With eco-friendly new cars gaining popularity, Chevy is determined to meet the demand with a range of green vehicles. They aren’t satisfied with designing a good hybrid or a clean diesel engine and calling it a day (though they’ve done both with incredible success). Chevy made this clear at the Detroit Auto Show with the announcement of the Chevy Bolt EV, due to be released early next year.
The Bolt is a masterpiece of innovation. An entirely-electric vehicle, it can travel more than two hundred miles between charges. There’s no guesswork involved in when to charge up, either. A 10.2” center display screen and an 8” diagonal driver cluster jointly monitor battery levels, range estimation, charge settings, and climate controls. The dual displays keep vital information in sight from any angle.
Electric enthusiasts had been waiting to hear details on the Bolt’s battery size and configuration, especially with news of a two hundred mile range. That information was released at the Auto Show as well. The Bolt houses a 60 kilowatt lithium-ion battery pack with 288 cells. It weighs in at an impressive 960 pounds and can produce up to 200 horsepower. The top speed is 91mph. Acceleration is in line with the best of pure electric vehicles, with the Bolt making the transition from zero to sixty in about six seconds.
Chevy is keeping close-mouthed on more technical details, but they have disclosed that most driver confidence features will be available for the Bolt. That means favorite options like Forward Pedestrian Alert, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Automatic Crash Response can all be integrated into the Bolt.
The Bolt won’t be ready until 2017, but drop into Michigan Heidebreicht and drive our other green inspired cars.
