Chevy Bolt - 200 mile range for $30k base price (after incentive)

[TexasEV]

Guys at Tesla said the federal incentives are per car model. I asked them for the fact of the model E. He said the model S gets 200,000, the model X gets 200,000 and the model E will have 200,000 of incentives before it gets lowered. That being said when the model E comes out watch out if you want the best price considering they may be manufacturing more than 200,000 a year.

The "guys at Tesla" you spoke to are wrong. The federal tax credit is per manufacturer, not per model.

From the IRS web site:
"The qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicle credit phases out for a manufacturer’s vehicles over the one-year period beginning with the second calendar quarter after the calendar quarter in which at least 200,000 qualifying vehicles manufactured by that manufacturer have been sold for use in the United States (determined on a cumulative basis for sales after December 31, 2009) (“phase-out period”). Qualifying vehicles manufactured by that manufacturer are eligible for 50 percent of the credit if acquired in the first two quarters of the phase-out period and 25 percent of the credit if acquired in the third or fourth quarter of the phase-out period. Vehicles manufactured by that manufacturer are not eligible for a credit if acquired after the phase-out period."

 

[artsci]

That's focus group design for you. Try to please everyone and you please no one.

 

[scaesare]

honestly, physically deploying a fast DC network like Tesla's supercharger network can be done very quickly.

For example, Tesla has a really cool "pallet-based" mobile supercharger (two pumps per pallet). It can be deployed anywhere a supercharger is needed temporarily. Many of you have used them. I've used these mobile Superchargers at Barstow, Hawthorne, and Laguna Seca. I'll post a picture if you like. Honestly, each pallet based mobile supercharger isn't that expensive to build. Probably $10k each.

So, GM (or any other mfg with a 200mi range BEV) could simply build a few hundred of these pallets and deploy them quickly to support their new BEV. If I were GM, I could deploy 100 locations practically overnight when needed. That way you have a network up and running as soon as the car is available. GM could partner with McDonald's for example. I don't like putting them at dealers. Too hard to walk to a restaurant or ATM. Not convenient. But maybe dealers want it. I don't know...

Hopefully you get my point. I'm the biggest tesla fan in the world. I love the car and the company but I don't believe the supercharger network is a huge moat (aka barrier to entry) for mfgs that are really serious about entering the long-range BEV space.

I suspect the logistics surrounding getting 120 - 1000 kWh of electrical feed is going to be the more significant factor in many locations.

 

[TexasEV]

Anyway it's a concept car from a company that depends on dealers who sell cars that need oil changes. Let's see what the specs and price is when and if it actually comes to market.

 

[tga]

Why is it that all the EV's other than Tesla are so ugly, do not understand why they cannot build an EV that also looks good. Maybe they do not want them to sell to well.

I really think non-Tesla manufacturers want their EV's to stand out (in a weird way, if necessary), since they really believe their owners want a car that they can wear as a green badge of honor. "Look at me, I'm part of the solution - you're part of the problem, Mr Gas Guzzler" (cue the South Park "Smug Alert" episode)

How else can you explain the Leaf's God-awful full fender length headlights and a rear bumper that looks like someone duct-taped half of a 55 gallon drum onto the back of the car?

 

[MassModel3]

Anyway it's a concept car from a company that depends on dealers who sell cars that need oil changes. Let's see what the specs and price is when and if it actually comes to market.

Dealers make most of their money on service and on used car sales. They don't want to sell cars that don't break and rarely need service, like pure electrics. It seems to me that the GM's of the world don't want EVs to take off because it would be in direct contrast to what the dealerships need to sell to stay in business.

 

[mackgoo]

I think it looks pretty good.

 

[theganjaguru]

.... And the first manufacture to copy Teslas door handles goes to Governement Motors.. I'm very interested to know just how big the battery needs to be to make that i3, Renault knockoff go 200 miles on a single charge....

 

[n88]

Profile

... and for the snarky comment of the day, Here's a profile view that shows better lines. Ooops, that's the CEO!

- - - Updated - - -

Profile of Model 3 wannabe?

 

[ecarfan]

Chevy Bolt Concept EV at NAIAS

Because no one is standing next to the vehicle I don't have a clear sense of the size of the car, but my guess is that it is a compact? And a hatchback?

UPDATE: based on the post just above that came up after I first submitted my post, the Bolt is tiny! Appears to have less interior volume that's BMW i3. So that's how GM is going to squeeze more range out of a small pack.

If so, the Bolt fails to impress. There are multiple compact EVs on the market already. And without details (pack size, charging rate, real world range, cargo capacity: there can't be a frunk in such a small car) what is being shown means nothing. I suspect it is a concept car that is years away from actual production, and that the final version will look very different.

As to the looks, it seems rather generic. Nothing special. But at least GM seems to be making an effort. Sort of.

Definitely not Model 3 competition except in the minds of some automotive "journalists" with limited reasoning capabilities.

 

[TexasEV]

I like the line that Chelsea Sexton retweeted:
"Saying Chevy Bolt is aimed at Tesla is like saying Chevy Cruze is aimed at BMW 3-series because they both use gas"

 

[techmaven]

I don't have a problem with GM stuffing a whole bunch of batteries in a compact hatchback. It looks better than an i3, a Leaf, or a Mercedes B class. A car that could look like a Peugeot 208 GTi:

with 55 kWh of batteries and fast charge capability is a good thing. The problem for me is that Chevy provided almost no information in order to even partially validate their claims.

 

[Twiddler]

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

Don't agree with many of you on the looks; it's actually quite a decent mini-crossover-like look. I'd actually consider this for a lease if the Model 3 is delayed significantly beyond 2017.

Better pics here:

Bolt EV Concept Car: The Future of EV | Chevrolet

 

[dhanson865]

Don't agree with many of you on the looks; it's actually quite a decent mini-crossover-like look. I'd actually consider this for a lease if the Model 3 is delayed significantly beyond 2017.

Better pics here:

Bolt EV Concept Car: The Future of EV | Chevrolet

Charge port on the drivers side between the drivers position and the left front wheel. I like that better than the cars that have gas fill on the rear passenger side.

I don't guess it matters much to me if it is front, front drivers, or rear drivers just so long as it isn't on the true rear or the passenger side.

 

[gkalexdc]

:biggrin:Well, GM did it again. Man, they can screw things up.... They called their Hybrid (bad attempt at a Prius) The Volt, and called this spruced up LEAF looking EV a BOLT !! They got it backwards. The Hybrid should've been the Bolt, and THIS the Volt !! At least Lutz is eating crow by producing a Real EV after Tesla trounced him with the Model S. GM sure isn't with it however..... I am amazed by this name. If this sells, then they can call their next model of Bolt, the Bolt- NUT. !!

 

[David99]

I think it looks great! And of course I think it's awesome that GM is serious about EVs. That's what we need, more EVs on the road to replace ICE.

 

[Twiddler]

Wow, that doesn't look like other cars!

*snicker*

 

[TEG]

Related thread:

Chevy Bolt Concept EV at NAIAS

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

I think it looks great! And of course I think it's awesome that GM is serious about EVs. That's what we need, more EVs on the road to replace ICE.

They're serious about development of electrified vehicles. But unfortunately, the Bolt shows that when it comes to BEV they're really still stuck in the city-car mentality, along with all of the other manufacturers who're on LG Chem's MOU list.

Meanwhile, Tesla's planning to build a mid-size car, made aerodynamic so it'll be able to do highway travel efficiently.

And GM's target for the Bolt is $37,500, not exactly cheap.