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2026 Bolt Competitors - speculation

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8.3K views 52 replies 24 participants last post by  usedBolt  
U
#1 ·
I still have my eye on a 26 Bolt when (if) it arrives. But it looks now like it won't have the ~$30K market to itself. As I'm seeing it now:

Kona - the perennial Bolt competitor, recently updated, still a bit on the high-priced side but Hyundai may have room to finesse that. Possibly more of an Equinox competitor at present price.
Leaf - new version expected based on the Ariya platform, bigger (and managed and liquid-cooled) battery, but priced in Equinox/Kona territory
Toyota C-HR+ - recently announced as an electric subcompact-crossover, below the bZ (the upgraded current bZ4X). No price info yet, but appears to be targeted at the low end with base trim, low $30Ks, so Bolt with a few options might be in its crosshairs.

What else? Ford seems to have fallen off the map as far as new EVs are concerned. Tesla will have a $25K model ... when? Chevy will have a range of Bolts including a smaller, less costly one (like the original Bolt?) ... when?

Anyway, a New Bolt looks on paper like it would be a cromulent replacement for The Olde Prius we're currently driving. We'll see. Fall might be interesting if any of these introductions happen, though the base Equinox will probably move upmarket once the Bolt appears, challenging the $35K model for cost-conscious buyers.
 
U
#37 ·
Solid state remains a dream, and the soonest something might appear would be ~2030; even then, it'll be a high-end option for relatively extreme power/range, and potentially short-lived (working lifetime remains an issue). Sodium appears to work well, but it's lower capacity than lithium-ion (NMC). Probably a competitor for LFP batteries, but NMC Lithium will still be preferred for higher power/longer range products.

Anybody remember the sodium-sulfur batteries Ford used in a few electric lease-only models (late 90s/early 00s). They were interesting because, unlike the preferred NiMH at the time, they only worked when the guts were molten, at several hundred degrees, so cold starts could take a while (talk about "warm up"...).

Batteries can be made out of all sorts of things. Yes, it is physically and electrically possible to wire up a potato and see power produced, but you'd get far better range by eating it and going for a walk than trying to connect it to your Bolt! :ROFLMAO:
 
#5 ·
There's lots of used Bolts and EUV's available. Depreciation is high on these cars so getting a used one with low miles can be a very good deal. I have a fully loaded 23 EUV and have no desire for a Equinox EV or a 26 Bolt. I know my car's weak point is a slow DC charge speed, but I love everything else about it including that it has Apple Carplay which is not available on the Equinox or the 26 Bolt. I know they will charge faster on DC but don't really offer anything else. I rarely use DC charging and when I do I just have to be patient. The EUV only has a 65kwh battery which is less than many competitors so slower charging works out to similar charging times to other vehicles because they have a larger pack.
 
#12 · (Edited)
bisco said:
i think they both look good. i would have preferred the ev, but they had stopped making them.
maybe lucked out with the euv ride quality, i'll never know.
Click to expand...
We have one of each, a 2022 EV (bought used in November) and a 2023 EUV and we believe the EUV rides a bit better. The additional weight plus the slightly longer wheelbase should help.

Also, if anything the EUV is a bit quieter too. The steel body panels vs the aluminum on the EV should help a bit in that department. The steel doors certainly close with more of a solid thud than the aluminum doors on my little Bolt. It is nice how much easier it is to raise the aluminum hood on my little Bolt though, but how much do I need to do that?

We both prefer the EUV for trips, and my wife prefers it around town too. So that's her car. I like my little Bolt around town because it has a bit more pep.
 
2
#15 ·
What I heard, and it's really important we get this confirmed as soon as possible is that: The 2026 New Chevy BOLT, is going to be built in Mexico in order to be cost effective long term since EV incentives are disappearing Has anyone else heard this? If true, it mean's say the MSRP for the 1LT TRIM that was like 28K for the USA market, we'll be sold at this price point but not qualify for any further EV discounts due to it's production done in Mexico, and who know's might effectively cost well beyond 30,000 due to special international tariff restrictions.
 
#16 · (Edited)
Have you heard that the below information straight from GM is no longer correct? My understanding is that the retooling has been underway since last fall. Plus, I was also under the impression that having new product at Fairfax was part of the agreement GM signed with the UAW. Also, GM is now under pressure to move or at least retain more production in the US. They currently lag Ford in that regard.
Image

GM USA Operations
 
#38 · (Edited)
It's still on as of this GM press release dated today, June 10th. Now it looks like a 2027 which kinda makes sense. The end of this year is rather late for a 2026. The 2026 MY has already started.
Image

At one time, Orion was to produce EV pickups next. Now its ICE vehicles. The EV pickups will continue to be produced only at Factory Zero (formerly Detroit-Hamtramck) along with the Hummer EVs.

These are the plants that will be expanding production in the US.
Image

GM to invest $4 billion in its US manufacturing plants
 
#21 · (Edited)
usedBolt said:
I still have my eye on a 26 Bolt when (if) it arrives. But it looks now like it won't have the ~$30K market to itself. As I'm seeing it now:

Kona - the perennial Bolt competitor, recently updated, still a bit on the high-priced side but Hyundai may have room to finesse that. Possibly more of an Equinox competitor at present price.

Leaf - new version expected based on the Ariya platform, bigger (and managed and liquid-cooled) battery, but priced in Equinox/Kona territory

Toyota C-HR+ - recently announced as an electric subcompact-crossover, below the bZ (the upgraded current bZ4X). No price info yet, but appears to be targeted at the low end with base trim, low $30Ks, so Bolt with a few options might be in its crosshairs.

What else? Ford seems to have fallen off the map as far as new EVs are concerned. Tesla will have a $25K model ... when? Chevy will have a range of Bolts including a smaller, less costly one (like the original Bolt?) ... when?
Click to expand...
I'm driving a 2024 Kona Electric SEL right now, halfway through a very cheap 2-yr lease, so I'll be in the market as of this time next year. Before this I got very close to pulling the trigger on the last-gen Bolt, but the lingering battery problem fallout, CCS socket, NACS announcements, and GM killing the model combined to chill my interest.

I was glad to hear the Bolt's soon to be back on the menu, but I need to start off addressing the elephant in the room (at least for me) - if GM's sticking to their guns and omitting AAuto/CarPlay from the new Bolt, that's a no-sale. The Bolt is a value-focused EV which I'll be using as a second car, and paying some unknown price monthly on an 8-yr-old car (when OnStar Basics expires) to subscribe to features built-in to my Android phone (if only I had AAuto to access it!) is not consistent with that value-focused mission. If I want to pay for OnStar added features, that's my choice, but losing iOS or Android apps just because GM's too greedy to let me use my phone's data plan is a deal-killer. Either they snap out of it or they are dead to me - screw their "recurring revenues". If they have an epiphany and realize maybe Bolts need to be let off this particular hook, it'll be on my shopping list. Let's see what turns up.

Back to Hyundai-Kia - Kona pricing might look Equinox-ish, but in reality Hyundai's been slapping $7500 incentives on these (at least thru July 7, though that's been bumped out more than once so we'll see), and that's a discount off <$33k for small-battery SE (admittedly not all that easy to find). So no, not really in Equinox territory, and currently probably the best deal out there on a broadly useful BEV (currently flat out cheaper than a Fiat 500e, which would need to be a lot cheaper to justify its more limited utility). If things are roughly like this come May/June '26, a Kona Electric N-Line (the real sweet spot trim for me if I don't fully cheap out) is definitely high on my list.

Apart from the Kona, I'm a bit unclear on what's going on w/H-K. The EV3 is an obvious winner for me, but for some reason the only compact EV Kia U.S. is featuring on their web site as "coming soon" is the EV4 sedan, more car than I want - and no word on when we can expect EV3. If that's available soon enough that I don't have to pay "hot new model" premium it's probably a winner, but definitely on the list.

The Japanese continue to flounder. I've little reason to believe Nissan's LEAF will be competitively priced for purchase given the way Ariya's been priced (like Ariya it might wind up with some sweetheart lease deals, but I'm not particularly interested in staying on the leasing merry-go-round). With the Ariya already in the mix, I really wish Nissan had targeted a LEAF replacement well below it, but no dice. Pricing will tell all.

The big whiff for me was the C-HR+. I was initially intrigued to hear Toyota was bringing a sub-BZ4x BEV to the U.S. market (wife's a big Toyo fan so it would be the easiest buy for us), but then found out it's only being offered with AWD and a big battery, so likely priced ABOVE the base model new BZ. These guys absolutely cannot shoot straight, I'm guessing because they've continued to defer the kind of investments needed to make their EV supply chain and manufacturing more cost-effective.

And yeah, Ford's got the "skunkworks" toiling away in CA building who knows what, but it won't be delivered next year, so irrelevant for me.

