In a nutshell: For these ready on the sidelines for an reasonably priced electrical car possibility, Normal Motors has some excellent news: The Chevy Bolt EV is coming again, presumably with a good cheaper mannequin as an possibility. Furthermore, the automotive is definitely going to be worthwhile for the automaker.
GM President Mark Reuss confidently said on the firm’s latest Investor Day that the “2026 Bolt will provide the identical worth as the unique Bolt and way more. And it will likely be a cash maker for us. Take into consideration that.”
GM initially deliberate to axe the Bolt final 12 months earlier than backtracking and confirming its resurrection as an Ultium-based EV for 2025. However now there’s been one other technique shift – the automaker revealed to buyers that it is ditching the “Ultium” branding for its batteries going ahead. Much more vital, GM is abandoning its one-size-fits-all cell technique, as an alternative embracing a wider vary of battery chemistries and codecs throughout its upcoming EV lineup.
The brand new Bolt is slated to hit dealerships late subsequent 12 months as a 2026 mannequin. Whereas the ultimate pricing is not set, Reuss talked about it should solely value “barely” greater than the outgoing 2023 Bolt EUV crossover’s $28,795 beginning value. That is not unhealthy in any respect for an EV with over 200 miles of vary.
Nevertheless, it isn’t simply the approachable value that might intrigue EV consumers. GM is promising sooner charging capabilities on the next-gen Bolt, addressing a sore level in present fashions, which max out at a comparatively sluggish 55kW price. Reuss saved the specifics beneath wraps, merely stating it should have “sooner charging” as a part of “the newest expertise.”
The reborn Bolt will not be a one-trick reasonably priced mannequin both. Reuss revealed it will likely be a part of a full “household” of Bolt fashions, together with a good cheaper variant for ultra-budget-conscious consumers.
Reuss appeared to take a delicate jab at Ford’s newly fashioned “skunkworks” EV staff too, boasting “We needn’t create a skunkworks to create reasonably priced electrical automobiles. We all know how to do that.”
Whereas gentle on particulars, with Reuss saying it is “too early to enter specifics,” the 2026 Bolt revival represents GM lastly cracking the code for making mass-market EVs worthwhile after years of scuffling with low manufacturing volumes and excessive upfront investments. The automaker is on tempo to construct 200,000 EVs in North America this 12 months because it scales up next-gen fashions just like the Bolt and the brand new Equinox EV.