2017 Chevy Bolt Going Into Production Just 20 Months From Now, In October 2016
Originally published on EV Obsession.
The much-anticipated 2017 Chevy Bolt will enter into production just 20 months from now, in October 2016, according to a pair of unnamed supplier sources.
According to the sources, the +200-miles-per-charge electric vehicle (EV) will go into production at the “underused” GM production plant in Orion Township in Michigan.
The sources also noted that the production target for the Bolt was relatively “low” — at 25,000 to 30,000 units a year. Considering that GM “only” sold about 18,800 Chevy Volts last year, it seems GM’s ambitions haven’t increased that much, and presumably neither has its limited advertising and efforts to sell its electric vehicles.
Presumably, the Bolt EV will attract a larger segment of the potential market, but the question is: will GM produce it to match demand?
Reuters provides more:
A GM source familiar with Chevrolet’s plans said the price would actually be “in the mid-$30,000s” but federal and state incentives to purchase “green cars” would reduce the consumer’s final cost to $30,000.
The supplier sources said the Bolt and a companion model for GM’s Opel subsidiary in Europe will be assembled at GM’s plant in Orion Township. The GM source said the company has not yet reached a final decision on whether the Opel model will be assembled in Orion Township.
The Bolt is being developed on GM’s Gamma global small-car platform, according to the supplier sources. The same basic set of components will provide the base for the next-generation Sonic, also due in late 2016, they said.
So perhaps an Opel Bolt is on the way as well? Perhaps there will be an announcement at the Geneva Motor Show.
When asked by Reuters to confirm the information, an official company spokesperson declined to comment, unsurprisingly.
The late-2016 production date would put the model on track to compete with Nissan’s and Tesla’s next-gen models, which are expected to be entering production roughly around the same time.
That should make for an interesting period of time — with most of the major players in the market all coming out with their new offerings at around the same time.
Image Credit: Tina Casey | CleanTechnica
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ya sure. According to sources i won the powerball last night. Shut up and get to work GM.
Both Nissan’s and Tesla’s next gen models are MIA. I will taunt them until they cough it up at least the concept product. It will take a miracle for Tesla to start production of the Model III by October 2016, mwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!
Waiting on new battery tech or losing interest because of lower than anticipated sales?
And I will taunt Chevy until they target higher production numbers…
I mean these are great vehicles, so why not actually SELL them?
Volume EV sales needs larger scale battery manufacturing.
The Tesla/Panasonic factory is under construction. LG Chem is building the factory for Bolt batteries (I believe).
Makes no sense to present a finished model before it’s possible to sell them. Best to keep design underway until batteries are available. Make sure batteries are available in sufficient numbers and then tool up for the new vehicle.
Bolt and O Bolt sat on a bench…
Hmmm . . . I actually look at this as good news, not a point of derision. The Bolt – only unveiled to the public a couple weeks ago – is slated to go into production earlier than anticipated then? That’s great! The story was cited in both the Detroit Free Press and Reuters, so it’s not just unsubstantiated gossip.
The projected production totals don’t phase me. They’re larger than Chevy’s existing PHEV, the Volt. Perhaps they’re hedging their bets on battery availability and don’t want to put out large production projections that they know they might not be able to live up to. If they do build/sell more of these cars the first year, it ends up becoming a good news story.
Another point worth noting is that GM’s CEO, Mary Barra, publicly stated that the Bolt will be a 50 state vehicle, not just another Compliafornia phenomenon. That, in itself, is fabulous news.
As for Tesla’s Model 3: I remember seeing something recently that they’re due to take the wraps off the concept sometime this summer. It’s sort of useless to speculate what this vehicle will be – or won’t be – until then. But I’m sure a lot of people will anyway. What we DO know is that it won’t be some sort of 85% proportionally rescaled Model S, like we were seeing in some of the Photoshoped images posted here and elsewhere. That’s been confirmed by Elon Musk himself. Many Tesla fanboys who have been throwing darts at the Bolt these past couple of weeks for it being a variation on the hatchback theme may end up having egg on their face when Tesla advances exactly that. We’ll see.
Nissan? We haven’t heard much from them lately. A facelift of the Leaf is due, as is a longer range battery pack. But details are currently scant. Stay tuned . . .
Great news. Elon has won. He has forced every car company into making electric cars. I would love to see Tesla be a big player, but I want more electric cars no matter where they come from. Go GM.
I agree. Elon has sped things up considerably. I’d love to see Tesla push its way into the Big Three or world leaders or whatever category. But I more want affordable longer range EVs coming from as many companies as possible.
If Tesla pushes into the sub-luxury range with its Model 3 and produces no economy EVs, that’s fine. Tesla competing against Mercedes and other luxury cars in the future would be fine. Let the very large car companies produce the $20k and less EVs.
Well, GM is officially endorsing this now . . .
http://insideevs.com/breaking-general-motors-confirms-chevrolet-bolt-production/