When the golden bowtie manufacturer introduced the Bolt EV in January at the Detroit Auto Show, all of us were wondering if the concept vehicle’s name will be carried over by the production model. Three months since that moment, the brand’s marketing manager confirmed the aforementioned matter to USA Today.
Mr. Tim Mahoney declared to the publication that “the decision is made. The name won't be changed." The General Motors-owned automaker previously told the media that the Chevrolet Bolt will enter production in October 2016, a fact that makes the pure electric car a 2017 model year. Volt, Bolt, it has a ring to it, innit?
Elon Musk of Tesla Motors fame may have declared a few tongue-in-cheek things regarding Chevrolet’s efforts with the electrified Bolt, but the golden bowtie makes a strong case with what it promised us.
Firstly, the Volt will hold a starting price nigh on $30,000, which is good value for money for an EV.
Compared to the slightly less costly Nissan Leaf, the 2017 Chevrolet Volt “more than 200 miles (322 km)” of all-electric range on a full charge. Range anxiety what now?
It seems like General Motors CEO Mary Barra wasn’t bluffing when she declared in Detroit: “the Bolt EV concept is a game-changing electric vehicle designed for attainability, not exclusivity.”
Then again, a $30k electric vehicle with a versatile range and premium-feeling visual credentials is a game changer. More so when you consider that the bodywork and Gamma G2SC platform utilize “noble” materials, including carbon fiber and woven mesh, magnesium and aluminum.
Last but not least, we hear that GM is planning to give it automatic park and retrieval technology and an app that’ll let Bolt EV owners use the smartphone as the key fob.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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