[Electric Mike]

I recently attended the Canadian International Auto Show and was able to get some pictures of the production Chevy Bolt. I thought that I'd compare my pictures of the Bolt to pictures of the Bolt concept to show how the two differ.

You can see through the comparison of this shot to the opening photo that the production Bolt has a different grille and headlights. The headlights on the production model also connect visually to the side window and mirror via a bit of metal trim. There are also fog lights on the production model.

Looking at the profile, you can see that the production model makes use of the "floating roof" styling. The doorhandles have changed too, but the strong crease that creates the belt line has remained a constant, however on the production model it doesn't stretch all the way forward to the headlight like it does on the concept. Another change is the rims, not surprising when moving from concept to production though.

At the rear of the vehicle you can see that the window no longer bends around the rear corner on the production model. The taillights have undergone a redesign, and there are added lights in the rear bumper. The trunk also has more sheet metal rather than the black gloss material that was used with concept in the center of the rear hatch.

When it comes to the interior the setup is quite similar but the presentation and styling is quite different. I won't go through everything, but notice the lack of buttons in the concept, the different materials, and the general simplicity compared to the production model.

And here are two final pictures that I took while I was there...

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[igotzzoom]

I think the production model looks fine. More "mature" in some ways. I think the basic packaging and layout stays faithful to the concept.

 

[Bazinga]

I like how they still kept the floating console design. Would have been nice if it was a bit more colorful on the inside but overall still very nice.
Also thinking that there's enough storage space under the floating center console for a backpack or something around that size.

 

[Electric Mike]

Definitely plenty of storage space. The floor is actually flat so you can fit a whole bunch of stuff. It is roomier than it first looks.

 

[admonite]

Thanks for posting these pics. The production version certainly falls in line with the rest of Chevy's lineup. The concept's interior is closer to sitting at the helm of the Enterprise, while the production version looks like a Chevy with a touch of flair. In the long term I think it's more practical. The 200 mile range is the most important thing in my opinion.

 

[Bazinga]

I can see what seems to be a bit of empty space in the center console for potential additional buttons. Wondering if I can install a button there for heated seats or if it's there for OEM heated seats.

 

[Roth33d]

I can see car sharing services possibly using those blanks for what ever they'll need it for, tracking the car, or for what ever tech they throw in required for the service. Seen how they have some of those cars rigged up parked on the street.

 

[Bazinga]

Or maybe Chevy will come out with a OEM heated seat option so I don't have to try and install it myself.
Also, is there a lock of some kind in charging port? I don't see one and I wouldn't want someone to unplug my car while it's charging in public.

 

[volta]

I would be careful to not add more and more stuff that will require electricity because it will drain the battery more quickly. I'm not sure about heated seats but isn't simple heating enough? Heated seats seem borderline luxury in terms of features.

 

[Roth33d]

Looking back at the concept vs production model has me thinking that blacking out the body colored part of the rear hatch will be a good idea. Plus it can't be that hard to do, some gloss black wrap should take care of that.

 

[Bazinga]

I assume wrapping a car is hard especially if it's your first try. Would probably look great if it was blacked out to match the upper half of the hatch but I wouldn't do it myself.

 

[Electric Mike]

I probably wouldn't do it myself either. But I bet it wouldn't be crazy expensive to have it done for you whether it is a wrap or just getting a paint job done on it.

 

[Roth33d]

There are DIY's online you can follow, if you're not the DIY type, going to a shop to have it done is always a good idea. Will be a fun weekend project.

 

[igotzzoom]

Wraps can be as much as a custom paintjob, if done right. The one advantage is that you can change them if you change your mind, but they're definitely not cheap.

 

[Bazinga]

I think the paint looks fine, maybe something can be done in the configurator when it comes out.

 

[volta]

It would be a cool thing to change based on the trim level that you get. A more luxurious trim level could get the black on the trunk hatch.

 

[jas]

Amber colored rear turn signals would be a nice thought toward safety.

 

[Electric Mike]

Amber colored rear turn signals would be a nice thought toward safety.

I am pretty sure that is illegal in North America. Regulations say that the rear lights have to be red.

 

[Raymondjram]

The last photo that has the charge door open also shows the orange DC port cap hinged down. For all who will ask, this is the true proof that the Bolt EV has fast DC charging, since the orange color is a SAE requirement for any wire holding high voltages (up to 600 VDC). Now when you see the Bolt EV at a dealer, open the charge door and look for this orange cap before buying it.

And for all who will also ask "How do you know this?", my answer has to do with the Chevy Spark EV. I bought the factory printed owners manual, and on the charging page there is a description (and a monochrome image) of the DC port cover. And last year when GM posted the first videos of the Bolt EV being tested (with camoflague), there is a very clear scene showing the test engineer opening the port, lowering the orange cap, then plugging in the SAE J1172 Combo charge plug (once named "Frankenplug").

 

[Raymondjram]

I am pretty sure that is illegal in North America. Regulations say that the rear lights have to be red.

That may be a local state-only issue. In Florida I have seen many cars, mostly imports, that have amber turn signals. Only the main tail-lights and stoplights have to be red. And here in Puerto Rio we also have many cars with amber turn signals.