Chevy Bolt gets the ax

[Cheburashka]

I briefly considered the Bolt EUV when I was car shopping. I was put off by the horribly slow recharge time and frankly just the look of it. The EUV is a bit better than the original Bolt but neither will win a beauty contest. Used Model 3 v new Bolt EUV the Tesla wins every time.

I dunno, personally I would prefer a Bolt EUV Premier to a Model 3 if it were not for the slow charging speeds.

Rides nicer, has actual sunroof. Hatchback far superior to Model 3 sedan trunk.

If you don't plan to travel far I think it's the nicer vehicle. And no having to deal with incompetent Tesla service.

 

[mikevbf]

One word: Equinox.

Chevrolet has the Equinox EV coming this fall.
- Supposedly $30k base, although as typical initially will be more loaded
- Bigger - bigger means people will pay more
- Made in Mexico - low labor costs, and potential for other export, especially if the EU and Mexico close a free trade deal they were discussing pre-COVID.
- Ultium battery - can abandon Bolt's battery architecture which had known limitations
- Faster charging
- AWD option

Bolt tided them over for compliance and gave LG Automotive experience.

Thanks for this post. So often within the Tesla community we are so ready to hate anything GM, we miss what is actually happening. The Equinox is a bit more expensive than the Bolt while being a significantly better vehicle built on their new platform. IT looks to be a great option if you can not afford a Tesla. GM is making a good move IMO.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Thanks for this post. So often within the Tesla community we are so ready to hate anything GM, we miss what is actually happening. The Equinox is a bit more expensive than the Bolt while being a significantly better vehicle built on their new platform. IT looks to be a great option if you can not afford a Tesla. GM is making a good move IMO.

2024 Equinox EV: An Affordable, Functional and Stylish EV

After introducing the Chevrolet Silverado EV and Blazer EV this year, Chevrolet’s blitz of electric vehicle rollouts continues with a third introduction: the all-new 2024 Equinox EV — an affordable all-electric SUV tailored to help modern families make a seamless, confident and uncompromising...

media.chevrolet.com

Original reveal suggest that the $30k will be a basic version.
2LT would be the cold-winter minimum, with heated power seats and heated mirrors. Question is how much more the 2LT will cost.

 

[mikevbf]

Yeah, it looks like people in cold climates would want to step up to the next higher trim which starts at 34k and AWD would cost some more. It would still come in a lot lower than a Model Y.

2024 Chevy Equinox EV Pricing & Trim Levels | Betten Baker Chevrolet of Cadillac

The all-new Chevy Equinox EV is coming soon. Set to be one of the most efficient and impressive electric vehicles on the market, the Chevy Equinox EV will be available at Betten Baker Chevrolet of Cadillac in the fall of 2023.

www.bettenbakerchevyofcadillac.com

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Yeah, it looks like people in cold climates would want to step up to the next higher trim which starts at 34k and AWD would cost some more. It would still come in a lot lower than a Model Y.

2024 Chevy Equinox EV Pricing & Trim Levels | Betten Baker Chevrolet of Cadillac

The all-new Chevy Equinox EV is coming soon. Set to be one of the most efficient and impressive electric vehicles on the market, the Chevy Equinox EV will be available at Betten Baker Chevrolet of Cadillac in the fall of 2023.

www.bettenbakerchevyofcadillac.com

+$4k for:

• +50 miles rated AER, (and faster DCFC, I assume)
• 8-way power-adjustable driver seat
• Heated front seats and heated steering wheel
• Front LED light bar
• Roof rails
• Heated outside mirrors

As the "real base", if rated 300 miles that'd be a comparably good price, but it's way above the current Bolt price.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

I dunno, personally I would prefer a Bolt EUV Premier to a Model 3 if it were not for the slow charging speeds.

Rides nicer, has actual sunroof. Hatchback far superior to Model 3 sedan trunk.

If you don't plan to travel far I think it's the nicer vehicle. And no having to deal with incompetent Tesla service.

Smaller turning radius as well. I hope when Tesla does compact they make sure it's maneuverable.

 

[mikevbf]

+$4k for:

• +50 miles rated AER, (and faster DCFC, I assume)
• 8-way power-adjustable driver seat
• Heated front seats and heated steering wheel
• Front LED light bar
• Roof rails
• Heated outside mirrors

As the "real base", if rated 300 miles that'd be a comparably good price, but it's way above the current Bolt price.

You have to go up a trim level with the Bolt as well to get heated seats which puts that starting price at 30.7k and has 259 miles of range slower charging, no AWD option is smaller, etc. That extra ~3.5k adds a lot of value for a Bolt budget shopper to stretch to. It's a screaming deal if the buyer can take advantage of the 7.5k tax rebate.

The question becomes how many will they make and how fast they will ramp. By the time they start producing at a Tesla significant rate, Tesla will probably be on to their cheaper car. I am not worried from a competition perspective; I see this more as another option to eat away at the ICE fleet.

 

[starise]

The first Eqinox EVs offered will have the higher trims and will no way be near 30K. At best I'm guessing high 40s. SR lower cost models will be offered later in 2024. These cars will appeal to those who don't like the Tesla minimalist approach and desire more tactile control along with a more ICE car feel.

