charger. I, nonetheless, had a nasty expertise with that $1000 credit score that appears to be the fault of the supplier and the communications protocol that GM arrange between the sellers and Qmerit. GM ought to circumvent the sellers and determine a option to make that work loads higher; that, and/or proceed to supply a $500 EVgo credit score which is a pleasant option to begin up the quick charging expertise.
GM lately introduced it plans to finish smartphone projection in its upcoming EVs. Initially my tinfoil hat got here on, and I believed this was a option to decelerate their EV adoption price. After some discussions with the parents at GM, they genuinely assume their total expertise will probably be higher in the event that they do away with Apple and Google smartphone projection. I’ll say that CarPlay and Android Auto are higher than what GM presents in its in-car leisure presently, so it ought to proceed to supply these choices till clients now not assume they’re essential.
An alternate if GM thinks it might probably out-software Google and Apple: Simply put an iPad holder within the middle stack show space, and get out of the way in which.
5. Supplier enhancements
Chevy’s sellers, in my expertise, have gone from straight up EV hostile to complacent within the six years I’ve been coping with them, which is someway an enormous enchancment! I believe Chevy might do a variety of good right here following their cross city rivals at Ford:
- Make an EV aspect of the enterprise. Devoted salespeople who solely work in EVs and consultants who know them inside and outside. Individuals who really drive EVs to work and know fundamental electrical stuff.
- Make DC quick chargers necessary at Chevy dealerships. Subsidize them. Not solely would this assist present new house owners how briskly they’ll cost first hand, it might additionally provide a option to get clients again to the dealerships the place they’ll upsell all types of pointless stuff (haha). Once more, Ford is doing this and may have one of many largest DC quick charging networks within the US due to it.
If GM/Chevy can handle these 5 issues, I can nearly assure that the already profitable Bolt will do even higher in Ultium kind.
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