[boltadmin]

2017 Is The Year Of The Bolt

After much speculation, earlier this year James Bell, General Motors Head of Consumer Affairs confirmed the all-new Bolt will be in showrooms in 2016.

Late 2016 arrival as a 2017 model year vehicle is what is expected of the Bolt.

Come 2017 General Motors will launch an all-new product that aims to push electric car technology to the next level.

Called the “Bolt,” Chevy’s new electric car will offer 200 miles of emissions free electric range on a single charge. GM filed a trademark for the Bolt name in August of last year.

Larger than the Volt, the hatchback-styled vehicle is expected to cost between $30,000 and $50,000.

Currently Tesla is leading the charge in offering an electric car with a significant range. The base Model S offers a 208 mile range but starts at $70,000.

General Motors is expected to show a concept of the Bolt at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on Monday, in addition to revealing the second-generation Volt.

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Price? “About $30,000,”

Again, coming right from James Bell, price!

"About $30,000" is what you can expect to pay, after government incentives, which is right in line with Chevrolet's vision for an "electric vehicle designed for attainability, not exclusivity"

The Chevy Bolt is going to cost around $30,000, well, kinda. See the $30,000 price tag is what the Chevy Bolt should cost after you take away government rebates and incentives.

"The Bolt EV concept is a game-changing electric vehicle designed for attainability, not exclusivity."

Chevy's own press materials say:

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Production Chevy Bolt Caught In The Wild

Months after seeing the Chevy Bolt Concept debut in Detroit, spy photographers spotted the camo-wrapped production model out in the wild, giving the world a first look at what to expect.

Spy photographers have caught the first glimpses of the production Chevrolet Bolt. You can see some differences between the production version and the concept. The side windows are different shapes, the low grille is shaped slightly different and the headlights look different. There are also fog lights added on the prototype.

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There Will Be An Opel Bolt EV

Just as Vauxhall/Opel had the Ampera (Chevrolet Volt), it was confirmed by a source that an Opel version of the Bolt would be assembled in GM's plant in Orion Township.

For our European friends...

The Bolt and a companion model for GM's Opel subsidiary in Europe will be assembled at GM's plant in Orion Township, the sources said. The factory now makes the Chevrolet Sonic and Buick Verano and has been operating at well below capacity as small-car sales have suffered from falling gasoline prices.

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The Official Name Is "Chevrolet Bolt EV"

On May 27, 2015 Chevrolet filed two trademark applications for "Bolt EV" and "Chevrolet Bolt EV," the latest in trademarks, following a previous trademark application suspension (now active) involving Yamaha.

GM has filed two applications to register “Bolt EV” and “Chevrolet Bolt EV” as trademarks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Here is one source:
http://gmauthority.com/blog/2015/06/general-motors-files-trademark-applications-for-bolt-ev-and-chevrolet-bolt-ev/

So the name is "Chevy Bolt EV", similar to the "Chevy Spark EV". The Spark has existed as a gas engine vehicle for many years worldwide. I can guess that a gas version of the Bolt may exist, and eventualy it can replace the Spark as GM smallest vehicle.

 

[volta]

Hope this Opel version doesn't look quite like this. It looks like something is missing around the hood.

 

[Roth33d]

Hope this Opel version doesn't look quite like this. It looks like something is missing around the hood.

It's just a speculative rendering, so it's not yet known how much weight this rendering holds to the real deal, but it is the closest representation i've seen yet.

 

[volta]

Are there orange spokes in the wheels? That seems quite odd to me.

 

[Roth33d]

There sure is. Not sure where they got that from.

Who knows maybe it impacts aerodynamics sort of like turbo wheels.

 

[Raymondjram]

The Opel version may be the Karl and the Vauxhall version could be the Viva:
http://www.carscoops.com/2015/03/new-opel-karl-vauxhall-viva-previewed.html

As for pricing, GM should not do the sales "spin" of using the discounted price after the Federal rebate for two reasons. First, not everyone who wants buy a Bolt Ev will have the income to request the full $7,500 tax rebate, and some will not even qualify for any rebate. I don't because I don't pay any Federal taxes because I live in a territory that never paid Federal taxes.

Second, that rebate can be eliminated any time by Congress. Some states, such as California, do provide EV subsidies that can depend on income and other conditions.

So GM shoud put up full MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Prices) and let each GM and Chevy dealer present their own discounts and state subsidies for each individual sale, since many will pay less.

 

[Raymondjram]

Following the Chevy Bolt EV in the wild, one source mentioned that there are 55 preproduction vehicles being road tested by over a hundred engineers and technicians. Some of them also reported that the full charge driving range exceeds 200 miles most of the time. With the Chevy Spark EV, GM published an EPA rated range of 80 miles, yet actual Spark EV owners have often passed 90 and reached 100 miles of range (a 25% improvement), so I can bet now that the first production Bolt EvVs will pass 220 miles and some owners will reach 250 miles. This will leave the unknown Tesla Motors Model 3 in the dust!

Another source posted that the test schedule has been advanced, so we may be blessed if GM decideds to produce the first Bolt EV by August 2016, way ahead of the formal production schedule. The Chevy Spark EV enjoyed that timing, having sold the first 2014 models in June 2013.

If the Chevy Bolt EV sells in August 2016, then it will have over a year of earlier sales before the Model 3 (postposed until 2018 according to their own Power Point presentation).

