GM to kill off Chevy Bolt, paving way for new EVs

[RV_]

I just called our local Chevy dealer on behalf of PJ who i looking for a Bolt EUV. The Chevy sales guy said they stopped taking orders for the Bolt because it has too many backed up orders.

But then this came in my Yahoo Finance news.

Excerpt:

"In GM's (GM) earnings conference call today, the automaker dropped a bomb on electric vehicle enthusiasts and the automotive industry.

"We have progressed so far that it's now time to plan to end the Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUV production, which will happen at the very end of the year," GM CEO Mary Barra said while discussing GM’s EV game plan for 2023.

That the news was disclosed almost as an aside on an earnings call was a bit unusual. Normally, a company would make a more formal announcement. After all, the Bolt is GM’s top EV seller by a long shot — last quarter GM sold 20,670 EVs, and only 700 of those were non-Bolts.

Late last year, GM said it was going to boost Bolt production to 70,000 units for 2023, from around 44K units it made in 2022.

 

Chevrolet Bolt EUV

On the flip side the Bolt, which has had its own checkered past with a huge recall due to a battery fire risk, was something of a remnant of GM’s EV past. The Bolt is not built on the new Ultium platform that will power all GM EVs going forward and uses an older battery cell structure made by GM partner LG Energy Solution.

“I was initially surprised to hear about GM ending Bolt production, as it’s currently among the best-selling EVs on the market,” said Karl Brauer of iSeeCars.com to Yahoo Finance. “While relatively successful it doesn’t represent GM’s electric future. The Cadillac Lyriq, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Equinox EV, and Silverado EV are all based on the company’s new Ultium platform, and all will be arriving this year.”

GM did give an update on its upcoming EVs this year, noting that Silverado EV deliveries were set to begin in late Q2 to approximately 340 fleet customers, with production ramping up in Q2. GM also said the Chevy Blazer EV was on track to launch this summer, and the Chevy Equinox EV was set to launch this fall.

Source:

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/gm-to-kill-off-chevy-bolt-paving-way-for-new-evs-174839847.html

[pjstough]

RV-Thanks for checking with the Chevy dealer. You found out about the same as I have been finding out.
Paul

[Chalkie]

3 hours ago, pjstough said:

RV-Thanks for checking with the Chevy dealer. You found out about the same as I have been finding out.
Paul

AutoNation Chevrolet West Austin shows that they have one on the lot, however I was not going to play their "we need your email and phone number" game to answer a simple yes/no question. 

 

[pjstough]

24 minutes ago, Chalkie said:

AutoNation Chevrolet West Austin shows that they have one on the lot, however I was not going to play their "we need your email and phone number" game to answer a simple yes/no question. 

 

Thanks, I will check!

[RV_]

On 4/26/2023 at 11:33 AM, pjstough said:

RV-Thanks for checking with the Chevy dealer. You found out about the same as I have been finding out.
Paul

Hi Paul,

YW. I am shopping for a PHEV not a regular Hybrid and failing that may be getting another Y. I have been failing to find what I want too. I have been to every dealer here and this is a medium city. The Chevy dealers did not have a clue and most had no idea about battery tech, or even the ranges of their own products. They all told me they stopped taking orders because the waiting list was too long. The Bolt was designed and is made in Korea. They ship the modules including Korean made batteries to the Orion plant for final assembly.

They avoid some taxes and say they are American products. The new rules for incentives including state rebates and federal/state tax credits are only for vehicles new and used that were made in the US including the batteries.

I put these industry EV news items as they develop here because investors need to know when significant changes in manufacturing EVs happens.

The incentives bring jobs back to the US including vehicle manufacturing, Battery manufacturing, and sources for raw materials like Lithium etc.

All of those can and are being made or mined here finally as well as recycling raw materials which are surprisingly cheap and cost effective over mining.

The Chevy dealer sales crew here did not know GM is discontinuing it last time I was out PHEV hunting in the last month.

I have met many Tesla investors who don't drive one and Owners who don't own Teslla stock.

I have tried to buy one and am not paying $2k - $10k more for a Plug-In Hybrid than a Model Y full EV loaded at $49.9k No Full Self Driving no enhanced autopilot just regular autopilot which just adaptive cruise.

Our 2019 Forester has only 16,850 miles on it and trade-ins today for it are only ~ $1k-$2k below what we paid.

I'll be doing a final sanity check for a PHEV, AWD, SUV, this week. I am resigned to getting another Tesla Y. If anyone knows of and EV or PHEV I missed that meets all my criteria  at least 330 miles range like my Y, AWD, Navigation, and full LTE/5G connectivity for 10 - 15 bucks a month like my Tesla.

Maybe next year trade our 2020 Model Y in for a decent PHEV, or even another brand EV with the above specs for the same price as Tesla or less.

I have to do some research on the 4680 battery with only 280 miles of range in the base Model Y. It is a couple thousand less. But I need to do more research on whether the old Li-Ion battery chemistry really will result in battery packs that last 200k miles. If the 4680 power is the same or better, and 4680 charging times less, that may be what I trade-in my 2020 current Y on, as I will have the new Model Y I get in the next week or two. I don't think the other brands have anything close in power/range/handling/AWD/price.

https://www.carscoops.com/2023/04/tesla-claims-its-battery-degrades-by-only-12-after-200k-miles/

Safe Travels!

Edited April 30, 2023 by RV_

[pjstough]

Three Chevy dealerships I have been at told me they didnt know Chevy was going to discontinue the Bolt and the Bolt EUV, but then again, these were car salespersons.
I talked to a dealer on Friday who says he can get me a Bolt EUV from a dealer about 200 miles away, but I am not holding my breath.

[Kirk W]

We have some friends in FL that bought one of the first Bolt's and they have been very happy with it, boastful even. As much as I don't believe one would work well for us, I do believe that electric cars are our future unless something dramatic is discovered soon. 

[RV_]

2 hours ago, Kirk W said:

We have some friends in FL that bought one of the first Bolt's and they have been very happy with it, boastful even. As much as I don't believe one would work well for us, I do believe that electric cars are our future unless something dramatic is discovered soon. 

Kirk, If you remember I tried mightily to test drive one in 2019 before I bought the New Forester, but there were none from  Dallas to Shreveport. I finally saw a used one last week and got to sit in it. I was going to test drive it, but it was too low to the ground for my back. And too small for our needs.

But it makes no difference as no new ones are available here even if they were high enough to make entry/exit and not twist my lumbar. It is hell getting old. However it sure beats the alternative.

They did not have AWD Bolt models advertised back then. As well if you read the articles about CATL batteries and the new formats also coming soon you will see why my research this past week and more to come. I am thinking about getting the new 2023 Y and when the new M3P batteries come out this year, trading my 2020 in on one. Then we can see if we want to trade our 2023 Y in later on the 2024/5.

So we will likely be a two Y family for at least a year. If any of the other manufacturers begin to compete we will look at them too,but in Colorado, AWD is a necessity.

If you read the thread I just posted it is sad how far from being able to compete in the next few years. I am brand agnostic and don't care whether Tesla or GM I will always go for the facts and the best bang for my buck. 

Thus I am now getting input on the two batteries in Model Y cars this year with different chemistries available now as to which we will get now it is between the current one and the new battery pack chemistry.

Tesla range will going up while the price will continue to drop for the next decade from what I am reading and posted here today.