General Motors unveiled the 2017 production model of the Chevy Bolt on Wednesday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The Bolt is meant to be an affordable long-range electric vehicle, and the company’s follow up to the acclaimed Chevy Volt. The car was introduced as a concept in January 2015, and the company is set to start production by the end of this year.
NEW YORK — The Chevy Bolt isn’t a concept car anymore.
General Motors unveiled the 2017 production model of its new all-electric Chevy Bolt on Wednesday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
The Bolt is meant to be an affordable long-range electric vehicle, and the company’s follow up to the acclaimed Chevy Volt.
The car was introduced as a concept in January 2015, and the company is set to start production by the end of this year.
The 2017 Bolt will come with bells and whistles including a mobile app that will “enable car sharing” and “advanced GPS routing,” GM CEO Mary Barra said in a statement Wednesday.
Drivers are also going to be able to use the app to predict their driving range based on weather, driving habits and even how many hills the car will climb along its route, the company said.
When the concept car was unveiled last year, Barra called the car a “game changer.” It’s supposed to take a 200 mile trip without recharging.
The latest Volt could model averages about 53 miles on a single charge. Unlike the Volt, the Bolt will not have a gas engine to give it extra range.
It also has an expected sticker price of $30,000 after tax incentives, making it cheaper than electric cars with comparable range.
Take Tesla’s Model S, which can go about 230 miles in a single charge, but costs about $70,000.
Tesla has been working on a less expensive version, the Model 3. It’s expected to be hit the market sometime in 2017.
Chevy may beat mid-priced plug-in car market, but Tesla on Wednesday welcomed the Bolt.
“Commitments from traditional car makers to build electric vehicles advance Tesla’s mission to accelerate the advent of sustainable transportation,” Tesla said in a statement. “We hope to see all those additional zero-emission vehicles on the road.”
