Chevrolet Bolt EV previews an affordable all-electric vehicle

#1 01-17-2015

Chevrolet Bolt EV previews an affordable all-electric vehicle

Chevrolet Bolt EV previews an affordable all-electric vehicle

Chevrolet Bolt previews affordable all-electric Chevrolet-Bolt-1.jpg

At the 2015 Detroit Auto Show, Chevrolet pulled the covers off a concept vehicle designed to preview a future production all-electric affordable electric car. Called the Chevrolet Bolt EV, the five-door hatchback has similar proportions to the BMW i3 with short front and rear overhangs. To improve efficiency, and also counteract the added weight penalty of the heavy batteries, the Bolt EV is constructed using lightweight materials such as aluminium, magnesium and carbon fiber.

GM’s CEO Mary Barra stated that the production Chevrolet Bolt EV will have a range of more than 200 miles on a single charge, and a starting price of around $30,000, although she didn’t mention if the latter is with or without state and federal tax incentives.

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Chevrolet Bolt previews affordable all-electric Chevrolet-Bolt-3.jpg

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Chevrolet Bolt EV electric car concept

Drivers will be able to select different driving modes which will adjust the car’s setup to suit a variety of needs ranging from daily commuting to longer-distance weekend cruising. The modes adjust accelerator pedal mapping, vehicle ride height and suspension tuning. The Bolt EV concept is also designed to support DC fast charging.

Inside, the Bolt EV features a generously spaced interior, with plenty of head and leg room for the occupants. The cabin’s airy, high-tech environment is reinforced with lightweight, slim-architecture seats mounted on exposed aluminum pedestals that create a floating effect. The large side windows and panoramic glass roof all contribute further to the feeling of a spacious interior.

Chevrolet Bolt previews affordable all-electric Chevrolet-Bolt-7.jpg

Chevrolet Bolt previews affordable all-electric Chevrolet-Bolt-7.jpg

Chevrolet Bolt EV electric car concept

The Chevrolet Bolt EV also features it own smartphone app, which is designed to allow a smartphone to act as the key fob, allow ride-sharing management, including reservations, vehicle location, digital key and even payment processing via the smartphone, and perhaps most impressively of all, control the concept’s automatic park-and-retrieval technology, which enables the driver to exit the vehicle and tell the Bolt EV concept to park itself – and when errands are completed, the Bolt EV concept can be summoned to return to the owner’s location.

Chevrolet haven’t given any details on when a production model of the Bolt EV will go on sale. But the fact they’re already stating rough prices and publishing performance specifications means they’ve probably got most of the hard work done already.