So far as ramping capability, I'll say Ford is going to surpass GM and continue to offer cars competitive to Tesla.Their goal is 2 million cars within the next few years. I don't see GM as much of a threat to Tesla unless they can stop doing things like pulling ACP and alienating a large portion of their user base. Learning to make cars in larger quantities within a shorter amount of time..

Tesla has let the door open to OEMs who will make more traditional cars appealing to larger portions of the population. Some of these OEMs continue to shoot themselves in the foot, like GM. The Bolt wasn't particulalry profitable for them. Profitable for GM means we pay more for a car. They essentailly used the Bolt as a test bed. Instead of continuing it, finding ways to make it less expensive to make while making imporvements to it , like Tesla, They simply drop it and add another EV which will also have growing pains.

Meanwhile Tesla works on a car that will be a more affordable option for some Bolt drivers. Tesla doesn't make a car for 4 or 5 years and discontinue it.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

You have to go up a trim level with the Bolt as well to get heated seats which puts that starting price at 30.7k and has 259 miles of range slower charging, no AWD option is smaller, etc. That extra ~3.5k adds a lot of value for a Bolt budget shopper to stretch to. It's a screaming deal if the buyer can take advantage of the 7.5k tax rebate.

The question becomes how many will they make and how fast they will ramp. By the time they start producing at a Tesla significant rate, Tesla will probably be on to their cheaper car. I am not worried from a competition perspective; I see this more as another option to eat away at the ICE fleet.

The Bolt had a heated seat option on the base that added 1.5k. (Forced another package)

 

[holmesm1]

After a 3 month hiatus, Chevy is coming back with the Bolt. No timetable announced just yet. It looks like it will feature the new BEV platform.
Chevy Bolt to Come Back

 

[jeremymc7]

Ehh...

 

[gtae07]

Put a NACS port on it, give it about 280 miles range, and get a decent fast charging speed. Then figure out how to produce them in high numbers. You'd have a really good intro EV car.

 

[alexgr]

Put a NACS port on it, give it about 280 miles range, and get a decent fast charging speed. Then figure out how to produce them in high numbers. You'd have a really good intro EV car.

I don't get it. GM reportedly can't mass-produce batteries that is a new excuse for delayed mass-production of Ultium based vehicles. And now they announce they will also use Ultium in Bolt. Hmm.. Why wouldn't GM just make Equinox EV or new Trax EV instead of re-inventing Bolt?

 

[smogne41]

I don't get it. GM reportedly can't mass-produce batteries that is a new excuse for delayed mass-production of Ultium based vehicles. And now they announce they will also use Ultium in Bolt. Hmm.. Why wouldn't GM just make Equinox EV or new Trax EV instead of re-inventing Bolt?

Because contrary to common belief, not everybody wants a CUV, SUV or pickup truck. Also, smaller packs = more vehicles shipped.

 

[alexgr]

Because contrary to common belief, not everybody wants a CUV, SUV or pickup truck. Also, smaller packs = more vehicles shipped.

Then, considering battery constraints and the fact that the lower-priced vehicles have lower margins (negative margines in case of Bolt), I guess we all should cheer up GM as a new non-profit organization.

 

[chinney]

I don't get it. GM reportedly can't mass-produce batteries that is a new excuse for delayed mass-production of Ultium based vehicles. And now they announce they will also use Ultium in Bolt. Hmm.. Why wouldn't GM just make Equinox EV or new Trax EV instead of re-inventing Bolt?

Because if a company can’t produce, they can still announce that they will produce. Vapourware.

 

[ZenRockGarden]

Because if a company can’t produce, they can still announce that they will produce. Vapourware.

I would also expect that the design/product team might not be perfectly in alignment with the production team.

The traditional makers have "ideas" for cars, some of which look promising. They do NOT have the ability or experience to produce them in volume, maybe a few Korean and China makers aside

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

I don't get it. GM reportedly can't mass-produce batteries that is a new excuse for delayed mass-production of Ultium based vehicles. And now they announce they will also use Ultium in Bolt. Hmm.. Why wouldn't GM just make Equinox EV or new Trax EV instead of re-inventing Bolt?

They're already going to make an Equinox EV. That's a priority.

It could simply be they make a Trax EV, but they might not get as good a result from trying to adapt from a gas platform.
They added the Bolt EUV and it sold well at its price, and really just needs better DCFC. They might be able to do a cheap refresh and call it the Trax EV, but why? The Trax sold less in the 2023H1 than the Bolt, so it's not like the name will really sell it.

But really it wasn't an announcement. It was Barra saying that they were looking into doing something to replace the Bolt.

In other news, Bolt production seems to have been extended by a month, no doubt due to Ultium production problems:

GM Said To Extend 2023 Chevy Bolt EV/EUV Production Into December

The 2023 Bolt EV and Bolt EUV entered production in July 2022, meaning that the 2023 model year of the two EVs will have a production run of 17 months.

insideevs.com

 

[webbbcam]

My adult son just took delivery of his new 2023 Bolt (which he ordered 5 months ago) at MSRP.
He lives in our downstairs apartment and is currently charging in my shop on a 14-50. He wants to pay his fair share of the increased costs. There is no separate electrical meter so we looked on the cars infotainment system but we’re unable to see how many kWh each charge takes.
Short of going on a Bolt forum is there an easy way to ascertain his usage?

Thanks
John

 

[jeremymc7]

Just come up with a reasonable flat monthly amount. Or you can compare the current month with charging against the prior year same month without charging. No need to charge only for exactly what is used.