2027 Chevy Bolt Review | Get It While You Still Can

Is the new Chevrolet Bolt back and better than ever, or dead on arrival? Our own Mack Hogan discussed the new Bolt's updates, range, charging speed, specs, cargo space, and more in our latest first drive video. The Bolt is the original long-range affordable EV. When it launched in 2016, it beat Tesla to the punch in offering an EV that average Americans could buy that still offered around 250 miles of range. But its pioneer status came with limits. First-gen Bolts had no heat pumps, a gas-carryover software suite, and, originally, no fast-charging support. When “fast” charging support did come, it was at paltry 55-kilowatt speeds, making the car borderline unusable for road trips. Yet it was charming, cheap, and fun to drive. So Chevy’s taking another crack at it with this new model. It solves the biggest issues with the old car, borrowing the excellent Google Built-In infotainment setup from the other Chevy EVs and adding far more respectable 150 kilowatt fast charging capability. In fact, with a 10-80% charge time of 26 minutes, it charges faster than the Chevy Equinox EV, Blazer EV, or even the Cadillac Optiq and Lyriq. That’s thanks to an all-new battery, which now uses lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) chemistry. LFP batteries are cheaper, more stable, can be charged to 100% without issue, and don’t degrade as much as high-nickel batteries, which are used in just about every other Western EV. These qualities make them a perfect fit for more affordable, smaller EVs. And though the battery hasn’t gotten any bigger—still 65 kWh—range is up from 247 miles in the old Bolt EUV to 262 miles here. And yes, all 2027 Bolts get the SUV-esque body of the EUV, rather than the original model’s hatchback shape. Power comes from the same front motor used in the Equinox EV, good for 210 horsepower and 169 lb-ft of torque here. That’s a bit low for the Equinox, but here it’ll get the bolt from 0-60 in 6.8 seconds, and feels punchy at any speed. All of this starts at just $28,995 with destination charges, making it the cheapest EV in America. If all of that sounds good, you better act quick. Because I’m not being hyperbolic when I say that the Bolt is doomed. The Kansas factory that makes the Bolt will do so for just 18 months before it’s retooled to—you guessed it—build more gas SUVs. That puts Chevy marketing in a weird place. Chevy Representatives at the event waxed on about how loyal Bolt customers are, how important affordability is, and how exponential their EV growth has been. But the sad truth is that Americans have repeatedly scorned small cars in general, and small EVs particularly. The loss of the $7,500 tax credit and the onset of tariffs—which incentivized GM to move more profitable models into its U.S. factories—likely sealed its fate. It’s a damn shame, because the 2027 Bolt is a great car. Sign up for InsideEV’s Newsletter to get our content sent straight to your inbox: https://www.insideEVs.com/newsletter/ 00:00 - 2027 Chevrolet Bolt Review 00:43 - 2027 Chevrolet Bolt Range & Charging Speed 01:22 - 2027 Chevrolet Bolt Driving Dynamics 03:04 - 2027 Chevrolet Bolt Super Cruise 04:19 - 2027 Chevrolet Bolt Interior 05:23 - 2027 Chevrolet Bolt Infotainment 06:53 - 2027 Chevrolet Bolt Pricing & Launch Date 08:29 - Conclusion Follow InsideEVs at:   / insideevscom     / insideevs   https://x.com/insideEVs https://www.insideEVs.com/newsletter/