Chevy Bolt had best sales ever after recalls and leads in mainstream EV sales says GM
2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV
GM released its 2022 year-end sales update and is touting the humble Chevy Bolt’s best sales year ever, calling the Bolt and Bolt EUV the “#1 mainstream EV series” in Q3 and Q4.
GM only has one significant electric model line so far, the Chevy Bolt. It also just started selling the Cadillac Lyriq and the GMC Hummer EV, but both of those are more expensive and much more limited production.
GM has several other electric models coming within the next year or two as its Ultium battery platform gets ready for prime time. These include the Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado EVs. But for the time being, the Bolt makes up the vast majority of GM’s current EV sales.
Bolt sales were up sharply year over year, with more sales growth than all but one of Chevy’s models (the Malibu) and two other GM models (XT4, Terrain). Bolt sold 22,073 vehicles in 2021 and 38,120 in 2022, a 72% increase for this model line. Most of GMs other models showed either sales declines or more modest growth, with the company overall adding 2.5% to sales year over year.
So, Bolt sales are increasing significantly, like many other electric models are, while gas car sales are showing much smaller growth.
But that’s not the whole story.
GM and the Bolt have had a tough past couple years, with a protracted recall that partially or totally impacted four quarters, and production only resuming in April 2022. So sales for both last year and this year were affected by that recall.
This resulted in a dismal 2021 and early 2022 for GM’s EV sales, which resulted in GM falling behind Ford and selling comically low numbers of EVs in Q4 (26 total) and Q1 (457 total). Which also meant comically high percentage increases from their meager 2021 numbers, with Q4 Bolt sales up 94,600% YoY and YTD Hummer EV sales up 85,300% YoY.
After finally getting back to selling the car, GM slashed the MSRP by ~$6,000 in June, making the Bolt the cheapest EV available in America. Sales were also boosted this year, as compared to last year, with the introduction of the larger Bolt EUV model with more storage space for a not-much-higher price.
This is why GM’s release says the Bolt was the “#1 mainstream EV series in Q3 and Q4,” which is after the recall finished and GM was finally able to sell these cars in earnest again. While GM doesn’t define “mainstream” in their release, we suspect this means “not counting Tesla.”
GM’s Bolt sales were probably negatively affected near the end of the year, though, as we got closer to the deadline in the Inflation Reduction Act, which would re-qualify GM for the federal EV tax credit – especially after the US Treasury delayed its guidance on battery sourcing requirements, which means the Bolt will have access to the $7,500 tax credit at least until March, making it a screaming deal until then.
GM also said that the Bolt EV had the highest mix of buyers under 36 compared to its EV competitors, an important demographic for automakers seeking to build brand loyalty. It sees EVs as a growth opportunity and plans to increase Bolt production to more than 70,000 units this year to meet strong global demand in addition to spinning up its Ultium platform and releasing new EVs in the coming quarters.
Electrek’s Take
There are a lot of factors here, but in short, it looks like the Bolt is still selling impressively well for a model that first shipped in 2017, is based on older technology, and has a planned end of life in the next couple years as GM shifts to its new Ultium platform.
And, now that the Bolt is such a great deal, it earned our award as Electrek’s Vehicle of the Year despite this age. It’s just the best bang for your buck you can get, not just out of any EV, but out of any vehicle on the road. Particularly given the EV tax credit situation.
So, we’re not surprised to see it doing well in sales, and we hope GM can build enough of them to satisfy the high demand they must be seeing for this car. We’re hearing from a lot of readers who are having trouble finding a Bolt at all from their local dealers, much less at MSRP, even as auto industry supply constraints start to loosen up a little.
If you’re looking for a Bolt, you can use our links to contact your local dealers about the 2023 Chevy Bolt EV or 2023 Chevy Bolt EUV. Make sure to take delivery before “sometime in March” if you want to take advantage of the current tax credit situation, but consult a tax professional first to ensure you qualify.
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Get ready, children. There’s a new electric bike licensing scheme that will soon be tested as one of several methods designed to help educate young riders on responsible road use and combat the growing concern of dangerous e-bike riding among youths around the world.
Known as the Student Bicycle License Scheme (SBLS), the proposal in New South Wales, Australia, will operate as a trial of a new licensing program for electric bike riders. The program targets school-aged e-bike riders in response to a growing number of accidents and misuse cases involving young riders.
The pilot program will require students to complete an online training course and pass a knowledge test before being issued a digital license to ride an e-bike or e-scooter. The scheme is expected to launch later this year in select schools, and if successful, could pave the way for a broader rollout.
Schools in Sutherland and Newcastle have reportedly expressed interest in joining the program, which leaves it up to individual schools to decide how they wish to use the new license program. For example, they can make it mandatory for students who want to ride to school or use secured bicycle parking facilities at the school.
The trial will initially focus on education rather than enforcement. Students who complete the course will receive a digital “ride-ready” credential, but there are currently no plans to introduce fines or penalties for unlicensed riders during the pilot phase. The government is partnering with road safety experts and schools to develop the training materials, which will cover speed limits, helmet use, sidewalk etiquette, and proper intersection behavior.
Australia’s National Transport Research Organisation is also reviewing current electric micromobility laws, with a report expected by the end of the year. The Queensland trial is seen as a possible blueprint for other regions facing similar safety concerns.
The announcement comes as electric bikes become increasingly popular among Australian youth, not just as toys, but as practical transportation to and from school, work, and social events. With that growth has come scrutiny – several high-profile crashes, some involving modified or overpowered e-bikes, have pushed lawmakers to act.
The same phenomenon is playing out around the world, including in Europe and the US, where young riders have increasingly taken to electric bikes as an alternative form of transportation, though one that has raised concerns around road safety among a young populace who has yet to learn the rules of the road.
Electrek’s Take
This is one of several school-level educational outreach programs we’ve seen pop up lately, and I think these are great ideas.
While the idea of requiring a license to ride an e-bike might sound extreme in some places, Australia’s approach here is education-first, and it could actually be a smart move. It also seems like the license is designed to be effective without being a burden. If you can grasp the knowledge, you can pass the test. And since many of the issues surrounding young e-bike riders arise from a general ignorance of road rules, this could be an effective solution. Teaching young riders the rules of the road before they hit the pavement might help reduce injuries and improve public perception of micromobility. Plus, the fact that it is a digital license means that there would presumably be fewer costs involved, which will hopefully allow the program to be free of charge and further reduce the burden of the licensing process.
Of course this won’t do anything for the “hooligan” riders who know the rules and simply don’t care, but that’s where enforcement has to step in as the heavy-handed partner to education.
I think this is a great example of balanced e-bike regulation. A measured mix of education and enforcement is key to ensuring e-bikes remain safe while taking advantage of their myriad benefits to the public. And hey, it sure makes a lot more sense than NYC trying to cut the speed of all electric bikes in half overnight.
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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.
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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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