The 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV is coming this summer, but we got in some early seat time behind the wheel to let you in on what this little EV crossover hatchback is all about.
General Motors recently announced plans to launch 30 new global electric vehicles by 2025, as they believe putting people in EVs is the way to solve the climate change issue. And while vehicles like the GMC Hummer EV and Cadillac Lyriq get people excited about the prospect of an electric future, in truth they’re out of reach for all but the most well-heeled.
But the Chevrolet Bolt is an EV for the everyman, a practical 5-door all-electric hatchback that’s very affordable and delivers solid range. Chevy brought the Bolt to market in 2017, and while they’ve enjoyed modest sales (with around 100,000 units sold globally since its release), they’re not a runaway hit like the Tesla Model 3. Honestly, I can’t even remember the last time I spotted a Bolt on the road.
Chevy hopes to change that with the introduction of the new, all-electric 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV and the redesigned 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV, which made their world debuts a few weeks ago. After spending half a day driving the forthcoming 2022 Bolt EUV, I think they’re definitely onto something here. So keep reading and let’s dig a little deeper.
2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV: More Utility
It’s no secret that more and more people are gravitating to SUVs and crossovers these days, so it only made sense for Chevrolet to broaden the appeal of the Bolt by offering an SUV-ified version of it, which they cleverly call the Bolt EUV (Electric Utility Vehicle).
While both cars share much of the same DNA, the Bolt EUV has some distinct differences. It offers a rugged, muscular design, along with a roomier interior and ample rear legroom, as it’s about 6-inches longer than the regular Bolt EV. It’s also ever so slightly taller and wider, which helps bring the whole look together and deliver SUV-like proportion.
Visually, you can identify the Bolt EUV by its distinctive front-end, with a sculpted grille and signature lighting. Additional Chevy SUV styling cues on the 2022 Bolt EUV include a center crease line that runs from the front fascia through the hood and seamless horizontal body lines that give a sense of motion even when the vehicle is standing still. Standard roof rails also reinforce the SUV aesthetic.
Interior Design That Feels Familiar Rather Than Polarizing
For whatever reason, most electric vehicles have these cold, minimalistic interiors that can be a little off-putting to potential buyers. Not so with the Bolt, which as you can see has a normal interior, much like what you’d find in any other Chevrolet vehicle, so you can simply hop in and start driving without issue.
In the center of the dash is a 10.2-inch infotainment touchscreen that was lifted directly from the Tahoe, along with traditional climate controls underneath, so no learning curve there. The vehicle offers a host of connectivity features, such as Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and an integrated Wi-Fi hotspot. There’s also a new, electronic gear shift design that uses pull toggles and push buttons to save space, much like in the new 2020 Corvette.
One complaint that many Bolt owners had was that the seats were rather uncomfortable and hard. GM heard those complaints loud and clear and equipped the new Bolt with redesigned seats that felt great during my few hours behind the wheel. They also look pretty cool, with a triangular geometric pattern and contrasting color stitching. Heated and ventilated front seats and heated rear outboard seats are available as well.
You Can Forget About Range Anxiety
When it comes to electric vehicles, one of the first things that people look at is the car’s range. And that’s completely understandable since it’s not quite as easy (or fast) to recharge your EV compared to simply pulling into a gas station and fueling up in a regular gas-powered vehicle.
Luckily, the Chevrolet Bolt EUV comes with a 65kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which should deliver an estimated 250-mile driving range on a full charge, more than enough range for most people’s daily needs. And if you’re traveling, standard DC fast public chargers can provide the Bolt EUV up to 95-miles of range in just 30 minutes. At home, Chevrolet’s new Dual Level Charge Cord has a changeable plug that allows you to plug into a standard 120-volt three-prong outlet for Level 1 charging and a 240-volt outlet for Level 2 charging up to 7.2 kW.
To help extend your range, the Bolt EUV offers Regen on Demand, which allows the driver to convert kinetic energy into energy stored within the battery for future use by simply pulling on a steering-wheel-mounted paddle. During our drive, we tried this a number of times, and we were impressed with the amount of energy being recaptured, well into the double-digits. The Bolt also has a One Pedal Driving feature that lets the driver speed up, slow down, and even come to a complete stop using only the accelerator pedal, which also helps capture energy during deceleration without compromising drive quality.
The Bolt EUV Is Fun To Drive, And Super Cruise Is Super Cool
Fun fact: Electric vehicles are good for the environment, but they’re also a lot of fun to drive, thanks in part to how quickly electric motors can deliver torque. The Bolt EUV has a single-motor drive unit that delivers 200 hp and 266 lb.-ft. of near-instant torque, and the vehicle only weighs 3,679 pounds. While Chevrolet hasn’t provided performance numbers, the car feels pretty quick from a dead stop, and mid-range torque while driving is just crazy.
Our drive route took us through some seriously twisty roads, and the Bolt EUV felt surprisingly nimble and agile, the low center of gravity likely helping to keep the car firmly planted in the corners. Low-rolling-resistance tires are still the limiting factor here, but it was still fun to toss the car around a bit.
The 2022 Bolt EUV is the first Chevrolet offered with Super Cruise, the first true hands-free driver assistance technology for enabled roads. Essentially, Super Cruise uses a mixture of adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and precision LiDAR map data to have the car “drive itself” on the more than 200,000 miles of enabled roads in the U.S. and Canada. We had a chance to test this out on a 12-mile stretch of highway, and it was a total game-changer for me. The fact that this technology is offered on a sub-$30K car is pretty remarkable, and it’s a new must-have for long road trips.
2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV Pricing/Availablity
The 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV has a starting price of $33,995 (before any available state, local, or utility incentives), while a special, limited-production Launch Edition (which includes the Super Cruise driver assistance feature, sunroof, unique wheels, special badging, and a lighted charge port) comes in at $43,495. The Bolt is slated to arrive in dealerships in the summer of 2021.
Overall, there’s a lot to like about the all-new Bolt EUV, and I have a feeling we’re going to see lots of them on the road in the near future. So if you’re in the market for an EV, you should definitely check out the Bolt EUV when they hit dealerships (find your local dealer HERE). Trust me, you’ll be glad you did!
