Chevrolet Bolt EV, Bolt EUV to be Terminated Later in 2023
The future of the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Bolt EUV has been settled. General Motors has decided to end production this fall and instead focus on the all-new Chevrolet Equinox EV, the deliveries of which are scheduled to start at around the same time.
The automaker’s two most affordable EVs by a long shot were notoriously involved in a major battery recall two years ago. All units covering the 2017-2022 model years were affected and had to have their LG-sourced high-voltage batteries replaced. Class action lawsuits have even been filed by angry customers in Canada and the U.S.
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Despite GM increasing production of the Bolt EV and Bolt EUV in the past few months, delivery times north of the border have stretched to about 18 months. With production set to end in October or November, this means that a customer making a reservation today is highly unlikely to get their car.
Remember, GM’s Orion assembly plant near Detroit is currently being retooled to build electric pickups including the Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV starting in 2024.
The Bolt EV and Bolt EUV, which aren’t based on GM’s new Ultium platform and don’t use its latest battery technology, will therefore pass the torch to the similarly priced Equinox EV—at least in base trim. This crossover offers more space, more power (up to 290 hp), longer range (up to an estimated 480 km), more technology and faster charging (10 minutes at a 150kW DC charger can restore 112 km of range). Let’s not forget the AWD option, something that is missing with the two hatchbacks.
For Chevrolet, it’s the end of a short but still important chapter. Now, who’s going to replace the Bolt EV and Bolt EUV as The Car Guide’s Best Buy in the small EV segment for 2024? The Hyundai Kona Electric? Kia Niro EV? Look for the answer to come later this year.