Stellantis? Who has a whole stable of affordable BEVs in Europe, including Jeep models, that they refuse to sell here? But they bring in the near-useless 500e? And proudly present the Charger Daytona, the single most ridiculous BEV announcement of recent years? Yeah, too stupid to live.

Given the overall mix, GM's just one sensible announcement away from getting me into a showroom. But if they're not budging on AAuto/CarPlay, it's almost certainly H-K for me.
 
M
#22 ·
vike said:
I'm driving a 2024 Kona Electric SEL right now, halfway through a very cheap 2-yr lease, so I'll be in the market as of this time next year. Before this I got very close to pulling the trigger on the last-gen Bolt, but the lingering battery problem fallout, CCS socket, NACS announcements, and GM killing the model combined to chill my interest.

I was glad to hear the Bolt's soon to be back on the menu, but I need to start off addressing the elephant in the room (at least for me) - if GM's sticking to their guns and omitting AAuto/CarPlay from the new Bolt, that's a no-sale. The Bolt is a value-focused EV which I'll be using as a second car, and paying some unknown price monthly on an 8-yr-old car (when OnStar Basics expires) to subscribe to features built-in to my Android phone (if only I had AAuto to access it!) is not consistent with that value-focused mission. If I want to pay for OnStar added features, that's my choice, but losing iOS or Android apps just because GM's too greedy to let me use my phone's data plan is a deal-killer. Either they snap out of it or they are dead to me - screw their "recurring revenues". If they have an epiphany and realize maybe Bolts need to be let off this particular hook, it'll be on my shopping list. Let's see what turns up.

Back to Hyundai-Kia - Kona pricing might look Equinox-ish, but in reality Hyundai's been slapping $7500 incentives on these (at least thru July 7, though that's been bumped out more than once so we'll see), and that's a discount off <$33k for small-battery SE (admittedly not all that easy to find). So no, not really in Equinox territory, and currently probably the best deal out there on a broadly useful BEV (currently flat out cheaper than a Fiat 500e, which would need to be a lot cheaper to justify its more limited utility). If things are roughly like this come May/June '26, a Kona Electric N-Line (the real sweet spot trim for me if I don't fully cheap out) is definitely high on my list.

Apart from the Kona, I'm a bit unclear on what's going on w/H-K. The EV3 is an obvious winner for me, but for some reason the only car Kia U.S. is featuring on their web site as "coming soon" is the EV4 sedan, more car than I want - and no word on when we can expect EV3. If that's available soon enough that I don't have to pay "hot new model" premium it's probably a winner, but definitely on the list.

The Japanese continue to flounder. I've little reason to believe Nissan's LEAF will be competitively priced for purchase given the way Ariya's been priced (like Ariya it might wind up with some sweetheart lease deals, but I'm not particularly interested in staying on the leasing merry-go-round). With the Ariya already in the mix, I really wish Nissan had targeted a LEAF replacement well below it, but no dice. Pricing will tell all.

The big whiff for me was the C-HR+. I was initially intrigued to hear Toyota was bringing a sub-BZ4x BEV to the U.S. market (wife's a big Toyo fan so it would be the easiest buy for us), but then found out it's only being offered with AWD and a big battery, so likely priced ABOVE the base model new BZ. These guys absolutely cannot shoot straight, I'm guessing because they've continued to defer the kind of investments needed to make their EV supply chain and manufacturing more cost-effective.

And yeah, Ford's got the "skunkworks" toiling away in CA building who knows what, but it won't be delivered next year, so irrelevant for me.

Stellantis? Who has a whole stable of affordable BEVs in Europe, including Jeep models, that they refuse to sell here? But they bring in the near-useless 500e? And proudly present the Charger Daytona, the single most ridiculous BEV announcement of recent years? Yeah, too stupid to live.

Given the overall mix, GM's just one sensible announcement away from getting me into a showroom. But if they're not budging on AAuto/CarPlay, it's almost certainly H-K for me.
Click to expand...
I like your thinking. I have been intrigued by the EV3 and will look for it when it hits the US market. GM is very short sighted on several fronts.
 
