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GM’s beloved compact EV will live on. Although the new Chevy Bolt EV will make its first appearance later this year, we might already be getting a look at the upgraded model.

Here’s our first look at the new Chevy Bolt EV

It’s been over a year since GM ended production of the outgoing Chevy Bolt EV in late 2023. Since then, GM confirmed that not one but several Bolts will be arriving shortly.

GM’s president, Mark Reuss, said the new model would be a part of “a family of Bolts,” including an even lower-priced option.

Although the first Chevy Bolt EV of the series, due out later this year, will start slightly higher than the $28,785 MSRP of the outgoing model, it will include several upgrades.

CEO Mary Barra boasted that the new Bolt would offer “an even better driving, charging, and ownership experience” with GM’s latest tech and connectivity software. It will be the first Ultium-based EV in North America to use LFP batteries, enabling GM to offer it at a lower price.

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2022 Chevy Bolt EUV (Source: GM)

Ahead of its official debut later this year, we are getting what appears to be our first look at the new Chevy Bolt EV.

A video posted on X (formerly Twitter) from user @YoungEthio shows what appears to be the next-gen Bolt model.

The new model is still covered, sitting in a lot full of GM’s electric vehicles. Nearly every model from the lineup is on display, including the new Chevy Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado EVs, the Cadillac Vistiq, Celestiq, Escalade IQ, and Lyriq, and even the GMC Sierra EV pickup.

Only one car is covered, and we suspect it’s the new Chevy Bolt EV. Just below the cover, you can see that the vehicle is wearing GM’s black-and-white camo, which is worn on most prototypes.

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Chevy Equinox EV LT (Source: GM)

The vehicle appears slightly smaller than the Equinox EV sitting to its right, giving us a decent size comparison. It does look a bit taller than the Cadillac Celestiq, but that’s expected as a luxury sedan.

The covered model also appears to have a more crossover-like design, similar to what Nissan plans to do with the next-gen LEAF.

Are you excited about the new Bolt EV? GM is bringing the fan-favorite back because so many were mad that it was killed off in the first place. In the comments below, let us know what you hope to see included in the new model.

Source: GM Authority, @YoungEthio

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MG begins deliveries of the world’s first mass-produced EV with a semi-solid-state battery

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MG begins deliveries of the world's first mass-produced EV with a semi-solid-state battery

SAIC MG delivered the first MG4 model with a semi-solid-state EV battery in China, starting at under $15,000.

The MG4 is the first EV with a semi-solid-state battery

In August, SAIC MG launched the all-new MG4 at the Chengdu Auto Show, deeming it “the world’s first mass-produced semi-solid-state” electric vehicle.

The new MG4 is available in five different trims: Comfort, Ease, Freedom, Smart, and the semi-solid-state “Secure” edition.

SAIC MG announced on Thursday that it had delivered the first MG4 equipped with the new battery tech. The new MG4 is on sale starting at 68,800 RMB ($9,800), with prices rising to 102,800 yuan ($14,500) for the semi-solid-state battery model.

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It’s available with two lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery sizes: 42.8 kWh or 53.95 kWh. The three lowest-priced trims are equipped with the smaller (42.8 kWh) battery, providing 437 km (271 miles) CLTC driving range, while the Smart version uses the 53.95 kWh battery, delivering 530 km (330 miles) of range.

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The new MG4 with a semi-solid-state EV battery (Source: SAIC MG)

Meanwhile, the semi-solid-state variant is powered by a 53.95 kWh semi-solid manganese-based lithium-ion battery, delivering 530 km (330 miles) of CLTC range.

All new MG4 models are powered by a single front-mounted “six-in-one” electric motor with 120 kW (161 hp) and 250 Nm torque. Using DC fast charging, it can recharge from 30% to 80% in 20 minutes.

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The new MG4 (Source: SAIC MG)

The electric hatch is 4,395 mm long, 1,842 mm wide, and 1,551 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,750 mm. That’s about the size of the BYD Dolphin.

Like most Chinese EVs nowadays, the new MG4 is loaded with modern tech and features. The smart cockpit is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 in-car chip.

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The interior of the new MG4 with a semi-solid-state battery (Source: SAIC MG)

While the three lower-priced trims feature a 12.8″ central infotainment screen, upgrading to the Smart and semi-solid-state models adds a bigger 15.6″ display with 2.5K resolution.

The company said that by reducing the liquid electrolyte content to just 5%, the semi-solid-state EV battery significantly reduces the risk of combustion and improves the cycle life.

In two recent needle penetration tests, the new battery produced no smoke, no fires, and no explosions after two hours. SAIC MG said it was an industry first, exceeding industry standards by 20%.

