GM bumps Chevy Bolt pricing, but the increase is lower than expected
GM has announced a price bump on the 2023 Chevy Bolt EV and EUV, citing higher production costs. But the increase is lower than expected and lower than price increases across the rest of the industry, meaning Electrek’s Vehicle of the Year is still a screaming deal.
After announcing a ~$6,000 price drop in the middle of last year, GM has now bumped the price of the Bolt back up a little bit. But the increase is less than expected and less than we’re seeing in a lot of the industry.
The Chevy Bolt now starts at $26,500, up $900 from its previous base price. The EUV got a smaller increase of $600, up to a base price of $27,800. Both models are subject to a $995 destination fee on top of these prices.
The price rise comes just a few days after the Bolt regained eligibility for the US federal EV tax credit due to the Inflation Reduction Act. This tax credit allows buyers to claim a nonrefundable $7,500 credit on their federal taxes after buying an EV. Originally, it was thought that the Bolt would only qualify for $3,750, but when the IRS pushed back its implementation of some battery guidelines, that made the Bolt eligible for the full $7,500 for the time being.
Even after this price rise, the Bolt remains the cheapest EV available in America. The next-cheapest is the base model Nissan Leaf, at $28,040. The Leaf is also manufactured in America, which means it qualifies for the federal EV tax credit as well.
Here’s a list of cars that qualify for the EV tax credit – foreign-assembled cars only qualify if they are leased, not purchased.
GM emailed us a statement, and said it has “nothing planned beyond what we’ve announced” in terms of price increases:
Due to ongoing industry-related pricing pressures, the Chevy Bolt EV and EUV will see modest price increases starting in 2023, but we expect it to remain America’s most affordable EV. Chevrolet remains committed in its long-standing role to provide true value. We expect to continue building the record sales momentum we saw in 2022.
The Chevy Bolt is the first of GM’s modern EVs, first introduced in the 2017 model year. Since then, GM has implemented a new battery platform called “Ultium” which underpins its future EV offerings. The Bolt doesn’t use Ultium, which means it will eventually disappear from the product lineup as GM unifies its offerings under its new battery platform.
Electrek’s Take
Many thought that the implementation of these credits would result in a price hike for the Bolt, but today’s increase of less than a thousand dollars is much lower than expected, especially given the massive price cut the cars got mid-last-year and the increases we’re seeing across the industry.
Which means the Bolt is still a screaming deal – at least until March.
In addition, there are thousands of additional dollars worth of stackable deals that some buyers can take advantage of:
We still love this car, not only because it’s so low-priced, but because it’s a well-made EV with a five-star safety rating and premium features like Wireless CarPlay/Android Auto – though we would like it more if it had faster DC charge speed.
So if you’re looking for an EV, especially in the next couple months, this price bump doesn’t change our recommendation. While there are better EVs out there, the Bolt promises a lot of bang for your buck, and after tax credits and other incentives, for the right buyer it can be even cheaper than the cheapest gas car in America. It seems like a no-brainer to us. So, if you’ve been thinking about getting an EV, reach out to your local dealers and see if you can find a Bolt at near MSRP (which could be a rough task, since EV demand is so high right now). And regardless, consult a tax professional to make sure that you’ll qualify for these credits.
If you’d like, you can use our links to contact your local dealers about the 2023 Chevy Bolt EV or 2023 Chevy Bolt EUV and see if they have any in stock for delivery before “sometime in March,” when the EV tax credit is expected to be cut in half.
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The State of California is moving to ban the sale of Tesla cars amid claims that the company and its CEO, Elon Musk, have misled buyers about the self-driving capabilities of their cars. We’ve also got market-leading news out of Vietnam and a pricey, pricey lesson for one VW ID.Buzz buyer on today’s lesson-learning episode of Quick Charge!
We also ask what this might mean for the recent Uber/Lucid autonomous taxi tie-up and go through a full rundown of the fastest depreciating EVs on the market (and yes, there are four Tesla models in the top 10 … because the Cybertruck was too new to qualify).
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If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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Sunrun is putting tens of thousands of home batteries to work in Puerto Rico as the island’s electric grid faces a summer of high temperatures and energy shortfalls.
The company says it’s now dispatching energy from over 37,000 residential batteries to help grid operator LUMA keep the lights on. That stored power is being used to prevent rolling blackouts when demand spikes and centralized power plants can’t keep up.
Sunrun’s emergency power contribution has grown more than tenfold since last summer. LUMA expects more than 75 energy shortfall events between now and October, with each dispatch sending electricity to the grid for four consecutive hours. During several recent evenings, Sunrun and other virtual power plant (VPP) operators provided enough energy to offset a 50-megawatt generation gap, LUMA said.
Sunrun CEO Mary Powell said Puerto Rico’s aging infrastructure and intense weather patterns make home battery support increasingly critical:
It’s going to be a very difficult summer, which is why Sunrun has ramped up our dispatch capabilities, using tens of thousands of home batteries to support the grid and people of Puerto Rico.
She added that distributed power plants like Sunrun’s serve the same role as natural gas peaker plants – offering fast, reliable power during high-demand moments – but with clean energy.
Sunrun customers enrolled in the VPP will get paid too. Each participating battery earns about $200 minimum for the season, and customers who allow more of their stored energy to go to the grid earn even more. Sunrun also earns revenue for operating the VPP.
Read more: The US’s largest virtual power plant now runs on 75,000 home batteries
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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Volkswagen is advertising ID.4 leases starting at just $99 a month. It’s hard to find any car lease these days for under $100 a month, but for $45,000 electric SUV, it’s almost unheard of.
Volkswagen offers ID.4 leases as low as $99 a month
The Volkswagen ID.4 was the third top-selling EV in the US in January after the 2025 model year went back on sale.
Volkswagen’s electric SUV starts at $45,095 with an EPA-estimated driving range of 291 miles. It’s available in five different trims: Pro, AWD Pro, Pro S, AWD Pro S, and AWD Pro S Plus.
The base 2025 VW ID.4 Pro RWD is equipped with 282 hp from a single rear electric motor. Inside, it features a 12.9″ infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, and Volkswagen’s new ID.Cockpit digital instrument display.
Upgrading to the AWD version will gain a tow hitch and an additional 53 hp, for a combined maximum of 335 hp. The added power comes at the cost of some range, with an EPA-estimated range of 263 miles.
Volkswagen was already offering 2025 ID.4 leases as low as $129 a month, but some dealers are listing it for even less this month.
A California dealership, Volkswagen of Garden Grove, has the 2025 ID.4 Pro RWD listed for lease at just $99 per month. The offer is for 24 months with $2,995 down. According to the dealer, the offer includes a $5,000 cash back bonus, good on a new ID.4 purchase or lease.
We thought the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 was a good deal with leases starting at just $179 per month, but for $99, now that’s a steal.
Looking for deals on the Volkswagen ID.4 near you? You can use our link to find and view offers on the 2025 Volkswagen ID.4 in your area (via a trusted affiliate link)
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