Five Things to Know: 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV

Published on March 26, 2021 in Buzz by Felix Larouche

Last month, Chevrolet unveiled the latest edition of the Bolt, as well as its new SUV-inspired sibling, the Bolt EUV.

The first-generation Bolt has received generally positive feedback from the public since its beginnings in 2017. But now that it is being reintroduced with a new design, new technologies and a lower price, will the Bolt EUV be able to stand out within Canada's growing electric vehicle segment?

Here are the five things you need to know about the 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV.

Powertrain and Range

The Bolt and Bolt EUV use the same 150-kilowatt electric motor (200 horsepower) as the ougoing generation. But the EUV has taken on a few more pounds. Its lithium-ion battery promises a range of 402 kilometres on a single charge. This is slightly down from the regular Bolt’s 417 kilometre range.

Both Bolts retain a near-identical range rating as the previous model. Their main rival, the Hyundai Kona EV boasts a range of 415 kilometres in ideal conditions.

Charging the Bolt in Québec’s EV infrastructure

As standard equipment, the Bolt EUV includes a new Dual Level Charge Cord. It uses an interchangeable plug which allows the vehicle to be charged using a 120-volt or a 240-volt outlet. As for the regular Bolt, this cord is part of the optional equipment list.

With the help of public fast chargers and its DC fast charging capability, the Bolt EUV can gain as much as 154 kilometres of range in as little as 30 minutes of charging.

As of October 2019, over 2000 public charging stations were active in Québec, as well as 225 DC fast chargers. As time goes by, these numbers will continue to rise. It is also important to mention that the province of Québec offers a rebate of $600 for anyone looking to purchase and install an at-home charging station.

A Ground-Breaking New Technology

One of the biggest surprises with the introduction of this new EV is the arrival of GM’s semi-autonomous driving technology suite, Super Cruise. The system uses mapping data, radars, cameras, as well as OnStar technologies to make the vehicle drive on its own, with little input from the driver. In North America, the system is compatible with over 320,000 kilometres of roads. On the long run, we anticipate GM will be working to expand compatibility.

This is the first time GM makes Super Cruise available on a non-Cadillac product. The only major difference is that the Chevrolet system will not be able to perform automatic lane changes, a feature that Cadillac introduced for the 2021 model year.

Is it Even a Real SUV?

We would imagine that this new addition to the lineup carries many SUV-like attributes that are common in the segment.

Just like most EV’s, the Bolt EUV, as well as its little sibling are not available in all wheel drive configurations. Front wheel drive continues to be the only option available.

With this in mind, the EUV is only 5 mm higher, and wider than the regular Bolt. As far as interior space is concerned, there are no major improvements that were made. The only metric with noticeable gains is length; the EUV offers 7.2 cm more rear legroom (99.3 cm total) than the regular Bolt (91.4 cm total). The main rival, the Kona EV, only offers 88.4 cm of rear legroom.

If you assumed the EUV had a larger trunk than the regular Bolt, think again! In fact, the cargo hold is slightly smaller. The Bolt EUV can hold 462 litres with the rear seats up or 1,611 litres when they’re folded down, while its sibling has a capacity of 470 litres and 1,614 litres respectively.

Competitive Pricing

GM has already released pricing for the upcoming Bolts, and they are rather competitive!

In Québec, Chevrolet will be offering two trim levels: LT, and Premier.

The LT model, starting at 42,348 $ (without $13,000 in provincial and federal incentives) offers the following standard equipment:

A 10.2-inch infotainment system
Heated front seats, heated steering wheel
Power adjustable driver’s seat
Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning and lane keep assist and automatic high beams.

The Premier model, starting at $45,848 (without $13,000 in provincial and federal incentives) gets the following: