The Next Chevy Bolt Will Arrive In 2025, CEO Mary Barra Confirms

We finally have a launch year for the future LFP battery-powered Chevy Bolt.

Next-generation Chevrolet Bolt EV teaser

Dan Mihalascu

By: Dan Mihalascu

Dec 5, 2023 at 9:40am ET

Add InsideEVs as a preferred source in Google

Comment

After announcing a reversal of its cancellation this summer and letting some additional details out in October, General Motors has finally confirmed that the next-generation Chevrolet Bolt EV will debut in 2025.

GM CEO Mary Barra made this announcement yesterday at the Automotive Press Association in Detroit, where she also spoke to the current Bolt's avid fanbase and strong sales despite its advancing age. "That's been something that has been really great this year, and that informed the decision that we'll have that back again in '25," Barra said, according to Automotive News. She did not provide any additional details about the future EV, though.

This tracks with a Reuters report from last month based on the automaker's tentative agreement with the United Auto Workers union. A document from those negotiations indicated the UAW had secured a $391 million investment for a "future electric vehicle" at Fairfax Assembly in Kansas, which currently makes the Cadillac XT4 and Chevrolet Malibu. Sources told Reuters that the future EV that will be made in Kansas from 2025 is the next Chevy Bolt.

Gallery: 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV: Review

2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV exterior

The launch timeline is also consistent with Mary Barra's remarks on GM's third-quarter earnings call in October. She said that giving the future Bolt a lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery pack, and the fact it won't be a clean-sheet redesign, will contribute to "getting to market at least two years faster." LFP batteries are cheaper to build than their cobalt- and nickel-based variants, so while they store less energy, they are seen as a key technology for wider EV adoption; Tesla, Ford and other automakers are investing heavily into such batteries.

As a reminder, Barra said in October that the next-gen Chevy Bolt will leverage "the best attributes of today's Bolt EUV, as well as Ultium, our latest software, and NACS." This will also make the future Bolt GM's first deployment of LFP technology in the Ultium platform in North America. In doing so, GM will be saving "billions in capital and engineering expense, delivering a significantly cost-improved battery pack using purchased LFP cells." In addition, shifting to LFP will allow GM to have a "substantially lower" unit cost, Barra said.

While GM's CEO did not provide range or price estimates for the LFP battery-powered Bolt, she said the vehicle "will deliver an even better driving, charging, and ownership experience with a vehicle we know customers love."

More stories on the future Chevrolet Bolt EV

Next-Gen Chevrolet Bolt Confirmed: Will Utilize Ultium Tech

GM CEO Hints At Chevrolet Bolt’s Return As Ultium-Based, Sub-$30,000 EV

GM has had an incredibly rocky path for its EV strategy this year. It has announced delays for several EV models—including the Chevrolet Equinox EV, Chevrolet Silverado EV RST, and GMC Sierra EV—as well as slower EV production and EV product spending cuts on its Q3 2023 earnings call.

The company also abandoned a goal to build 400,000 electric vehicles from 2022 through mid-2024, although it reiterated its target to get to 1 million EVs of production by the end of 2025.

What do you think?

View

Comments

Last week, Barra admitted that GM has not executed well on its Ultium-based EV strategy this year as a manufacturing constraint has hampered battery module assembly, leading to a delayed start of electric pickup truck production at the Orion plant and the idling of the CAMI Assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, until spring 2024.

Relaunching the Bolt may go a long way to fixing some of those problems. First launched in late 2016 and followed by the larger EUV variant in 2022, the Bolt has been a consistently popular seller in the U.S. despite not having the same fast-charging speeds as more modern EVs. But scores of buyers have been attracted to its low price tag, great range and compact utility. With any lucky, GM can pull a repeat with the next Bolt.

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Insideevs.com?

Take our 3 minute survey.

- The InsideEVs team

Share this Story

GO TO COMMENTS

(

)

Got a tip for us? Email: tips@insideevs.com

View all comments ( )

Trending

Kia EV3 Lease Deals Are Here, And It’s Cheaper Than The Chevy Bolt And Nissan Leaf

I Let Android Auto Plan My EV Roadtrip. Here’s How It Worked

This Chevy Bolt Has 470,000 Miles. Here’s How Much A New Battery Was

Here's What It's Like To Take Delivery Of A Rivian R2