Chevrolet BOLT resurgence

[E365]

Some next-gen Bolt EV news yesterday.

New car will be priced similar to the old Bolt EUV. So starting somewhere around $30,000 or less, before rebates. Faster charging and possibly a family of Bolt models too. Produced at GM Fairfax / Kansas City, in the old Malibu production space. Arrives late 2025 / early 2026.

Also, “Ultium” branding will go away for GM. Not too surprising as “Ultium Cells” is the official name of the LG Battery joint venture. As GM adds Samsung and TDK/CATL batteries, sharing a competitors company name won’t work.


https://gmauthority.com/blog/2024/1...l-be-priced-close-to-the-previous-generation/

 

[dogememe]

What do they mean a "family" of Bolts? I don't understand that?

 

[Rmay635703]

What do they mean a "family" of Bolts? I don't understand that?

Prius, Prius C, Prius V vibes.

Best guess long range, standard, EV, EUV?

Being a Tesla guy is influencing I’m guessing random batteries, pray the don’t go structural

 

[Leo99]

Saw this a few weeks ago at a dr visit.

 

[alarmguy]

What do they mean a "family" of Bolts? I don't understand that?

The regular sedan and the EUV I suppose?

 

[dogememe]

The regular sedan and the EUV I suppose?

Well I thought they already said the new Bolt was going to be the size of the existing EUV version. They just can't make up their mind! That said, I think you mean hatchback, I have never seen a Bolt sedan Although that would surely be interesting. Although lets face it a small sedan in the US will never be a hot seller so I don't think they'd do it. One of the best things about the Bolt is that even though it's small it is upright which is a great seating position that makes you feel safe and it's great for putting stuff in the back. A sedan would be worse in every way?

 

[alarmguy]

Well I thought they already said the new Bolt was going to be the size of the existing EUV version. They just can't make up their mind! That said, I think you mean hatchback, I have never seen a Bolt sedan Although that would surely be interesting. Although lets face it a small sedan in the US will never be a hot seller so I don't think they'd do it. One of the best things about the Bolt is that even though it's small it is upright which is a great seating position that makes you feel safe and it's great for putting stuff in the back. A sedan would be worse in every way?

Yeah. the is what I meant, wrong choice of word - Sedan = Hatchback

 

[E365]

Cadillac is cancelling the XT4, which is made alongside the soon-to-be-gone Malibu at the Kansas/Fairfax plant. The plant is currently retooling to make the next-gen Bolt EV.

GM’s October investor call hinted at that “family” of Bolt EV products. With this news, my bet is there will now be a Bolt EV-based Cadillac EV, smaller than the OPTIQ, with the same LFP battery the Bolt EV will use.

https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1144970_cadillac-xt4-production

 

[E365]

“with an all-new, next-generation Chevy Malibu expected to debut for either the 2026 or 2027 model year. While details surrounding the next-gen Malibu have yet to surface, it will almost certainly not ride on the GM E2 platform, and is likely to be equipped with an electric powertrain.”

First I’ve heard of a Malibu EV! Maybe Malibu EV as yet another Bolt EV-based family product? Then GM Fairfax would make all the new budget, LFP based EVs on the same chassis. Bolt EV, Malibu EV and baby-Cadillac EV. This all makes sense to me.

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2024/1...-buick-envision-last-standing-on-e2-platform/

 

[E365]

GM confirms today that the 2027 Bolt EV will go into production this year at Fairfax (Kansas City).

Also, “GM expects to make new future investments in Fairfax for GM’s next generation of affordable EVs.” Good to hear the next-gen EVs are in the works after 2027+ Bolt EV.

https://pressroom.gm.com/gmbx/us/en...ml/Pages/news/us/en/2025/jun/0611-plants.html

 

[E365]

New Bolt EV spotted. Looks like it might quite-literally be an updated previous-gen Bolt EUV!

Would make sense if the goal is keeping cost down and giving it a chance at profitability. Take the old car, add the newest corporate bumpers/lights, put in a much-cheaper LFP pack, and swap in the cheaper Ultium-gen motors and electronics.

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2025/07/2027-chevy-bolt-ev-spotted-testing/

 

[Torrid]

That's solid. Once the materials roll in for US LFP batteries, we will see a price drop. The Bolt was already popular. No need for GM to overdo it.

