GM says next-gen Bolt will be EUV-only as the SUV virus infects the industry
The Bolt EV is not coming back in Ultium format, according to recent statements made by GM. Instead, GM will resurrect the larger Bolt EUV and place it right alongside the Equinox EV in the latest example of the long line of inexplicable moves by GM in the EV space.
The Chevy Bolt EV is GM’s most popular and best-selling EV, which is currently enjoying its best year of sales ever. The EUV is a newer, larger variant of the Bolt EV, which has been selling better in recent years, but the Bolt EV is still the overall better seller across the history of the nameplate.
The Bolt EV as a hatchback is a unique vehicle in a market full of CUVs and SUVs.
But the Bolt is based on GM’s old battery platform, and GM’s Ultium platform is the new hotness.
So, the Bolt EV is going out of production at the end of this year, to be replaced by an Ultium-based Bolt which we now know is coming in 2025.
But it turns out that we won’t actually be getting a Boltium EV – we’ll only get the larger, more expensive EUV version.
GM CEO Mary Barra gave the first hint last month that the Ultium Bolt would take “the best attributes of the Bolt EUV”
“Our prior portfolio plans included several newly designed vehicles in the entry level segments and a capital commitment of $5 billion over the next several years. However, by leveraging the best attributes of today’s Bolt EUV, as well as Ultium platform, our software, and NACS, we will deliver an even better driving, charging, and ownership experience with a vehicle we know customers love. In the process, we are saving billions in capital and engineering expenses, delivering a significantly cost improved battery pack using purchased LFP cells. We are getting to market at least two years faster. And unit cost will be substantially lower.”
GM CEO Mary Barra
There was some hope that this statement was ambiguous enough and that Barra meant to cover both the EV and EUV with it, but alas, it seems not to be the case.
We think this is a big mistake, especially given all the recent excitement around the Volvo EX30, a vehicle quite close to the Bolt EV’s footprint and layout. Given the interest we’re seeing in that small, well-priced hatchback/SUV, which despite being called an SUV is still among the smaller EVs currently being introduced, one would think that GM might see that a “Hot Hatch meets MicroSUV” format is popular. Surely that’s why they were bringing back the Bolt in the first place?
Besides, Chevy already has the Equinox EV coming out soon, which fits into the “small(ish)” SUV segment and while longer and slightly wider than the EUV, has the same amount of cargo space. A Bolt EV-sized hot hatch could compare favorably against the Volvo EX30, and offer more differentiation against the larger Equinox, but now, Chevy will just have three electric SUVs and nothing for customers who want something smaller, or who want a sedan, or who want… anything but an SUV.
So it seems like the SUV virus has infected everyone – including the best deal in all of EVs.
Something for everyone? How about… any car?
This week, we drove the Blazer EV, which you’ll hear our impressions of on Wednesday. During that event, Chevy told us that it has “something for everyone,” accompanied by this slide:
Well, I like driving small cars. What, in that graphic, is for me? Am I not part of “everyone?” Feel free to tell us in the comments below if you, too, are not part of everyone.
But this is a reflection of SUVs being the largest segment in the US vehicle market right now. Vehicles in the US have been getting bigger and bigger, leading to higher pedestrian deaths and much worse emissions.
SUVs are everywhere – is it consumer demand, or something else?
There are a number of reasons for this, though most observers go no further than to pretend that it is solely due to consumer demand. But that’s not the whole story – Americans are being pushed towards SUVs in many ways.
Right out of the gate, just look at the graphic above. America’s largest manufacturer simply doesn’t offer anything but SUVs. If that’s the case, it’s tough for anyone who doesn’t want an SUV to find a car to buy, doesn’t it?
The only vehicle on that list which might not qualify as an SUV is the Bolt EV hatchback. It’s still tall, but at least it’s pretty compact at 163″ in length (by comparison, the upcoming Equinox EV is 190″ long – and yet has an identical 57 cubic feet of cargo space as the Bolt, both with seats down).
