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Motor Trend
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
The Super-Affordable 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV Is Coming Soon—Very Soon
We've known Chevrolet's next-generation Bolt, its most affordable electric model, was due later this year for quite some time. So while it might not seem newsworthy, at first, that General Motors effectively re-confirmed that fact in a humdrum press release touting investments in U.S. manufacturing, it's actually quite a big deal. After all, with many automakers scaling back their EV ambitions or frantically trying to spin up hybrids, GM is largely staying the course—a bet that's paying off handsomely, as the new affordable Equinox EV has sold so well, it's moved Chevy into second place on the EV sales charts. The new Bolt, which we've rendered above and will cost even less than the Equinox EV (pictured below and in the gallery), should push Chevrolet's electric sales even higher. The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV will begin production in late 2025, with availability likely starting in early 2026. Expected to cost around $30,000, it aims to offer nearly 300 miles of range and improve on the old Bolt's affordability and design. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next So, what did GM let slip about the new Bolt? The model year, for starters. Even though production is set to begin later in 2025 at GM's Fairfax Assembly plant in Kansas City, the new Bolt will be a 2027 model-year introduction. We're not sure that means anyone needs to wait until 2027 to buy one—most likely, the Bolt will become available early in 2026. The Bolt's price tag, though not confirmed, is widely expected to land at or around the $30,000 mark, while delivering near or close to 300 miles of driving range. Chevrolet has confirmed that the new Bolt will use GM's Ultium component set—the branding of which has changed—meaning it's likely to incorporate the front motor from the entry-level Equinox EV and sit on a similar platform, albeit one smaller and more carlike than that SUV. A big change is headed for the battery, which will be GM's first LFP-style (lithium-iron phosphate) pack, which will make it more affordable. (The company has a three-pronged battery chemistry approach.) The Equinox EV's relatively modest charging specs—it uses a 400-volt architecture, not a pricier 800-volt setup—and DC fast charging speeds max out at a so-so 150 kW—should carry over, again, in a bid to keep things attainable. Regardless, the new Bolt is expected to drastically outpace the old Bolt, which also was super affordable (something that boosted its popularity in its waning years) but suffered from outdated and slow fast-charging speeds of just 50 kW. That old Bolt (below) also delivered more than 250 miles of range, a big reason to expect the new one to land somewhere between that distance and the Equinox EV's 315-mile best. The Bolt's lower, smaller body relative to that electric SUV should help its aerodynamics, while its smaller frontal area will surely boost range even if its battery is smaller than its Equinox sibling's. The Equinox EV already sets a smart standard for basic-yet-functional interior design, and the Bolt will no doubt borrow heavily from that model—namely its Google-equipped digital displays. Though the Bolt will be cheap, the Equinox (as well as the stylish yet affordable Trax) shows Chevy is getting very good at designing low-cost interiors that don't feel low-buck or crummy. We're expecting the Bolt to be larger than before but smaller than the Equinox EV, as well as less upright-feeling than its dumpling-shaped predecessor. It's possible GM tries to inject a little more driving fun into the Bolt, something the old version, while comfortable and refined, sorely lacked. All of GM's EV learnings up to this point are being poured into the Bolt. The automaker has learned a lot about EV customers, their wants, and their pain points, as well as its own technologies; all of that will be synthesized through a filter focused on affordability and accessibility. We're excited to see the new Bolt, and more important, its price. After all, the affordable EV space is heating up. There is a new Nissan Leaf on the way for 2026, and Tesla has promised (again) a more affordable model to slot in beneath its current Model 3. And with the $7,500 EV tax credit in trouble, EVs that are both good and cheap—with or without tax credits—will be critical to serving customers eager to go electric, but less eager to spend big money to do so.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
GM plans to invest $4B, ramp up US production
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — General Motors intends to invest $4 billion over the next two years in its U.S. plants. The company on Tuesday. Its goal is to produce more finished vehicles at plants in Michigan, Kansas and Tennessee. At Orion Assembly in Oakland County, GM aims to start producing full-size gas-powered SUVs and light-duty pickup trucks in early 2027, citing 'continued strong demand.' The automaker says its 'Factory Zero' plant in Detroit will be the dedicated assembly location for several electric vehicles: the Chevrolet Silverado EV, the GMC Sierra EV, the Cadillac Escalade IQ and the GMC Hummer EV pickup and SUV. GM plans to begin making the gas-powered Chevrolet Equinox at Fairfax Assembly in Kansas, which is also set to start building the Chevrolet Bolt EV. At Spring Hill Manufacturing in Tennessee, GM intends to produce the gas-powered Chevrolet Blazer. 'We believe the future of transportation will be driven by American innovation and manufacturing expertise,' said Mary Barra, chair and CEO, in a statement. '(Tuesday's) announcement demonstrates our ongoing commitment to build vehicles in the U.S and to support American jobs.' The $4 billion investment will allow GM to assemble more than 2 million vehicles in the United States each year, the company says. In a statement, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer praised GM's 'massive investment in Lake Orion.' 'I am grateful to GM for bringing more auto manufacturing back home to Michigan, protecting thousands of good-paying, union auto jobs,' Whitmer said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
