Few products attract a cult-like obsession like this one. Even after years off the menu, true fans yearn for its return, their devotion bordering on an almost cult-like obsession. Well, they are lucky. It’s back for a limited time only.
It’s not the McRib, it’s the 2027 Chevrolet Bolt.
Like the McDonald’s McRib, there are a few theories that could explain the Bolt’s resurgence.
GM’s EV parts bin has grown since the previous Bolt was introduced in 2016, helping the new model’s finances clear up, as has the sporadic availability of the McRib can be explained by low pork prices. It also doesn’t hurt that many Bolt owners, like McRib loversare rabid fans, including some within GM. The reality can probably be found somewhere in the middle.
When the company realized it had an 18-month production gap at its Fairfax, Kansas plant, executives signed off on a revival of small EVs.
Unlike the McRib, the new Bolt doesn’t stick strictly to the original recipe. But there is enough familiar in the new model to please its die-hard fans. TechCrunch got an up-close look at and test drive of the upcoming Chevy Bolt during a recent press trip, for which GM provided travel and accommodations.
Something old, something new
GM started with the frame and body panels from the Bolt EUV—a subtly beefed-up version of the old Bolt—and redesigned the front and rear pieces. He modified the suspension and some of the front frame, but overall it’s the same basic metal.
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Some of the plastic inside has been refined, though there are still enough hard surfaces to remind you that this is the cheapest EV on sale in the US today. Prices start at $28,995 including destination charge, which is a good deal considering the state of the car market. Don’t get too excited, though, because a loaded Bolt can cost more than $40,000, so the warm fuzzies start to fade.
What’s missing? Most drivers will notice the absence of CarPlay and Android Auto, now missing from all new GM vehicles. The previous Bolt was one of GM’s only electric vehicles with a display, and its omission is likely to cause more than a few problems for current owners. To ease the pain, they’ve added Spotify and Apple Music apps. They help, but only a little – the native apps were less responsive to my inputs than their CarPlay cousins.
There were also revisions to the headlights and taillights. but the stars of the show are the battery, engine and Super Cruise.
The new 65-kilowatt-hour battery is GM’s first to use lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP). Power from that flows through a new battery management system to an electric motor lifted from the front-wheel-drive Chevy Equinox.
Changing the battery is important. For years, American automakers have had their sights set on the LFP. The chemistry eliminates critical minerals such as cobalt and nickel, reducing costs. LFP batteries also do not suffer from degradation when repeatedly charged to 100%. Previous Bolt owners were encouraged to limit their daily charge to 80%, reserving the last fraction for road trips. (That was even before battery fires sparked a recall that forced owners to do so for a long time.)
The LFP cells also discharge fairly steadily, maintaining full power closer to the 0% state of charge than before.
In the new Bolt, the engine produces 200 horsepower and 169 pound-feet of torque. The latter is a little lower than the previous model, but it is quite lively around town.
Kris Keary, lead engineer for EV propulsion systems, told me that’s because the new motor can spin faster and more efficiently, allowing the team to set a lower gear. At the wheels, torque is actually a bit higher, meaning Chevy expects the new Bolt to cruise from zero to 60 mph a touch quicker than before.
Longer range
Between the new engine and more efficient power electronics, Chevy managed to find an extra 15 miles of range, Keary said. Even with the smaller battery, it can travel farther, a total of 262 miles for the lower-spec LT. (Higher-spec RS models should get 255 miles.)
The power electronics also mitigate an issue previous owners had with the car: charging speed. Although the previous Bolt produced range numbers worthy of road trips, its charging speed was unimpressive at 50kW. Adding 200 miles of range took about an hour.
Now, charging from 10% to 90% should take 24 minutes, according to GM. The 400 volt pack can take up to 150 kW, although one person at the press unit I attended briefly saw 157 kW in a Tesla supercharger. (Yes, the Bolt is now equipped with the North American Charging Standard (NACS), although connecting to Tesla’s grid and charging is coming later this year.) I wasn’t so lucky, seeing just 115 kW in ideal 70˚ F weather. My total charge time was 24 minutes from 24% to 80%. Not quite what Chevy was hoping for, but not bad either.
Faster charging combined with Super Cruise means this little guy has the potential to be a decent commuter or commuter car. The front and rear seats are spacious and quite comfortable, although there is zero space under the front seats. The trunk is decently sized for a compact, but won’t hold more than a few carry-ons.
Super Cruiser
As Chevy reps kept reminding us, the Bolt is the cheapest hands-free vehicle on the market today, though you’ll want to double-check the menu because it calls for a very specific order — “LT + Comfort + Evotex + Tech + Super Cruise.” Cheap is a relative term these days, of course. It will set you back $35,655.
To test the Super Cruise, I ran a short 14-mile loop up and down the 101 northwest of Los Angeles. The ADAS Level 2 system handled midday traffic well, automatically changing lanes when I approached a slow-moving vehicle. I didn’t even have to look in the mirror to confirm, which requires e.g. the BMW. But Super Cruise will hum your left or right glute to give you a heads up. Oh hello now! What is it! Oh, incoming lane change.
As before, Super Cruise will only work on GM-mapped routes, which include highways and some two-lane highways. If your route requires an exit or interchange, it will do its best to get you into the necessary lane before asking you to take over. During my drive, he was disturbed a few times by cars speeding up a lane to the car’s right, holding up traffic. I found it more aggressive when it wanted to find the passing lane. (You can always push it to change lanes by pressing the turn signal.)
This is where Chevy defends its decision to eliminate display tools like CarPlay and Android Auto from its vehicles. The Bolt’s Android Automotive-based infotainment system is shared with other GM electric vehicles. That means its navigation system can talk to the battery management system, warm up the battery before fast charging and Super Cruise, allowing the Bolt to do its lane-changing magic as it approaches your exit.
Super Cruise will still cost you. Because Chevy requires a lot of options to be able to drive hands-free, the feature adds more than 20 percent to the base price, requiring owners to pay $35,655. Is it worth another $6,600, plus the cost of OnStar after the three-year trial ends? It depends on how often you think you will use it. For long-distance commuters, the addition could be the stress reduction that adds a few years to their life expectancy. Everyone else? Probably not.
I’ll bet most new Bolt buyers already know they’re going to buy a Bolt. Either they have one parked in their garage or they have a soft spot for small electric vehicles.
Chevy is betting there are enough of them that it will sell out in about two years. After that, the automaker won’t commit to another route. But who knows? Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Just ask any McRib fan.
