Electric vehicles are inching toward the mainstream, one year and and a kilowatt at a time.
The 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EUV Premier with Redline badging is the latest example. With a large proportion and higher ground clearance than the Bolt EV, the EUV delivers more technology and features than ever before.
“We want to put everyone in an EV and the new Bolt EUV and redesigned Bolt EV are crucial to doing so,” said GM President Mark Reuss. “Together, they enable mainstream customers to be part of our vision of zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion.”
Bolt is one of the industry’s most affordable models, and with an advanced 65 kilowatt-hour, lithium-ion battery pack, delivers a range of around 235 miles, giver-or-take. Those numbers answer two of consumers’ biggest questions: cost and distance traveled between charges.
GM has plans to launch 30 new EV’s globally by 2025.
Offered in LT and Premier trim, the Bolt EUV seats four adults in comfort, five in a squeeze. The LT is available at a price point near $30,000.
I let the Bolt’s range drop to 30 miles before heading to an Electrify America charging station in the parking lot of a nearby Walmart. The vehicle charged to 80 percent capacity, around 180 miles, in about an hour, leaving time for a bathroom break, and reading of Jess Walter’s latest book of short stories.
Bolt EUV brings its own character with a modern, muscular design and roomier interior than expected. It features a distinctive front-end with a sculpted grille and signature LED headlamps. My tester came with a “Silver Flare Metallic” coat of enamel and jet black interior.
Bolt comes with a new, electronic gear shift design that uses pull toggles and push buttons to free up more interior space. For increased regenerative braking, there’s even a new one-pedal driving button that keeps the system active between drive cycles. It’s almost like driving a golf cart, one of my favorite modes of transportation!
My tester also came with Chevy’s new “Super Cruise” ($2,200) package that allows the driver to set speed and distance, take your foot off the pedal, and hands off the steering wheel. I tested the feature en route to our Camano cabin on I-5. The Bolt drove 75 miles per hour in the fast lane for several miles before I manually turned on the blinker and changed lanes, discontinuing the function.
A “Sun and Sound” package ($2,495) was also included on my tester adding to the Bolt’s bottom line and fun factor. The option adds a seven-speaker Bose sound system, sunroof with power sunshade, and an infotainment package with navigation.
Standard features include remote start, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless device charging, and adaptive cruise control.
Like all electric vehicles, the Bolt EUV delivers surprising torque, zipping off the starting line with power to pass most vehicles. It might cost you some range, but I couldn’t resist the cheap thrill.
Bolt EUV comes with Chevy Safety Assist, a suite of features that delivers peace of mind. Highlighted technology includes automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, lane keep assist and departure warning, forward collision alert, following distance indicator, side blind-zone alert, rear camera mirror, rear park assist and rear cross-traffic alert.
Base Price: $32,695
Price As Driven: $37,885
Destination charge is included in base price. Vehicles are provided by the manufacturer. List price may vary at local dealerships.
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