SAIC MG delivered over 13,000 new MG4 models in November. It’s also the best-selling independent Chinese car brand overseas, A “beacon of Chinese automotive success,” in the EU and British markets, the company said.

Source: CarNewsChina, SAIC MG

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GM considers former Tesla Autopilot head Sterling Anderson as next CEO, report says

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GM considers former Tesla Autopilot head Sterling Anderson as next CEO, report says

GM CEO Mary Barra is reportedly considering Sterling Anderson, the former head of Tesla Autopilot and co-founder of Aurora, as her potential successor. But first, she is putting him through a “tough test” in his new role as Chief Product Officer.

We reported back in May that GM hired Anderson as its new Chief Product Officer in a surprising move that put a tech executive in charge of the legacy automaker’s entire vehicle development program.

Anderson is well-known in the EV community. He led the Model X program at Tesla and was the director of the Autopilot program during its formative years (2015-2016). He later left to co-found Aurora Innovation, a self-driving startup that has focused heavily on autonomous trucking.

Now, a new report from Bloomberg states that Barra sees Anderson as a frontrunner to replace her when she eventually steps down.

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According to the report, Barra is “gauging” Anderson for the top job by giving him a massive portfolio that serves as a trial by fire. Since joining in June, Anderson has been tasked with overseeing the end-to-end lifecycle of GM’s products, both gas and electric, including the critical integration of hardware and software.

The “test” essentially boils down to whether Anderson can successfully execute Barra’s vision of transforming GM into a tech-first company. This involves untangling the automaker’s software woes and delivering on the promise of “eyes-off” autonomous driving for personal vehicles, a pivot away from the robotaxi-focused strategy of its former Cruise unit.

While Barra, 63, hasn’t announced a retirement date, the pressure is on to find a leader who can navigate the rapid transition to electric and software-defined vehicles. If Anderson passes this “test,” he could become the first outsider with a tech background to lead the 117-year-old automaker.

Electrek’s Take

“Tech background” is not entirely true, but mostly accurate. He has spent a few years at Tesla and then built Aurora; both are in the auto industry, but certainly on the techy side of it. Before that, he spent years at MIT, and the ‘T’ stands for technology.

I’ve only had a few interactions with Sterling, but from what I could tell, he is a smart guy who was among the most realistic about autonomy at Tesla, which is probably why he didn’t last long at the head of the program and went on his own.

He helped build Aurora into a multi-billion-dollar company that is now seen as the leader in autonomous trucking.

GM is starting to build an extensive and impressive EV lineup, but it still has issues committing to high volume due to the political landscape, which, in my opinion, the company itself often lobbied the wrong way.

I think some fresh blood could help.

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House passes bill to ease permits for building out AI infrastructure

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House passes bill to ease permits for building out AI infrastructure

House passes bill that would help advance AI data center buildout

The House of Representatives on Thursday passed a bill aimed at making it easier to get federal permits to build infrastructure for artificial intelligence projects.

The bill, known as the SPEED Act, is backed Big Tech giants such as OpenAI, Micron and Microsoft

The bill cleared the House in a 221-196 vote, overcoming a conservative rebellion that nearly sank the legislation in a procedural vote earlier this week.

The bill now heads to the Senate, where it is likely to be part of a larger conversation around permitting reform. 

The SPEED Act’s proponents argue it is critical to help the U.S. outpace China and other global competitors in the race for AI dominance. 

“The electricity we will need to power AI computing for civilian and military use is a national imperative,” said Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., the bill’s sponsor and chair of the House Natural Resources Committee. 

The SPEED Act would reform the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act, which mandates federal reviews for projects that would impact the environment.

It would tighten the timelines for NEPA reviews and shrink the statute of limitations for NEPA litigation to 150 days from the current six years. 

Permitting reform has drawn bipartisan support recently as clean energy projects supported by Democrats became ensnared in permitting delays.

Pressure has built on Congress to act as AI has emerged as a key sector and power-hungry data centers have placed an increased strain on the electric grid. 

Read more CNBC politics coverage

The Democratic cosponsor of the bill, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, said the SPEED Act would allow the U.S. to be “nimble enough to build what we need, when we need it.”

Most Democrats opposed the SPEED Act, however, demanding that any permitting bill overturn President Donald Trump‘s moves to choke renewable energy sources like offshore wind

Democratic resistance was only compounded after GOP leadership inserted language to exempt Trump’s efforts to block renewables from provisions in the SPEED Act that would limit the White House’s ability to arbitrarily yank permits it does not like.

The amendment was added after a standoff on the House floor during a procedural vote, where conservatives opposed to renewable energy demanded concessions for their votes.

“That provision codifies a broken permitting status quo,” said Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif., who supports permitting reform but opposed the SPEED Act.

“I look forward to working with my colleagues across the aisle in the Senate to craft a bipartisan product that can become law.”

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