The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt Looks the Same, but is Completely New Underneath

The popular Chevrolet Bolt EV has returned to GM’s lineup after being discontinued in 2023 in part due to safety recalls related to battery fires.

This was unfortunate because the Bolt was a popular vehicle among early electric vehicle (EV) adopters and was one of the first affordable EVs to have over 350 km of range. It had a small footprint but a roomy interior, straightforward operation, and was an efficient electric car with enough range to be more than just a city commuter; it was a viable everyday car.

With government incentives no longer available to subsidize EV prices, the need for affordable options has intensified, especially since there are so few EVs under $50,000 on the market. The diminutive Fiat 500e is cheaper and can only go about 220 km on a charge, and the new Kia EV4 now holds the title of most affordable EV in Canada. The Bolt is the third most inexpensive at $42,599, including destination.

The 2027 Bolt doesn’t change much of the original formula. It’s equipped with a single motor powering the front wheels and a 65-kWh battery pack (the same size as before), and 422 km of range.

Chief engineer for the new Bolt, Jeremy Short, said it uses the shell of the last-generation model but with a brand-new powertrain and tech based on GM’s Ultium platform.

“Under the hood, it’s completely new. There’s a new cradle and a drive unit that we share with the Equinox,” Short told AutoTrader. “The suspension components are primarily the same, but we do have new tuning at all four corners, and it will feel different compared to the last Bolt.”

The new electric motor comes directly from the larger Chevrolet Equinox EV, and the 65-kWh battery is from a new supplier (CATL) and uses a new lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry.

This is the first time GM is using LFP batteries in one of its cars, and outside of some Teslas, no other electric vehicles currently use them.

“Iron phosphate batteries give us a good balance of energy density, efficiency, and material cost,” Short said.

LFP batteries are safer, have a much lower risk of thermal runaway (battery fires), and offer a longer lifespan with better resistance to charge/discharge cycles, helping put to rest any fears of battery fires from the last-generation Bolt. They are also cheaper to produce and don’t use any ethically sensitive cobalt, which makes them a more sustainable option.

Short said the company knew that discontinuing the Bolt would upset its customers, and GM did its best to bring it back quickly while keeping it at a reasonable price.

What we have is a Bolt that’s the same size, which means room for four people and a decent 459 L of cargo space before folding the rear seats. It’s generously roomy considering its footprint, but where Chevrolet has really gone to town is the interior.

There’s an all-new Google-based infotainment system, a digital gauge cluster, and a completely new interior design with storage cubbies everywhere, a new wireless charger, and nice touches like ambient lighting on the higher trims.

“The structural metal is the same, but everything underneath: electrical architecture, electrical components, the entire propulsion system, interior and infotainment, all of it is completely new,” Short said.

This includes the charging system, which can accept fast charging speeds of up to 150 kW, more than three times faster than the last Bolt. All Bolts also come with a built-in Tesla-style charging port and will be included with CCS adaptors to further widen charging station compatibility.

Even though the new Bolt features more standard content and new technology, the efficiency of the new drivetrain means that range has gone up to 422 km, which is pretty good, especially for the price.

When asked if there was a way to bring the costs down even further, Short said it was not impossible, but they had to strike a balance. “Customers clamoured for us to bring the Bolt back, but they didn’t want us to bring it back with less stuff,” Short said.

“We tried to strike a balance between affordability and having a complete vehicle that’s not just for commuting but for road trips, and something you can use 365 days a year.”

With the massively updated Bolt now rounding out Chevrolet’s lineup of EVs, the company has more affordable options to offer consumers shopping for a practical battery-powered vehicle than any other automaker in North America, and it’s exactly what consumers are asking for.