Chevy Bolt test mule photographed

[Bangor Bob]

It absolutely has to be deliberate, agreed. In this age of CAD->CNC machining, it doesn't really cost any more to make a set of stamping dies which punch out sleekly curved body panels vs. frumpy ones, and stamping steel is one of the major automaker's core competencies - they should be really, REALLY good at it.

Edit to add, the LEAF isn't a weirdmobile in Europe, just America. It is actually toned down a bit from earlier generations of the Renault Megane it platform-shared with. The Megane had a J-Lo backside before J-Lo did.

 

[JER]

It is a deliberate decision.

This is exactly the problem, and then some.

It's not just that the incumbent car industry fears cannibalising sales of conventional models, but also their multibillion dollar, multi-decade investment in ICEs and conventional powertrain technology.

They were (rightly) confident in their hard-won expertise. For the past few decades, they've been concentrating on their core competencies and outsourcing everything else. The miscalculation is obvious in hindsight, but I can understand how they missed it.

Pushing money and expertise for non-core engineering out to third parties saved money, at the cost of removing some barriers for new competitors. Not to worry, as they'll need all the bits of a car, properly integrated, to compete.

At least some engineers – and maybe even some executives – were surely aware that electric powertrains had the potential to make ICEs obsolete. But incumbents were strongly motivated not to develop them, and nobody believed a newcomer would be able to produce a marketable vehicle. Then along comes Tesla.

Tesla arrive with a radically different and inherently superior powertrain, and leapfrog over the industry’s very best products. Suddenly, ICE technology seems on the verge of obsolescence. Tesla’s money is as good as anyone else’s to all those third party suppliers who make the other bits of a car. Being leaders in a new and much-desired direction for automotive technology, Tesla attracts the best engineers. A generation of students start to dream about following them.

It has begun, and cannot be stopped. But it can be resisted.

Expanding EV sales threaten to turn what seemed like a safe strategy into economic torture for the incumbents. They would very much like this innovation and growth to slow down, giving them plenty of time to ameliorate their losses writing off ICE technology assets. Don't expect them to help willingly with Tesla's objective. They'll do everything they can to buy more time, while desperately preparing for a transition they hoped would not come for decades.

This revolution had to come from either regulation compliance or competition from a newcomer. Government turned out to be weak and corrupt, so thanks again to Tesla for making it happen the other way.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Just as I suspected, it bears little resemblance to the concept. You can already tell the headlight are different, the flush handles are gone, as is the all glass roof, the lower glass in the rear has been replaced with a license plate holder and the bubble rear windows appear to be gone (although it might be the under the camo).

 

[FreeOfPge]

GM is taking Tesla seriously and they believe the Bolt is competitive. They believe performance will win against looks, so they are putting range, power and cost ahead of looks. I visit my local GM dealer often and have talked with several sales people who have been involved with the Bolt's design and the one thing that is clear, the Bolt will be fast and have range. Personally, I feel like they want performance without looks because it's somewhat embarrassing to admit that an electric car can so easily beat a beastly looking corvette. By making their all-electrics unsightly they are saving face in some small way.

 

[MSEV]

A car this size will have 200 mile range?
GM has the battery technology to do that?
I am not sure I understand.

 

[Breezy]

It differs from the concept because this vehicle has already been in development for some time. The concept shown in January was just a concept.

The first spy shots of the 2016 Volt showed up in April 2014 and they go into production in August. It appears GM's on track to hit the rumored October 2016 production date for the Bolt.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

A car this size will have 200 mile range?
GM has the battery technology to do that?
I am not sure I understand.

200 EPA range because:
- lightweighting
- low average speed on the EPA highway test
- They have the battery if LG has the cells.

The i3 is rated as very efficient and it's a box. Also, remember that there's Cd and there's CdA. But if they're building a small car, it won't be intended for long distance, so if real world highway range takes a hit, they're not going to be too concerned, because this won't be a high volume car. The high volume vehicles will only come in the following generation, if the 2nd generation really proves itself affordable and profitable, and the manufacturers are then comfortable that they have the fundamental costs down enough that they can scale up and still get volume _without_ _tax_ _credits_.

As suggested above, smaller will give better performance per kW. It will have global appeal. And it will avoid competing directly against Tesla. In fact it could be a companion to a Tesla. GM has ICE and PHEV so they don't have to take a risk. Get the Bolt out there, get the ZEV credits, see how the market takes to it and then make the decision. GM has a serious electrification strategy, has a flexible hybrid transmission,, and has been removing hundreds of pounds off its cars with lightweighting. I think GM is now in a great competitive position for the future and I think that the Bolt is just a launching point.

 

[Krugerrand]

It absolutely has to be deliberate, agreed. In this age of CAD->CNC machining, it doesn't really cost any more to make a set of stamping dies which punch out sleekly curved body panels vs. frumpy ones, and stamping steel is one of the major automaker's core competencies - they should be really, REALLY good at it.

Um....way over-simplified and entirely not true. In fact that's so off on so many levels that I don't even know where to begin to fill in all the holes in those thought processes. You talk as though producing Class A panels from a die set is like punching out sporks and license plates. Not even on the same planet.

 

[AudubonB]

1. Can anyone demonstrate conclusively this is a Bolt and not a new-year Spark? Tailpipe/lack thereof, perhaps?
2. Many of you are whizzes with photos. Is there a way to de-construct that camo covering?
3. To me, as with some others, it looks close to exactly like the Spark. Wouldn't that be a sensible platform on which to build the Bolt?
4. Continuing with the Spark idea, and to take a stab at LargeHamCollider's post #23, does anyone have the data for the Spark's cd?

