Chevrolet Plays Coy On New Bolt EV Release Date: Here's Why We Don't Mind Waiting

Chevrolet has finally given a solid timeline for the market arrival of its next-gen Bolt electric car. Back in July, the company confirmed that a refresh was destined for 2025, and that it would embrace the Ultium and Ultifi tech stack. However, the company kept specifics of a launch window and internal upgrades under wraps.

In its Q3 2024 earnings report released today, Chevrolet has revealed that the upcoming Bolt EV will arrive "late-2025." The Bolt was Chevrolet's first mass-market electric car and has been rather well-received for its affordable sticker price. However, the car's history has been rather shaky, which also includes a sizable recall.

In April last year, General Motors CEO Mary Barra announced that GM would end production of the Bolt EV by the end of 2023. Profitability was cited as one of the key reasons why the company axed the Bolt, and it hawked the benefits of its Ultium architecture to its investors.

The pricing strategy has also been somewhat unpredictable. Chevrolet hiked the prices for the Bolt EV as well as the SUV version in early 2023, citing industry-related pricing pressures. This came merely two quarters after the company reduced the price, bringing the Bolt EV's starting price down to just $26,595 in the U.S.

But GM quickly corrected course, and merely months after announcing the production halt, the company confirmed that it was reviving the Bolt EV. Chevy had designs of introducing new EV models, but the Bolt's popularity ignited plans of a 2025 refresh.

A late 2025 promise for the next-gen Bolt means we are still almost a year away, but the future looks promising. "By leveraging the best attributes of today's Bolt EV as well as Ultium, our latest software, and NACS, we will deliver an even better driving, charging, and ownership experience with a vehicle we know customers love," GM chief Barra said in GM's Q3 earnings call as quoted by CNBC.

Notably, GM decided to ditch the Ultium branding for its battery tech earlier this month. However, GM President, Mark Reuss, shared some details about the cheap electric car at the same investor event. Among the key promises for the upcoming Bolt is that it will offer a faster charging facility.

Right now, the charging pace is limited to a 55kW output on the Bolt EV, using a DC fast charger. That's pretty slow, and it seems heat-dissipation-related constraints are to blame for the slow charging nature of the LG-made battery packs.

Reuss also added that the Bolt will only be "slightly more expensive" than the Bolt EUV. So far, we haven't come across any credible reports detailing an expected price tag, but anything close to $30,000 would still be a fantastic value. 

A faster charging battery, bump in the range figures, and a price tag that doesn't stray too far from the Bolt EV ballpark sound like meaningful upgrades. "The 2026 Bolt will offer the same value as the original Bolt and much more," Reuss was quoted as saying by The Verge. If GM is willing to deliver on that bracket, it'd be worth waiting for the next-gen Bolt heading into 2025.