GM says two new versions of the Chevy Bolt are due to be unveiled in February 2021. The company has released a new teaser that highlights a new feature coming into electric vehicles: GM’s renowned advanced driver assistance system, the Super Cruise.
GM is planning to launch an updated Chevy Bolt, which was first launched in 2017, as well as an Electric Utility Vehicle Bolt, or EUV. The teaser was scheduled to coincide with the speech by GM CEO Mary Barra at the 2021 Consumer Electronics Show – which is being held virtually this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The updated Bolt will have a sportier look, new seats, adaptive cruise control and a few other minor changes. GM increased the range in last year’s Bolt version from 238 miles to 259 miles, but no further increase is expected in the update.
The EUV Bolt (not an acronym we hope to get, but I suppose it will) will have a longer wheelbase than the normal Bolt and should appeal to customers looking for a more crossover SUV look than a hatchback. The EUV looks longer than the normal Bolt, but much taller.
A major change will be the inclusion of Super Cruise, GM’s advanced hands-free driver assistance system. When it debuted in 2017, Super Cruise made immediate comparisons to Tesla’s Autopilot system. It uses cameras, radar and LIDAR mapping data, combined with a robust driver monitoring system, to relieve stress when driving on roads. When involved, drivers can take their feet off the pedals and hands off the steering wheel, and the car usually drives alone on divided roads.
The two new Bolts are the latest vehicles from GM to obtain the Super Cruise and the first from Chevrolet. The Super Cruise is also available on the Cadillac CT6 2018, Cadillac CT5 and CT4 2021, Cadillac Escalade 2021 and GMC Hummer EV.
Both the Bolt EV and the Bolt EUV will be built on GM’s BEV2 platform, which is distinct from the new “Ultium” battery announced in early 2020. The recently unveiled Cadillac Lyriq and GMC Hummer EV will be the first vehicles to be built on this new electrical architecture. As such, Bolt EV and EUV were expected to go into production in late 2020, but have been delayed until this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The new Bolts cannot come fast enough, given the controversy surrounding the current versions of the EV. GM was recently attacked with a class action claiming that the Chevy Bolt’s battery is “prone to bursting into flames”. The lawsuit comes shortly after GM announced it was recalling 68,000 Bolts because of a defective battery.