In a current press launch, Chevrolet introduced that they’re bringing the Bolt again. Particulars are nonetheless skinny at the moment, however I wish to cowl some background (the cancellation), what we all know to date, and why they’re doing this. Lengthy story quick: that is yet one more instance of EVs profitable over customers, regardless of appreciable headwinds!

The Cancellation

Earlier this yr, CleanTechnica coated the Bolt’s cancelation in a number of articles. Moderately than cowl that subject right here once more, I’ll briefly summarize them and level you to these different articles for additional particulars.

My colleague Steve first coated the cancelation itself right here. As a Bolt proprietor, I in all probability would have coated it first, however Steve’s faster to the draw than I’m most days, so he obtained it. However, as standard, he did an amazing job, in all probability a greater job than I might have. He defined the historical past of the Bolt, each the nice and the sick, and known as it a “profitable failure,” an evaluation I agree with. Certain, there have been issues with fires that in all probability led to the cancelation, however on the identical time, it was a groundbreaking automobile for GM that led the corporate to raised issues which are coming to fruition later this yr.

Since then, Steve once more reported on the potential of a future Bolt. See, I advised you he’s a fast draw! He reported not solely on the rumor, however did some glorious evaluation of the scenario, particularly how essential an EV within the Bolt’s worth phase is. He additionally identified that it could in all probability be rather a lot simpler for GM to show a revenue on an Ultium-based model of the automobile, making for one thing the corporate can do long run and never as a quasi-compliance automobile.

Regardless that I used to be gradual, I did write about this myself. My large level was that it was financially needed to finish the BEV II platform (the one which underpins the Bolt and Bolt EUV) and substitute its manufacturing area with Ultium manufacturing. However, GM can also’t simply abandon the $25,000–$35,000 market phase and solely produce costly EVs that folks with larger than common incomes can afford. That may each be unhealthy for the corporate and unhealthy for the EV transition.

So, it was considerably inevitable that GM would re-enter that phase, nevertheless it was removed from certain that GM would do that underneath the Bolt nameplate.

GM’s Bringing The Bolt Again

In a current convention name, GM CEO Mary Barra introduced the return of the Bolt, and gave some particulars.

“Our clients love at the moment’s Bolt. It has been delivering document gross sales and among the highest buyer satisfaction and loyalty scores within the business,” mentioned Barra. “It’s additionally an essential supply of conquest gross sales for the corporate and for Chevrolet.”

She went on to say that they’re going to have the ability to get to manufacturing pretty shortly. The plan is to replace the automobile with Ultium and Ultifi applied sciences, which means higher batteries, charging speeds, and software program. However, what precisely “replace the automobile” means remains to be open to hypothesis. They may adapt the prevailing BEV II tooling to simply accept Ultium battery modules, making for a quick journey to manufacturing, however they may resolve to go all-in on Ultium and have to revamp many of the automobile. It’s unclear what’s happening there, however I’ll let you realize what GM says about that after they get again to me.

Why, Although?

In case you’re a Tesla fan who likes to chortle on the expense of GM, this transfer might sound odd. In spite of everything, the Bolt sucks, and it was a hearth hazard, proper? However, solely specializing in the unfavorable means you’d miss out on the optimistic facet of the Bolt and the love folks nonetheless have for its nameplate.

From a {dollars} and cents perspective, it’s a beneficial model for GM’s EV future. First off, regardless of the fireplace recall, gross sales for the Bolt and Bolt EUV have been rather a lot stronger than anticipated for GM in 2022–2023. The worth drop should’ve had rather a lot to do with this, however on the identical time, if all public notion was that of Tesla Twitter (or X, or no matter Elon Musk desires it to determine as lately), there’s no worth at which these document gross sales might have occurred.

In different phrases, the automobile’s fame was sturdy sufficient to climate the recall storm and are available out swinging. GM says 80% of Bolt homeowners caught with Chevrolet for his or her subsequent automobile, and 70% of Bolt homeowners ditched one other model to purchase their Bolt. So, it’s clearly a automobile that may assist GM get critical EV gross sales sooner or later.

I do know some will nonetheless discover all of this unusual and unbelievable, however as a Bolt proprietor myself, I believe I can provide perspective on why the Bolt model has created some actual worth for itself.

To begin with, it was inexpensive. Not everybody has $40,000+ (typically a whole lot of +) to purchase a automobile. So, the opposite choices on the market are simply not inside attain. The one alternate options in that worth vary in prior years have been one thing just like the Nissan LEAF, a automobile that tends to overheat on highway journeys, together with some plugin hybrids (that are getting dear, too). Individuals want a automobile they’ll truly purchase, and no quantity of “Simply purchase a Tesla, bruh!” or tax credit that don’t apply on the time of sale can overcome that.

It’s additionally true that not everybody desires a Tesla. Even when inexpensive, many individuals simply don’t need a barren, brutalist inside. Individuals typically need issues like a flip sign stalk, a number of buttons for probably the most generally used programs, and *GASP!* a gauge cluster show that’s in entrance of them whereas dealing with ahead. A few of us don’t wish to use a touchscreen to intention the AC vents once we might simply try this with our fingers like we’ve at all times performed, and extra shortly. A few of us additionally aren’t impressed with Elon Musk’s edgy habits.

No offense of any variety is meant to individuals who like Teslas, Elon Musk, and excessive minimalism (learn: value financial savings that don’t get handed on to you), however you’ve obtained to know that totally different folks have totally different tastes and desires, and that they’re higher served by different autos typically.

And charging networks? The following-gen Bolt will in all probability have a NACS connector. In the event that they’re out sooner than 2025, the primary mannequin yr is likely to be CCS with an accessible adapter for Superchargers. So, not actual benefit there. Even so, my expertise charging my Bolt has not been unhealthy in any respect, and I’ve taken some lengthy highway journeys in it.

My subsequent EV will in all probability must be one thing with extra inside area, just like the upcoming Equinox EV, however for now, I’m very proud of the Bolt. It serves my wants, it has a minimalism-to-feature steadiness that higher fits my tastes, and most significantly of all, it’s an EV. If I might swap in an Ultium pack and get 150 kW charging, it could be nearly good.

Featured picture by Jennifer Sensiba.

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