So, maybe GM does have a vehicle for those of us who don’t want SUVs? Well, maybe… unless you ask GM, whose advertisements fail to mention that the car even exists.
This recent Bolt EUV ad refers to the Bolt EUV as the “most affordable EV in America,” which is factually untrue. In fact, the Bolt EV is the most affordable EV in America, not the EUV, as the EV is $1,300 cheaper than the EUV.
And of course GM, and its dealers, would rather sell you a more expensive car than a more reasonable and responsible one. SUVs tend to be more expensive, and automakers have attached value to the term, and thus will happily push customers into far more car than they need or want in order to get a few more dollars out of them.
Beyond that, regulations also push manufacturers into producing more SUVs. Fuel economy regulations have long included a “footprint rule” that allows larger vehicles to get away with lower fuel efficiency, ironically encouraging manufacturers to build larger, less efficient vehicles to help meet fleet economy regulations.
Even new, EV-specific regulations have this problem. The Inflation Reduction Act includes tax credits for EVs – but these are capped at $55,000 MSRP for cars and $80,000 for SUVs and trucks, which means manufacturers can make more revenue by channeling people into EV SUVs.
But in a possible saving grace for regulations, the most recent EPA regulations do include an extremely exciting line: “EPA is proposing … to narrow the numerical stringency difference between the car and truck curves.” This suggests that the EPA understands it messed up and is trying to correct the error that has led to the pedestrian-killing SUV takeover of the market, but it will take years until we see the effects of this positive move.
SUVs may be the more dominant segment due to the various reasons listed above, but even despite all of these entities pushing consumers towards land yachts, cars still carry on. GM shared a slide showing that 30% of EVs are still cars, not SUVs:
And yet, with this move, GM is ignoring 30% of its customers by eliminating the one car-like EV it sells. “Something for everyone,” right?
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The German city of Karlsruhe is setting an example for sustainability in waste management by deploying a fleet of 18 Mercedes-Benz eEconic electric garbage trucks that are helping make the streets cleaner, quieter, and a lot less stinky.
Since the end of September, the city of Karlsruhe has been relying on Mercedes’ fully electric waste collection vehicles throughout, with none of the area-specific restrictions or limited rollout strategies for one or two trucks at a time that typically accompany stories like these. Instead, the city is using the Mercedes eEconics for the same stuff they’d use the diesel versions for: residual waste disposal, paper collection, and bulky waste collection.
Normal garbage duty, in other words. And, in such daily use, they do a great job. The trucks cover an average route distance of around 80 km (about 50 miles) on 112 kWh battery packs (usable capacity is ~97 kWh) which can be reliably completed in single-shift operation without intermediate charging — thanks, in part, to Mercedes’ efficient electric motors and regenerative braking that shines in the trucks’ typical stop-and-go duty cycles.
More than a single shift, in fact. The fleet managers report that after “a good 80 kilometers with around 60 stops on its daily route,” energy consumption was only around 35% of the battery capacity, meaning the charge level dropped from 100% to 65% and 64% respectively.
At the same time, CO₂ emissions are significantly reduced: depending on the area of application, each eEconic can save between 150 and 170 tons of CO₂ per year. This results in a total potential annual saving of around 1,200 tons of CO₂ emissions.
The purchase of the electric vehicles was funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) as part of the guideline on the promotion of light and heavy commercial vehicles with alternative, climate-friendly drives and the associated refueling and charging infrastructure (KsNI). The funding guideline was coordinated by NOW GmbH, and applications were approved by the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility.
Electrek’s Take
Look, you know me. There is absolutely ZERO chance that I’ll be able to remain objective about anything that’s putting down more than four thousand lb-ft of torque. Make that thing quieter, cleaner, and generally better for me and my community, and there’s even less of a chance of me saying anything critical about it.
Here’s hoping more cities go electric rather sooner than later.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Daimler Truck.
