General Motors teased some new details about the next-generation Chevy Bolt, which is expected to make its official debut next year as a model year 2026 vehicle.
At an investor event today, GM president Mark Reuss teased the new Bolt during a portion of the event in which the livestream was cut for “confidential” reasons so that the company could show images of the still-unannounced vehicle. But Reuss’ presentation could still be heard.
The next-gen Bolt will charge faster than the current generation
The next-gen Bolt will charge faster than the current generation, though Reuss wouldn’t say how fast. The current Bolt sips its electrons at a slower rate than most EVs on the market, 50–55kW, and can add up to 100 miles in 30 minutes when plugged into a DC fast charger.
Faster charging would certainly help enhance the next-gen Bolt’s image with new EV customers, with whom charging remains a sticking point.
In terms of price, Reuss said we could expect a slightly more expensive next-gen Bolt than the Bolt EUV, which starts at $28,795. “And it will just be one member of a family of Bolts, including an even lower cost option,” he said.
“The 2026 Bolt will offer the same value as the original Bolt and much more, and it will be a moneymaker for us,” Reuss said. “Think about that.”
First introduced in 2016, the Chevy Bolt EV was intended to be the automaker’s first stab at a mass-market battery-electric vehicle with 200-plus miles of range and an affordable price tag. The company released a refreshed model as well as a slightly larger EUV version in early 2021.
But now it’s making a comeback, and GM is already tooting its own horn. Reuss even included a dig at Ford, which recently created a “skunkworks” lab in Silicon Valley to develop new low-cost EVs. “We do not need to create a skunkworks to create an affordable electric vehicle,” he said. “We know how to do this.”
Corrections October 8th: A previous version of this story said the next-gen Bolt would come out late this year. It comes out in 2025.