 

[E365]

I could see it getting the new Equinox (ICE) screen setup. Basically a smaller version of the Equinox EV/Blazer EV/Silverado EV screens.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Given the loss of the tax credit, the chances of the Bolt being profitable are pretty slim.
The Bolt EV and EUV models were never profitable for GM. While the Bolt saw a sales surge in its final years due to price cuts and the addition of the EUV, GM has publicly stated that the vehicle did not achieve profitability. GM even ended production of the original Bolt due to its lack of profitability, despite strong sales in its final years.

There are several on my block; owners love 'em. My next door neighbors are on their 2nd Bolt lease and 3rd EV overall.

 

[alarmguy]

Given the loss of the tax credit, the chances of the Bolt being profitable are pretty slim.
The Bolt EV and EUV models were never profitable for GM. While the Bolt saw a sales surge in its final years due to price cuts and the addition of the EUV, GM has publicly stated that the vehicle did not achieve profitability. GM even ended production of the original Bolt due to its lack of profitability, despite strong sales in its final years.

There are several on my block; owners love 'em. My next door neighbors are on their 2nd Bolt lease and 3rd EV overall.

I wonder how many people go to buy a car and wonder if a particular model is profitable.
I fact the year you bought your first Tesla including the entire 10 years before and year after the entire company was losing money while GM was making money.
Im just not understanding why you keep posting this. The consumer wont care. As a taxpayer I am going to be thrilled to watch the events unfold with the expiration of the Tax Credit. It would be naive to think Tesla will not be affected while GM will continue to pump out fossil fuel cars while it adjusts to market forces.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I wonder how many people go to buy a car and wonder if a particular model is profitable.
I fact the year you bought your first Tesla including the entire 10 years before and year after the entire company was losing money while GM was making money.
Im just not understanding why you keep posting this. The consumer wont care. As a taxpayer I am going to be thrilled to watch the events unfold with the expiration of the Tax Credit. It would be naive to think Tesla will not be affected while GM will continue to pump out fossil fuel cars while it adjusts to market forces.

I post it because my career was in business; specifically in corporate financial analytics. Businesses are in the business of making money. The Bolt has been great for customers; they love them. It is a loss leader for GM.

Regarding Tesla's business, start ups always lose money until they grow enough or go out of business.

 

[jghall00]

Given the loss of the tax credit, the chances of the Bolt being profitable are pretty slim.
The Bolt EV and EUV models were never profitable for GM. While the Bolt saw a sales surge in its final years due to price cuts and the addition of the EUV, GM has publicly stated that the vehicle did not achieve profitability. GM even ended production of the original Bolt due to its lack of profitability, despite strong sales in its final years.

The tax credit only impacts demand for the vehicle, not GM's cost. GM previously said it was nearing profitability on its EVs. The term used was variable unit profit, which I guess means revenue now covers the cost of production but not the initial capex. I think GM will be able to sell the vehicle profitably once it achieves sufficient scale and gets costs down with LFP cells.

 

[alarmguy]

I post it because my career was in business; specifically in corporate financial analytics. Businesses are in the business of making money. The Bolt has been great for customers; they love them. It is a loss leader for GM.

Regarding Tesla's business, start ups always lose money until they grow enough or go out of business.

Exactly and the bolt was a startup in the electric vehicle division however, they have huge profits coming in from their other business

You must know you have to invest in order to grow

 

[JeffKeryk]

The tax credit only impacts demand for the vehicle, not GM's cost. GM previously said it was nearing profitability on its EVs. The term used was variable unit profit, which I guess means revenue now covers the cost of production but not the initial capex. I think GM will be able to sell the vehicle profitably once it achieves sufficient scale and gets costs down with LFP cells.

Variable unit profit speaks to "Cost to Manufacture" and is primarily Labor, Material and Overhead; basically what it costs to get it out the factory door. It does not cover warranty costs, transportation costs, selling costs and perhaps other costs that can be directly attributed to a unit.

Variable profit is hugely dependent on volume because of 2 things: procurement costs and factory utilization.
You are 100% correct on tax credit affecting sales volume. Sales volume is critical to variable profit and real profitability. But you are mistaken about its affect on cost; for the reasons cited above and because fixed costs are spread over a smaller number of units as numbers decline. GM is a manufacturing company. In manufacturing, unit cost tends to go down as sales increase up to the relevant range. Relevant range refers to the maximum possible factory output.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Exactly and the bolt was a startup in the electric vehicle division however, they have huge profits coming in from their other business

You must know you have to invest in order to grow

AG, that's apples to oranges. GM is a 100+ year old company; hardly a start up. One would think they would know how to make a profit on a vehicle.
Tesla was a start up a few years ago; GM was a start up well over 100 years ago.