 

[jerjozwik]

while driving my lowly fiat 500e i always keep an eye out for other EVs. its... pretty hard to tell a gas spark from a spark EV from the rear. the gas spark has such a tiny tailpipe and its placed behind the rear bumper. you dont really notice it till your close or in the right lighting.

 

[MartinAustin]

1. Can anyone demonstrate conclusively this is a Bolt and not a new-year Spark? Tailpipe/lack thereof, perhaps?
2. Many of you are whizzes with photos. Is there a way to de-construct that camo covering?
3. To me, as with some others, it looks close to exactly like the Spark. Wouldn't that be a sensible platform on which to build the Bolt?
4. Continuing with the Spark idea, and to take a stab at LargeHamCollider's post #23, does anyone have the data for the Spark's cd?

Good points. They might be starting with the next generation Spark, but, I think the internal bodywork/chassis will be customised to accomodate the larger battery and make better use of liberated space. the Spark EV is of course based on a combustion car.

I can't see them continuing the Spark EV once the Bolt comes out.

 

[Trev Page]

I've looked at Bolt pictures long enough, and seen the concept in person, to say this is really the bolt mule in the pictures. The reason it looks like a spark is because it shares the same platform and that defines the general shape and size.

 

[smac]

Aesthetic judgements are subjective. Very few people have expressed the opinion that the X is ugly. I think it is a very attractive design for that class and size of vehicle. I think the S is more attractive. I am not in the market for an X.

True, and maybe because I'm this side of the Atlantic, the X really isn't doing anything for me.

The S is a handsome car very similar in many ways to a Jaguar (And indeed it's often mistaken for one).

The X will (IMHO) really struggle here, where the Range Rover (Full Size /Sport or even Evoque) is the "thing to have". I did show my wife the X as a potential replacement for her Q7, it was an immediate no (She wanted a RR when we bought the Audi, but I didn't want to be ferrying her to the dealers for repairs on a weekly basis )

Being the owner of many hot hatches over the years (Peugeots/Focus/Civic/Golf etc), I still have a bit of a soft spot for a conventional 5 door hatch back, especially in the context of something to drive around in the city. To my eyes this looks way better than an i3 with it's silly doors, or the Leaf that fell out the ugly tree hitting every branch on the way down (I'm pretty sure that's not subjective ) So I actually think the Bolt is actually quite appealing aesthetically (especially compared to the old Spark).

Of course this is all moot, because it's unlikely to ever make it to the UK, even under the Vauxhall brand.

 

[Mr X]

No one has ever dreamed of driving a vehicle that looks like that.


Yawn. Why cant no one else make a GOOD LOOKING EV!!!!


smh i might just have to design one myself

 

[FLDarren]

No one has ever dreamed of driving a vehicle that looks like that.


Yawn. Why cant no one else make a GOOD LOOKING EV!!!!


smh i might just have to design one myself

+1000 I always make it a point to tell people at car shows this fact. I had a Prius before the Tesla. I was NOT going to drive another hideous vehicle. I preferred to not drive an ICE. But for awhile I contemplating buying an ICE, then I discovered Tesla.......

 

[smac]

No one has ever dreamed of driving a vehicle that looks like that.


Yawn. Why cant no one else make a GOOD LOOKING EV!!!!


smh i might just have to design one myself

Don't we all dream of driving rakish 2 seat sports cars ? (Unfortunately they aren't too practical )

For something fairly small, practical enough, easy to park, can seat 4/5 on occasion, then actually it's more a case of form following function to some extent. The Fiesta, Focus, Golf, etc. all are broadly similar shapes, really it's just the detailing sets them apart.

My current favorite EV of this breed available in the UK is the Renault Zoe. Probably because it doesn't look like an EV. (It is not without issues though, reliability and range primarily, oh and it has a girly name )

To my eyes at least this is closer than most to blending in as your average small hatch. Conventional doors, no blue stripes, or weird bulbous headlights. OK it's not a dream car by any stretch, but it's not too extreme either..

 

[Gerardf]

Where will they put the battery ?

I do wonder where they plan to fit a large enough battery in that small car ?

To use just the floor itself, like the Model-S, seems to small an area, so they must also plan to use the space under the seats and the console area ?

 

[vinnie97]

+1000 I always make it a point to tell people at car shows this fact. I had a Prius before the Tesla. I was NOT going to drive another hideous vehicle.

You seem to be neglecting that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. While I generally disliked Prius design through Gen 2, the third generation (aside from the back end) actually looked *gasp* attractive.

 

[JohnSnowNW]

It appears GM's on track to hit the rumored October 2016 production date for the Spark EV.

FTFY

Seriously though, if they are just adding an EV drive train to the Spark, then the Bolt is/was vaporware. It's easy to meet a deadline if you're not actually producing a new vehicle. I am with others in trying to understand how they are going to get the mileage out of the "Bolt", without hobbling it with poor performance, or sacrificing interior cabin real estate with battery placement.

Of course, maybe GM knows something I do not.

 

[roblab]

You seem to be neglecting that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. While I generally disliked Prius design through Gen 2, the third generation (aside from the back end) actually looked *gasp* attractive.

My wife and I notice the 3rd gen Prius as having a "pig nose". Eye of the beholder.