General Motors Halts Chevy Bolt Production, Lays Off Hundreds, For Now

Electrek shared the news that in addition to GM canceling their best selling EV, they are also laying off several hundred workers at two different plants (including the plant that makes the Chevy Bolt). The reason GM is doing this is pretty straightforward: the Bolt is built on an older platform that they can not scale as efficiently or effectively (so it costs too much/the profit margin isn’t sustainable). In order for GM to be competitive with the likes of Ford, VW, and especially Tesla among others, it must zealously pursue the reduction of costs/increase in manufacturing efficiency. Thus, eliminating a one-off vehicle platform helps GM to realize these efficiencies and cost savings. But will moving to a new platform mean that the next generation Bolt will be a fundamentally different type of vehicle?

The answer to that question is also fairly simple: yes, the 2025 Bolt will be substantially different. Here’s a few reasons why: First, Chevy will not be building a new version of the standard Bolt hatchback, the slightly larger EUV is the only version that will be built in 2025, according to The Verge.com. Second, the Ultium platform is a unique platform and it is very likely to support a somewhat larger version of the Bolt EUV when it comes back to market for 2025. I say this because the Equinox EV, on sale now, is built on the same Ultium platform the 2025 Bolt EUV will be built on and the Bolt EUV as it currently exists is a good deal smaller (the Equinox is 20 inches longer and about 5 inches wider, specifically). So unless GM decides to keep the Bolt as small as possible, which could result in limited sales and questionable long term viability since American consumers don’t have a large appetite for the smallest size vehicles, we may expect it to be larger than its current iteration by at least a few additional inches in length and likely a little wider as well. Will it still be the lowest price EV from GM though? That is harder to answer, but given that the Equinox starts in the neighborhood of $35,000, it is likely that the 2025 Bolt EUV would start at least slightly lower than the Equinox and represent Chevrolet’s entry point into the EV market and, hopefully, will continue to be a value offering that drives other brands to compete in the sub $35,000 price point. Hopefully, those jobs GM is eliminating now will all be brought back when production of the next generation Bolt EUV begins, too (it seems a very good possibility, considering).

Since GM is bringing the Bolt (in EUV form) back on a new platform for 2025, it is also an opportunity for GM to fix some of the only shortcomings of the model, namely its charging speed (currently 55 kW max) and its range (247 miles). GM may have always intended the Bolt to be a city car, and that may be why they never bothered to give it a competitive fast charging rate (which, for the sake of argument, would be about 150 kW as a minimum, or 3x faster than the current Bolts can charge). But many people who buy the Bolt do want to drive it on longer trips, beyond the range of a single full charge and thus it has been a huge frustration for those customers that the Bolt has such a slow “fast charging” rate. Undoubtedly, a faster charging capability may add a small amount to the sale price of the next generation of Chevy Bolt, but if GM does not do this, they will hamstring its sales from the get go (GM are you listening?). This will be painfully important since GM is, like most other manufacturers, going to adopt Tesla’s NACS standard in 2025 (which may be one more reason the Bolt is taking a hiatus for 2024), and I would say it is almost a guarantee that the next generation Bolt EUV will charge faster than the current generation. Finally, the range of the current generation Bolt EUV is adequate for most people’s use as a commuter vehicle, but it quickly becomes insufficient when anyone wants to drive on a longer trip, especially in colder weather. GM needs to target at least 300 miles for the Bolt in order to be competitive, and inspire people looking for a lower priced EV. Of course, adding more range will raise the cost of the next generation Bolt EUV, but there is much GM could do besides, or in addition to enlarging the battery that would get it close to that target, like better aerodynamics, lightweighting, and decreased rolling resistance (via tire selection). If GM opts to maximize those aspects of design, a small increase in battery size of just a few more kWh may be all that is needed to hit that target and only add a small amount to the overall price (perhaps even just adding the extra battery cells as an option for those who are willing to pay a little extra). It also may not hurt if GM gives the next gen Bolt EUV AWD, optionally, since that is perhaps a tertiary limiting factor for Bolt sales.

What do you think? Are you optimistic GM will address the shortcomings of the current Bolt EUV in its next iteration? Are you planning to wait for the new Bolt EUV before buying your next/first EV? Please leave your comments and questions below.

Image courtesy of Chevrolet.

Justin Hart has owned and driven electric vehicles for over 15 years, including a first generation Nissan LEAF, second generation Chevy Volt, Tesla Model 3, an electric bicycle and most recently a Kia Sorento PHEV. He is also an avid SUP rider, poet, photographer and wine lover. He enjoys taking long EV and PHEV road trips to beautiful and serene places with the people he loves. Follow Justin on Torque News Kia or X for regular electric and hybrid news coverage.