Electrical driving is the future and Chevrolet knows it. That’s why they will release their 2017 Chevrolet Bolt as a fully electric vehicle. Now we know there are already some fully electric cars in the running, but this one will become special. Not only because of the great specs, but also because of the ‘friendly’ price of around $30,000. The actual price lies around $38,000. However, there’s a maximum $7,500 federal tax deduction which brings the price down. Electric driving is not only for the lucky few anymore. Also, Chevrolet has raised the bar for engine specifications with this model. Read on to find out what exactly makes this car so great.
Exterior design
Looking at the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt the first thing you’ll see is a bright orange coloured concept. That flash of orange certainly makes an impact, but might not be everyone’s taste. Other, less conspicuous colours are on offer for the final model.
Overall, the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt is a very aerodynamic sedan. The front of the car is small, because the electric engine doesn’t need as much space as a gas engine. The lower fascia is a diagonal with a large air vent for releasing warm air from the engine. The upper fascia is V-shaped and connects the sleek LED headlights tightly. The small hood flows directly onto the steep windshield.
The Bolt concept car had a panorama glass roof, but this has not made the final cut, so regular steel it is.
Side and rear
The sides of the car are well-designed, giving the car a luxurious feel. There are two inwards facing lines on the car, creating a more aerodynamic look. Halfway down to the back the line of the car goes down, which results in an interesting sideview, with two totally different cardoors and windows.
Moving on to the back of the car, the trunk door is for a large part made out of glass, without rubber or metal encasings, except for the lower side, where the opening button is. Then there are two extra windows on the upper sides of the backdoors flowing into the trunk door, something you don’t see too often in car designing. The lower bumper extends a bit to the sides, resulting in a sturdy and tough back bumper.
Last but not least, what’s very interesting about the 2017 Bolt is that it’s quite wide, which translates to a lot of interior space, especially in the cargo area.
Interior design
Step into the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt and feel the great and refreshing interior design. The seats are situated on a pedestal system and look like racingcar seats. Furthermore, the seats are not separated by the centre console, leaving an almost open space for the leg room. The automatic transmission is situated in between the seats.
*concept interior
The centre console consists of a big 10.2 inch standard LCD screen and some buttons to control all the knickknacks in the car. Underneath the centre console there’s a power button for starting the car without a key. The Bolt will also come with an app for unlocking the car without a key.
The gauges also come in the form of an LCD screen. It’s very minimalist the driver can customize what is showing on the screen. The steering wheel looks steady and sturdy, and has a couple of buttons for controlling things like Bluetooth and volume.
Engine specs
On to the most interesting part of the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, the electric engine. Not much information has been released on the powertrain yet, but what is known is that ther will be a single high capacity electric engine. This can produce 200 horsepower and is combined the the new Chevrolet’s Electronic Precision Shift System. This is a spacesaving system that is superprecise in delivering the power to the engine, according to Chevrolet. The engine can reach zero to sixty mph (100 kph) in only seven seconds and top speed is 91 mph (145 kph), which is amazing for such a sustainable car.
The best part about the electric engine is the mileage it can make on a full battery. The battery is a 60 kWh and Chevrolet estimates this to make 200 miles (320 km). That’s 76 miles (120 km) more than the Bolt’s financial competitor, the Nissan Leaf achieves. The Bolt will have the same mileage as the current Tesla Model , but that one is far more expensive, so its public is much smaller than the Bolt’s will be.
2017 Chevrolet Bolt vs. Tesla Model 3
A grand competitor for the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt is going to be the upcoming Tesla Model 3. This one will also be able to reach the 200 miles on a full battery and is going to cost around $40,000, so that’s definitely a competitor in terms of economy and specifications. However, Chevrolet does have the benefit of being a renowned car brand, whereas Tesla is only operating for sixteen years.
Another important factor for being able to succeed as an EV is the possibility for fast charging. The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt offers this, so at specified places the car can be charged in about half an hour. Chevrolet also offers a 240-Volt outlet that can be installed at your home and can charge your Bolt in 9 hours. That’s twice as fast as the regular 120-Volt outlet can make.
Tech specs
The car will come with the option of 4G Wi-fi and the car’s software will be compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
The safety features of the Chevrolet Bolt are definitely something to look out for. Features like Forward Pedestrian Alert, Forward Collision Alert, Side Blind Zone Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert are all available as options.
Another handy tool on the Bolt is the option for the car to park itself, without the driver needing to sit in the driver’s seat. Chevrolet also discussed the possible feature of ‘valet parking’, where the Chevrolet could park itself in a parking garage. With just the touch of a fingertip on a connected smartphone the car can drive itself out of the parking garage, just like valet parking.
The car will also be able to brake to a full stop, without touching the brake pedal. Either by itself, or by pushing a braking button on the steering wheel will the car be able to achieve this.
Price
The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt will arrive on the American market at a price of $37,000. American drivers will be able to get a federal tax return for driving electric vehicles of about $7,500, which brings the price down to $30,000 in the end. The Bolt will be in stores by the end of 2016.
For Europe, the path to be followed is a little more unclear. The car will certainly come to European shores in 2017, but unsure is whether it’s going to be as Chevrolet Bolt. Probable is that the model will be released as an Opel named Blitz. Starting price will lie around €40,000, but gets an 8 year and 160.000 km guaranteed warranty. We can’t wait for this car to arrive!
UPDATE:
01-16-2017:
The European counterpart of the Chevrolet Bolt has been confirmed as the 2017 Opel Ampera-E. First countries to receive the car are Norway, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands and France. The Opel Ampera-E will arrive first in Norway, in June at a price of 289.000 Norwegian Crown. This would translate to around €31,000 for remaining countries.
Leave a Reply