Chevrolet Bolt Shows GM Is Serious About Making the EV Mainstream

A decade ago, the documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? chronicled General Motors' (GM’s) decision to repossess all of the existing EV1s from the small but loyal group of customers that had been leasing the pioneering battery electric vehicle (BEV). Ever since, skeptics have doubted the company's true commitment to making BEVs—the Volt had an internal combustion engine, and the Spark EV was viewed by most as a compliance car. Wonder no more, because the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt demonstrates that GM is committed to making the BEV mainstream.

While Tesla has made big promises with the upcoming Model 3, GM has pulled ahead by now delivering Bolts to customers. Sales of plug-in EVs (PEVs) have fallen far short of the projections made when automakers revealed the first wave of modern BEVs at the beginning of the decade. Nonetheless, cumulative sales for Tesla, GM, and Nissan are beginning to approach the 200,000 level that will trigger a phaseout of federal tax credits. When that happens, the effective price for consumers will jump by $7,500, and PEVs will truly have to stand on their own merits in order to attract buyers.

Lessons Learned

As the first dedicated BEV developed by GM since the EV1 in the early 1990s, GM has applied lessons learned from its prior efforts and observations of what has happened with competitors. “The Bolt program was launched more than 4 years ago with a decree from then-CEO Dan Akerson to deliver an appealing car with a 200-mile electric range and $30,000 price point,” said Stuart Norris, managing director of the GM Korea Design Studio. Norris’ design team, along with the engineering teams in South Korea and Michigan, had a clean sheet of paper to work with.

Seeing the global market trends of increasing urbanization, the growth of ride-hailing services, and the rising consumer preference for higher-riding crossover vehicles all helped to define the general form factor of the Bolt. Advances in battery and electronics performance and cost enabled the team to meet their targets.

A comparatively small footprint in line with B-segment models like the Honda Fit means the Bolt occupies less space on the road. At the same time, its tall stance means there is ample room for at least four adults in its 95 cubic foot passenger volume. Smart packaging means it actually exceeds the 94 cubic feet of cabin volume in the much larger Tesla Model S, and it’s easy to get in and out for passengers of ride-hailing services like Lyft, in which GM is an investor.

Practical and Appealing

Performance is a big Tesla selling point, especially the oft-heralded “Ludicrous” acceleration. However, the much larger external dimensions and mass of the Model S mean that it’s not so nimble on twisty mountain roads or as maneuverable in tight urban areas like San Francisco. At half the price of the least expensive Model S, the Bolt doesn’t offer quite the same thrust, but with 200 horsepower and 266 lb.-ft. of instantly available torque, the Chevy still gets to 60 mph in under 6.5 seconds. More importantly, it handles both mountain passes and urban centers deftly, and based on a first drive, use of the low mode with its extra regenerative braking can boost the vehicle’s charge range well beyond the EPA-estimated 238 miles.

The launch of the Bolt and Model 3 has inspired other automakers to rethink their EV plans and boost the planned range to over 200 miles. If everyone can make their EVs as practical and appealing to drive as the Bolt, we may finally see a surge in sales that makes the emissions-free vehicle a mainstream reality.