The Chevrolet Bolt has had a lifetime that more resembles a rollercoaster rather than a traditional car lifetime. When it was introduced in 2017, it sold like hotcakes. A few years later, about a dozen Chevrolet Bolts caught fire due to the batteries which resulted in a recall of over 140,000 vehicles and a stop to all new Bolt EV sales. Now in 2022, the Chevrolet Bolt EV received a refresh and a new longer wheelbase version called the Bolt EUV.
Performance
Motor – This new Bolt EUV has the same underpinnings of the regular Bolt EV. As such, it has the same electric motor that produces 200 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque (149 kW & 361 Nm). This isn’t the fastest electric vehicle on sale, it’s not even in the middle of the pack, but the instant torque of the motor makes this car peppy off the line. It weighs 1,669 kg (3,679 lbs) which is not too bad for an EV. But like many other EVs, the acceleration tapers off the faster you go. However, that’s not a real issue in a city environment. The Bolt EUV will easily and quickly accelerate up to highway speeds and you don’t need too much planning or a run-up to overtake another vehicle. Best of all, depending on how you look at things, you can turn off the traction control and roast the front tires.
Battery & Charging – Under the floor, the 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV has the same battery as the regular Bolt EV. It is a 65 kWh battery pack which supplies the Bolt EUV with up to 397 km (247 miles) of driving range. This is 20 km (12.5 miles) less than the regular Bolt EV because this EUV is slightly bigger and also slightly heavier.
The Bolt EUV is equipped with an 11.5 kW onboard charger which allows up to 11.5 kW of AC, level 2 charging. Chevrolet claims that this returns up to 59 km (36.5 miles) of driving range per hour of charge time under ideal conditions. From a level 3 DC fast charger, Chevy claims up to 154 km (96 miles) per 30 minutes of charging time. Again, under ideal conditions.
Braking – Like all other EVs, the Chevrolet Bolt EUV utilizes regenerative braking and has a one-pedal drive mode. This mode is super smooth at slowing the car down at a gradual pace and bringing it to a complete stop. However, it struggles to hold the car on a forward incline, as in, when you try to stop when going downhill. There isn’t enough brake pressure being applied so the car slowly rolls forward. But on level roads or on an uphill incline, the one-pedal mode holds the car just fine.
Handling – This EV was not meant to be a sporty car and as such, it doesn’t feel particularly peppy on a winding road. It feels much more at home on city streets and in gridlock traffic. With the one-pedal mode activated, this car is very comfortable to commute in. The steering is light for easy maneuverability. Although it is longer than the regular Bolt EV, it still feels small enough to drive down tight alleyways or to park in a “compact car” parking spot.
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Comfort
Ride Comfort – With this being a city focused EV, the ride of the Bolt EUV is exceptionally good. The dampers absorb all but the worst potholes that city streets throw at it and the 17-inch wheels have fairly thick sidewall tires which further aid in absorbing some of the shunts. The seats, however, could benefit from a bit more padding to the bottom cushion. As well, the door and center console armrests feel as though they are at different levels. So your shoulders end up feeling like they’re at different heights.
Interior Space – From the b-pillar forward, the Bolt EUV has the same amount of headroom and legroom as the Bolt EV. There’s loads of space for tall adults and the seating position is quite high up so you have good visibility out the front, side and back. In the back seats, the Bolt EUV has almost 3-inches more legroom than the standard Bolt. Headroom is the same. Further behind the rear seats, the EUV has less cargo space than the Bolt EV. It’s not a huge difference but with a longer wheelbase, you’d expect a bit more cargo capacity as well. But alas, that is not the case. The 2022 Bolt EUV has 462 L (16.3 cu-ft) with the rear seats up and 1,611 L (56.9 cu-ft) with the seats folded.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – Overall the 2022 Chevy Bolt EUV is a quiet vehicle. Not many exterior noises intrude into the cabin. You may hear the faint whine of the electric motor as you accelerate or decelerate but it’s not intrusive like a gasoline engine. Wind noise is negligible and road noise isn’t any louder than in any other compact car.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – The 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV is available in the LT or Premier trim levels. This demo vehicle is the latter and it has a starting price of $43,698 CAD ($38,000 USD). For 2023, the price has gone up but not by too much. The Premier starts at $44,048 CAD. The 2023 Bolt EUV LT starts at $40,548 CAD ($27,800 USD) which is approximately $2,000 CAD more than the starting price of the regular Bolt EV. If you’re reading this in the United States, you’re lucky because the Bolt EV and Bolt EUV have received significant price cuts. The 2023 Bolt EUV starts at $31,700 USD.
Gadgets – In addition to having the same standard features as the Bolt EV such as heated front seats, heated steering wheel, automatic climate control, wireless Apple CarPlay & wireless Android Auto connectivity, and Bluetooth among many other features, the Bolt EUV can also be equipped with a sunroof, surround view cameras, a rear camera mirror and Super Cruise.
Super Cruise allows for hands-free driving on most highways across Canada and the United States. It uses sensors in the cabin to make sure that the driver is attentive to the road ahead and the system will alert the driver if it thinks they are not paying attention. But if they are, the system works very well. It can easily navigate through corners and it is brilliant in gridlock traffic. If you want this feature, it is part of the Super Cruise package which costs $2,330 CAD ($2,200 USD) at the time of writing.
Interior Design – The 2022 Bolt EV and EUV both received an updated interior design. It is much more car-like now and not so much “concept EV”… if that makes sense. The new interior feels a bit more normal. The center console has Chevrolet’s push and pull buttons for the drive selector, the climate controls are all physical controls and the 10.2” touchscreen retains a volume and tuning knob for ease of control. There is some space underneath the center console for small item storage as well as big door pockets. One thing that some may not like is that the new interior uses darker colours than the pre-facelifted version of the Bolt EV.
Exterior Design – The exterior of the Bolt EUV is not all that dissimilar to that of the standard Bolt EV. At times, it’s hard to differentiate the two. In 2022, both also receive a new look that makes each car look sleek and almost like a concept car.
Safety – The 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV is equipped with standard automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and braking, lane departure warning with lane keep, auto highbeams, blind spot sensors, rear cross traffic alert, rear parking sensors, and follow distance indicator.
Warranty – The 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV is covered by a standard 3 year / 60,000 km basic and 5 year / 100,000 km powertrain warranty. The battery and electric drive components are covered by an 8 year / 160,000 km warranty.
Conclusion – The 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV may not be a revolutionary EV or one that can go the furthest distance. But in a world of increasingly expensive vehicles, the Bolt EUV is one that is attainable by almost all potential vehicle purchasers. It’s also an EV that is easy to drive, spacious, full of gadgets, and it has been around for quite a long time so all the kinks should be worked out by now.
Thank you to Chevrolet Canada for providing the vehicle. www.Chevrolet.ca
2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV Gallery