 

[Shuto]

I dont know If open will even pick up the Bolt this time around. they took the volt and made the ampera which never really sold... they might not be so compliant this time around...

 

[evnow]

This will leave the unknown Tesla Motors Model 3 in the dust!

Hmmm .... we "know" exactly the same things about Model 3 & Bolt. Over 200 miles EPA range and the price.


Outside of Chevy fans, very, very few would choose a Bolt over Model 3 - if they are priced similarly. Afterall Tesla is a desirable brand with supercharger network, likely better looking and larger. You don't even have to fight with the highly undesirable dealers.


In the poll I ran recently on MNL, only 2% said they will pick a Bolt over 3 & Leaf gen 2.

 

[Roth33d]

I have a feeling when it comes to those two it will be a good fight and seeing how each brand adjusts as time goes on.

 

[Raymondjram]

Hmmm .... we "know" exactly the same things about Model 3 & Bolt. Over 200 miles EPA range and the price.


Outside of Chevy fans, very, very few would choose a Bolt over Model 3 - if they are priced similarly. Afterall Tesla is a desirable brand with supercharger network, likely better looking and larger. You don't even have to fight with the highly undesirable dealers.


In the poll I ran recently on MNL, only 2% said they will pick a Bolt over 3 & Leaf gen 2.

We don't really "know" about the Model 3, since there is no real Model 3 to see and evalaute, not even the final price, which I can bet that it will not be below $35,000. And there is even less for the Gen 2 Nissan Leaf. Tesla Motors made its name famous with the Roadster (I have seen one up close) but will lose that fame with the late delivery of the Model 3. Finally, the Chevy Bolt EV will have (as seen in GM's test video) the SAE J1772 DCFC (Direct Current Fast Charge) feature, which is now accepted by Ford, and many imports (BMW, Mercedes-Benz and more), and will be installed nation wide by the manufacturers and others.

Many present service stations will be getting into the SAE DC charger because it will charge many brands (including the Tesla models with an adapter), and they want to keep their customers who are changing from gasoline to electricity. But if a 200-mile BEV isn't enough for your personal trips, either buy a Volt (with a 400 miles range on one tank of gasoline), take a train, bus or plane, or move closer. These last alternatives are much cheaper than buying an unknown BEV with an unproven battery and range, using a charger at specific locations that may not lie on your route.

 

[JeremyK]

The Opel version may be the Karl and the Vauxhall version could be the Viva:
http://www.carscoops.com/2015/03/new-opel-karl-vauxhall-viva-previewed.html

As for pricing, GM should not do the sales "spin" of using the discounted price after the Federal rebate for two reasons. First, not everyone who wants buy a Bolt Ev will have the income to request the full $7,500 tax rebate, and some will not even qualify for any rebate. I don't because I don't pay any Federal taxes because I live in a territory that never paid Federal taxes.

Second, that rebate can be eliminated any time by Congress. Some states, such as California, do provide EV subsidies that can depend on income and other conditions.

So GM shoud put up full MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Prices) and let each GM and Chevy dealer present their own discounts and state subsidies for each individual sale, since many will pay less.

GM (or any other legitimate OEM) would NEVER build the potential gas savings into the advertised price of a car. I can't believe Tesla gets away with this. In fact, I'm surprised nobody has questioned this $35K number of the Model 3. Tesla is probably factoring in gas savings into that figure as well.

Makes me laugh when I see Tesla fanboys thinking the M3 is going to go 0-60 in 4.1 seconds, have 300 miles of range, be available in 2017, and cost $35K or less.

 

[Roth33d]

One more reason why I rather wait to see what actually get announced and to see the details of the announcement since it really doesn't get any more accurate than that!

 

[volta]

It's not new for companies to sell things with the advertised price having an asterix that say "after applicable rebates".

 

[evnow]

We don't really "know" about the Model 3, since there is no real Model 3 to see and evalaute, not even the final price, which I can bet that it will not be below $35,000.

We don't know the price of Bolt, either. Remember what Lutz said about the price of Volt ?

And there is even less for the Gen 2 Nissan Leaf.

Except - we know it will have at least double the range and most probably for the same price.

Tesla Motors made its name famous with the Roadster (I have seen one up close) but will lose that fame with the late delivery of the Model 3.

Have you heard of Model S ? That is what Tesla is known for.


I guess it is not as much a phenomenon in Puerto Rico as in the west coast - but surely you understand what a premium brand means.

Finally, the Chevy Bolt EV will have (as seen in GM's test video) the SAE J1772 DCFC (Direct Current Fast Charge) feature, which is now accepted by Ford, and many imports (BMW, Mercedes-Benz and more), and will be installed nation wide by the manufacturers and others.

LOL. Many argue (rightly so) that the much wider CHAdeMO network isn't upto snuff - since it is unreliable. CCS will take ages to even make a significant presence. For eg. in the northwest we have about 100 CHAdeMO and 3 or so CCS.

Many present service stations will be getting into the SAE DC charger because it will charge many brands (including the Tesla models with an adapter),

Actually unlike for CHAdeMO there is no Tesla adapter for CCS.

But if a 200-mile BEV isn't enough for your personal trips, either buy a Volt (with a 400 miles range on one tank of gasoline), take a train, bus or plane, or move closer. These last alternatives are much cheaper than buying an unknown BEV with an unproven battery and range, using a charger at specific locations that may not lie on your route.

Unknown and unproven battery - of Tesla ? What planet are you on ?