The Detroit Free Press has chosen the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV for its Car of the Year award.
Claiming the Bolt is the first affordable electric vehicle that seems suitable for daily transportation for most drivers, Detroit Free Press says the EV “should cause people to reconsider how they think about transportation.”
If the Bolt isn’t the vehicle that makes electric power and autonomy part of mainstream American transportation, it’s hard to imagine what will.
After tax incentives, the Bolt EV is available for less than $30,000, and comes with an EPA rated electric range of 238 miles. It’s also fun to drive and has simple to use controls.
Beating out the Jaguar XE and Cadillac CT6, the Bolt can add this award to its list of accomplishments. The Bolt EV has also won Green Car Journal’s Car of the Year, AutoGuide’s Green Car of the Year, and Motor Trend’s Car of the Year awards.
So gratifying to see the Bolt win such honors. GM has to some degree, redeemed itself after the EV1 scandal. Now, if they will only produce them in quantity as Tesla does, rather than just marketing them in dribs and drabs. Open the floodgates, fellas! Advertise your award winner in your ad spots right alongside your pollutionmobiles!
GM will not do that, because it doesn’t know how to survive in the EV-only global car marketplace that’s about to dawn. its management cannot adopt any strategy other than trying to stall the inevitable.
Where are the Bolt and its components built?
The Bolt is assembled in Orion, Michigan. As for where actual parts are built, there’s no list specifying such things. We do know a large portion is built by LG (a foreign company), but LG has factories here and internationally. Check out this: http://www.cheatsheet.com/automobiles/made-in-america-check-how-will-the-chevy-bolt-ev-score.html
I have 1500 miles on my Bolt LT and simply love the car!! I picked it up on the other (west) coast of Florida. I had 168 miles to travel back to my home. By the time the papers were all signed they had charged it to a 189 mile estimated range.
My trip back was all highway (I did 65 being somewhat conservative as to range)and when I got home the meter said that I still had 34 miles left!! Very satisfied!