2017 Chevrolet Bolt breaks EV ground
The new green car delivers affordable, fully electric driving to the masses
Powertrain: The Bolt’s electric motor can produce up to 200 horsepower and 266 lbs.-ft. of torque. More importantly, its 60 kWh lithium ion battery pack delivers up to 383 kilometres of range, which goes a long way to quelling anxiety. Its shift-by-wire system is a Chevrolet first.
Ride: Early reports describe the Bolt’s drive feel as smooth and sharp. Drivers new to electric vehicles may find the powerful regenerative brak- ing takes time to get used to, but eventually will have the car stopping and going using just the gas pedal while also extending its range.
Interior: Unlike the space-age interiors of early EVs, the Bolt looks much like any other car on the inside, apart from having plenty of green accents in its onboard graphics. The large 10.2-inch infotainment touchscreen has a flipboard-style interface and includes smartphone app compatibility and available subscriptionbased in-car 4G LTE Wi-Fi.
Space and cargo: It’s bigger inside than it looks. Both the front and back rows have room to accommodate tall adult passengers comfortably and the cargo area can hold up to 1,603 litres with the rear seats folded.
Safety: A rear-view camera is standard, but you’ll need to pony up for most other safety features. Rear parking assist, rear cross-traffic alert and blind-zone alert with lane change alert are optional on the base model and standard on the Premier.