M
#23 ·
shrox said:
Lots of AI renders of the 2026 "Chevy Bolt". In the AI world Bolts have twin tail pipes.
Click to expand...
shrox said:
Lots of AI renders of the 2026 "Chevy Bolt". In the AI world Bolts have twin tail pipes.
Click to expand...
This is the one AI made for me.
usedBolt said:
I still have my eye on a 26 Bolt when (if) it arrives. But it looks now like it won't have the ~$30K market to itself. As I'm seeing it now:

Kona - the perennial Bolt competitor, recently updated, still a bit on the high-priced side but Hyundai may have room to finesse that. Possibly more of an Equinox competitor at present price.
Leaf - new version expected based on the Ariya platform, bigger (and managed and liquid-cooled) battery, but priced in Equinox/Kona territory
Toyota C-HR+ - recently announced as an electric subcompact-crossover, below the bZ (the upgraded current bZ4X). No price info yet, but appears to be targeted at the low end with base trim, low $30Ks, so Bolt with a few options might be in its crosshairs.

What else? Ford seems to have fallen off the map as far as new EVs are concerned. Tesla will have a $25K model ... when? Chevy will have a range of Bolts including a smaller, less costly one (like the original Bolt?) ... when?

Anyway, a New Bolt looks on paper like it would be a cromulent replacement for The Olde Prius we're currently driving. We'll see. Fall might be interesting if any of these introductions happen, though the base Equinox will probably move upmarket once the Bolt appears, challenging the $35K model for cost-conscious buyers.
Click to expand...
shrox said:
Lots of AI renders of the 2026 "Chevy Bolt". In the AI world Bolts have twin tail pipes.
Click to expand...
Image
This is what AI says the 2026 Chevrolet Bolt will look like.
 
2
#24 ·
Since Tesla and Nissan are unlikely to ever qualify for
any future government incentives or rebates of any real
big dollar amount for the consumer, Chevy/GM would be wise
to just ditch any future plans of building the 2026 Chevy Bolt
in the USA as well, from a financial standpoint. Politcis in the USA
is too volatile and unpreditablea tool to capture a financial edge for a
EV manufacturer in my opinion. What is real long term is for
Chevy to try and compete with Tesla's 30K to 35K
models, (coming in a couple of months) with there own
300 mile sub 30K model, and if that means the battery's come from
China and it's built in Mexico, than so be it, (the long term view is what
Chevy needs to be worried about, and the long term view is that
China is sooner or later going to be able to bring in there
sub 30K models that are built every bit as good as the current modern
Model 3 and Model Y's, (that's not just opinion) that's the opinion of
the majority of car executives who are in a better position to gage the
entire future automobile landscape, in spite of this temporary MAGA, and Tariff
hysteria and leverage, (which likely won't last, but demand by the american people
for sub 30K EV's that have range from 300 to 500 miles is going to overpower
domestic ''America First'' policy's, which can be argued is often unamerican.
 
F
#42 ·
:) It seems weird to start production of a 2027 MY in 2025. But what do I know. They have been selling 2026 Equinox ICEs since March. What is the advantage of doing that? :) The cars are not so advanced that anyone is going to believe that they are from the future (just like no one believed that the EUV was an SUV).
 
#43 ·
You'd think a spy shot would be found.


Emission laws caused automakers to take a long time to make effecient engines. More importantly computer engine controls finally allowed effecient and cleaner cars. Simple things like air flow and thermal dynamics were not thought of for the most part in the past.
 
L
#48 · (Edited)
jefro said:
.....Emission laws caused automakers to take a long time to make effecient engines.......computer engine controls finally allowed effecient and cleaner cars. Simple things like air flow........were not thought of for the most part in the past.
Click to expand...
Small cars & small gasoline engines really helped avoid the jerry-rigged emission equipment beginning in 1973. I was pleased with my little 1973 Subaru for easy running & efficiency. The fatal problem were head gaskets, which many Japanese cars suffered.

I carefully drove my 1979 Plymouth Champ(Dodge Colt) to 50MPG & was often somewhat over 45MPG in my Washington state colder climes. Mitsubishi (in the Champ) used an extra small intake valve (while the main intake valve remained closed) at low rpms. Supposedly at the low rpms, the small intake valve more readily speeded & stirred the cylinder's incoming air-fuel mixture. It was theoretical, but sure appeared to work well. I had the Champ for 22 years & it made me happy......while I drove at the low rpms!
 
#47 ·
We have Super Cruise in our Bolt EUV. I'm expecting it to be available in the new Bolt. The new Bolt won't have a massive battery with over 400 miles of range like your Silverado, but it will be a heck of a lot more efficient. Your road trips will cost less in a Bolt.
 
S
#45 ·
Ford just announced it will have a "Model T" moment of cheap EVs. That will start with a small pickup truck slotted in size between the Maverick and the larger Ranger. If it is priced around $30k it could be a big seller. Not sure it takes sales away from the Bolt, but for those who don't need a full passenger compartment, it could.
 
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