Yesterday, we attended the annual AltCar Expo in Santa Monica. On display was a production model of the Chevy Bolt. This model has the same features as Chevy Bolts when they will be sold at dealers. Since CES, many have been wondering what the interior will finally look like. We have photos to show that the interior has the sporty style of the Chevy Camaro and almost the tech of the Telsa. Most importantly, over the Tesla 3, the Chevy Bolt exists and is currently driving around Southern California. The Chevrolet booth was one of the most popular booths at the event. We snagged very important swag that will endear drivers forever.
The Los Angeles Times tested the battery to get a full 240 miles and made the trip to Santa Barbara.C Chevy claims that the range of 238 miles which is five times the amount needed for the average daily commute of 40 miles.
We were able to take photographs of the interior of the Chevy Bolt on display through the windows, even though it was locked. The center screen is 10.2 inches and is easy to see and does not distract from the view of the windshield. The upholstery and styling are similar to the Chevy Volt. The color combination of light gray and black give the Bolt an open feel. There is enough room for five to ride in the car, the back seat may be tight for three adults. The black does not show the dirt, like the light gray suede of the concept car, we saw last year.
The Chevy Bolt recharges itself on the road through regenerative braking. Regen on Demand, allows the driver to slow down without using the brake pedal while transferring energy back to the battery, and then converts that energy into electricity. It is done by the Regen on Demand paddle on the steering wheel. One Pedal driving allows the driver to speed up and slow down by using the accelerator pedal that helps to generate more energy to the battery.
Unlike Tesla, that allows buyers to think that the Tesla S is a super car that can do anything even drive itself, Chevy is educating the public to the value of electric cars and exactly how they work while making them affordable. The the spec sheet on the Bolt on display showed the competitors as:
- BMW i3.
- Nissan Leaf.
- Mercedes-Benz B Class Electric
- Kia Soul EV
- Ford Focus Electric.
- VW eGolf.
The Chevy Bolt will be available in late 2016. People in Southern California will be able to take test drives of the Chevy Bolt at the LA Auto Show in November. We suspect there will be more announcements during one of the biggest auto shows in the country.
The Bolt will be priced at $37,500 which with the Federal tax rebate will be $30,000. Although the California rebates are exhausted there can be an additional $2500. During a panel at AltCar Expo, Shad Balch, Western Region Manager, Chevrolet Product & Policy Communications was asked what will happen when the 200,000 tax rebates for Chevy electric cars are exhausted.
“It all depends on the outcome of the election,” replied Balch.
Update 9/20/2016 – Chevrolet announced the base Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of $37,495 including destination charge. Depending on individual tax situations, customers may receive an available federal tax credit of up to $7,500 for a net value of $29,995.
The well-equipped LT trim starts at $37,495 and comes with standard features that include, among others, Regen on Demand steering wheel paddle, rear vision camera, 10.2-inch diagonal color touch screen and MICHELIN Self-sealing tires (in certain circumstances). The top trim Premier includes all LT equipment plus additional standard features such as leather-appointed seats, front and rear heated seats, surround camera and rear camera mirror.
The General Motors Orion Assembly plant that builds the Chevrolet Bolt EV ranks as the eighth largest user of green power generated onsite in the United States among the Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership Partners. Over half of the plant is powered by methane captured from decomposing trash in a nearby landfill.
Now for the object that won the hearts of the swag hunters at AltCar Expo, it wasn’t a hat, canvas bag, or cell phone charger.
We are pleased to announce that we at AUTO Connected Car News own a Chevy Bolt, the only problem is that it is 2 1/2″ long, 1″ wide and 1″ tall. We got the very last one available at the show.
There were only 15025 units produced of this Chevy Bolt, from what we saw at AltCar Expo, we expect that many more of the real Chevrolet Bolts will be produced and sold.
