2022 Chevrolet Bolt facelift, Bolt EUV electric vehicles unveiled for the US
Updated hatch and new SUV unveiled with 400km-plus ranges, improved cabins and Super Cruise autonomous tech.
The 2022 Chevrolet Bolt and Bolt EUV electric vehicles have been unveiled in the US – though the city hatch and SUV’s left-hand-drive architectures mean they’re unlikely to reach Australian shores.
The Bolt name was first applied to Chevrolet's city-sized 'light' electric hatch in late 2016 – this morning's unveiling sees that maiden hatchback receive a mid-life facelift, alongside the introduction of a high-riding Bolt EUV small SUV.
Powering both models is a version of the all-electric driveline fitted to the outgoing, pre-facelift Bolt hatch, combining a 65kWh lithium-ion battery with a 150kW/360Nm electric motor mounted on the front axle for maximum driving range claims of 417km in the Bolt and 402km in the Bolt EUV.
Above: Chevrolet Bolt EUV.
General Motors' latest Ultium battery doesn't feature, nor does all-wheel-drive, the latter despite the Bolt EUV's SUV-inspired image.
A 30-minute stint on a compatible DC fast charger is said to add 161km of range to the Bolt, or 153km to the EUV – though an exact charging rate in kilowatts has yet to be confirmed.
2022 Chevrolet Bolt
Above: Chevrolet Bolt EV facelift.
The bulk of the updates to the Bolt hatch – 100,000 of which have been sold since launch – are concentrated inside the cabin, where it scores an updated dashboard with a larger 10.2-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 4G-based Wi-Fi hotspot and wireless smartphone charging.
Drivers grip a new steering wheel and look into a revised 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster, while new front seats – with seat comfort a key complaint about the old model – benefit from upgraded material choices, headlined by "high-quality" artificial leather with contrast stitching.
A new centre console is home to a contemporary push-button shifter and a button toggling the vehicle's one-pedal driving mode.
From the outside, the Bolt's upright, practicality-oriented styling has been treated to a futuristic update, with a closed-off, largely-body-coloured front fascia featuring split LED headlights with an upper 'high-eye' daytime-running light, plus a revised rear end with slimmer LED tail-lights.
2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV
Above: Chevrolet Bolt EUV interior, near-identical to the Bolt's.
Despite a similar appearance to its low-riding hatch sibling, all of the Bolt EUV's panels are unique to the SUV.
Styling-wise, the EUV combines the updated Bolt's design language with that of Chevrolet's other small SUVs, with an upright, closed-off front end with split headlights, a strong shoulder line with wide rear haunches, a taller greenhouse, roof rails and a tweaked rear end with LED tail-lights.
Under the skin, the Bolt EUV measures 160mm longer in overall length, 5mm taller, 5mm wider and 74mm longer in wheelbase, the lattermost translating to 993mm of rear legroom – up 79mm over the standard Bolt.
Boot space is all but identical across the pair, measuring 470 litres in the hatch, and 462 litres in the SUV – both measurements calculated to the roof, with the rear seats upright.
The Bolt's interior is shared with its high-riding twin, with available options including a panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, and rear seat heating.
Unique to the Bolt EUV is General Motors' Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving system, which makes its Chevrolet brand debut on the model, and is capable of accelerating, braking and steering the vehicle within its lane – with the driver's hands taken off the steering wheel – on over 320,000km of North American highways.
The 2022 Chevrolet Bolt and Bolt EUV will go on sale in the US in the coming months.
Pricing starts from US$31,995 (AU$41,000) for the Bolt – a US$5500 (AU$7000) cut over the 2021 model – while the Bolt EUV is priced from US$33,995 (AU$44,000).
It's unlikely either model will reach Australian shores, given the Bolt's BEV2 platform has been previously confirmed to be left-hand-drive-only. CarAdvice has reached out to GMSV Australia for comment.
MORE: Bolt news and reviews
MORE: Everything Chevrolet