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Electreon just took a big step toward expanding wireless EV charging. The Israel-based company signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to acquire the assets of InductEV, a Pennsylvania-based firm known for its ultra-fast, high-power static wireless charging systems used by heavy-duty electric transit and freight fleets.
If the deal closes after due diligence and regulatory approvals, the combined company would bring together Electreon’s dynamic wireless charging tech – the kind that can charge vehicles while they drive – with InductEV’s high-power stationary systems. That would create one of the most complete wireless charging portfolios on the market, covering everything from passenger EVs to vans, buses, heavy-duty trucks, and even autonomous vehicles.
Electreon and InductEV together hold around 400 granted and pending patents, and have a lot of field experience across their respective projects. Electreon says that pairing its manufacturing capabilities and global footprint with InductEV’s ultra-fast tech will help streamline and speed up fleet electrification.
Both companies already work with major vehicle OEMs, which Electreon asserts will make integrating wireless charging into future vehicle platforms easier.
Electreon CEO Oren Ezer said the deal would combine the two companies into “a truly global powerhouse for wireless EV charging.” He added that “the decision by InductEV’s shareholders to invest in Electreon is a tremendous vote of confidence in our shared vision.”
InductEV CEO John F. Rizzo said, “Together, we’re combining world-class innovation with real-world experience to deliver even greater value to our North American and European customers and accelerate the shift to wireless power for sustainable commercial transportation.”
Read more: Michigan installs the US’s first wireless EV charging public roadway
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The Dolphin Surf is already one of Europe’s cheapest EVs, yet BYD may have an even more affordable electric car up its sleeve.
Is BYD launching the Racco mini EV in Europe?
BYD revealed the Racco at last month’s Japan Auto Show, its first EV designed exclusively for overseas markets.
The mini EV, or “kei car,” is launching in Japan, where over 1.55 million of them were sold last year, accounting for about a third of new vehicles sold.
Although Japan has been a brutal market for foreign brands to crack, BYD believes it may have an edge. The Racco measures 3,395 mm in length, 1,475 mm in width, and 1,800 mm in height, or about 600 mm longer than the Dolphin Surf.
That’s about the size of the Nissan Sakura EV, Japan’s best-selling electric car. Like the Sakura and most kei cars, the Racco has a boxy, upright stance. It has four doors, with the back two sliding open.
Powered by a 20 kWh battery pack, the mini EV is expected to have a driving range of around 180 km (112 miles).
BYD is using its Blade lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery packs to keep costs down. Although prices have yet to be revealed, the Racco is expected to start at around 2.5 million yen ($18,000) in Japan, putting it on par with the Nissan Sakura.
If it launched in Europe, the Racco could go on sale for under £15,000 ($20,000), putting it on par with the Dacia Spring (£14,995) and Leapmotor T03 (£15,995). The BYD Dolphin Surf currently starts at £18,650 ($24,300).
Although it will arrive in Japan first, BYD may launch its smallest, cheapest EV in Europe after all. BYD’s vice president Stella Li suggested to Autocar that the Racco could play a key role globally as an affordable, entry-level EV.
“In Japan, we are already launching a kei car; we will be very interested to follow the EU regulation,” Li said, adding, “If there’s some space, we can bring that car here.”
The regulation Li is referring to is the new “E-car” segment that the European Commission president, Ursula Von der Leyen, called for in September.
Von der Leyen said that Europe “should have its own E-car,” where “E” stands for efficient, economical, and European, and added “we cannot let China and others conquer this market.”
The Racco could sit underneath the Dolphin Surf in BYD’s growing European lineup. However, the company is focusing on expanding hybrid options. Li said launching Racco was “not a topic” the company is immediately focused on.
The Seal U, Europe’s best-selling plug-in hybrid through September, will be the first vehicle built at BYD’s new factory in Turkey, as it seeks to gain an edge through local production.
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