Few products attract a cult-like obsession like this one. Even after being off the menu for years, true fans yearn for its return. Well, they are in luck. It is back for a limited time only. It is not the McRib, but the 2027 Chevrolet Bolt.
Like the McRib, there are a few theories that might explain the Bolt’s reappearance. General Motors’ electric vehicle parts bin has grown since the previous Bolt was introduced in 2016, helping the new model’s finances pencil out. It also does not hurt that many Bolt owners are rabid fans, including some inside GM. The reality can probably be found somewhere in between.
When the company realized it had an 18-month production gap at its factory in Fairfax, Kansas, executives signed off on the little EV’s revival. Unlike the McRib, the new Bolt does not rigidly adhere to the original recipe. But there is enough that is familiar in the new model to please its die-hard fans.
GM started with the chassis and the body panels from the Bolt EUV and redesigned the front and rear bits. It tweaked the suspension and some of the front chassis, but by and large it is the same basic metal. Some of the plastic inside has been refined, though there are still enough hard surfaces to remind you that this is the cheapest EV for sale in the U.S. today.
Prices start at $28,995 including the destination fee, which is a good deal considering the state of the car market. Do not get too excited, though, because a loaded Bolt can cost more than $40,000, at which point the warm fuzzies start to fade.
Most drivers will notice the absence of CarPlay and Android Auto, which is now missing from all new GM vehicles. The previous Bolt was one of GM’s only EVs with screencasting, and its omission is likely to cause more than a few gripes among current owners. To ease the pain, they have added Spotify and Apple Music apps. They help, but only a bit, as the native apps were less responsive to inputs than their CarPlay counterparts.
There were also revisions to the headlights and taillights, but the stars of the show are the battery, the motor, and Super Cruise.
The new 65 kilowatt-hour battery is GM’s first to use lithium-iron-phosphate. Power from it flows through a new battery management system to an electric motor plucked from the front-wheel drive Chevy Equinox. The battery swap is significant. The chemistry eliminates critical minerals like cobalt and nickel, slashing the cost. LFP batteries also do not suffer from degradation when being charged repeatedly to 100 percent. Previous Bolt owners were encouraged to limit their daily charging to 80 percent, reserving the last fraction for road trips. LFP cells also discharge pretty consistently, maintaining full power closer to zero percent state of charge than before.
In the new Bolt, the motor makes 200 horsepower and 169 pound-feet of torque. The latter is down a bit from the previous model, but it feels peppy enough around town. That is because the new motor can spin faster and more efficiently, allowing the team to spec shorter gearing. At the wheels, torque is actually a little higher, meaning that Chevy expects the new Bolt to travel from zero to 60 mph a touch faster than before.
Between the new motor and the more efficient power electronics, Chevy was able to find an additional 15 miles of range. Even with the smaller battery, it can travel farther, a total of 262 miles for the lower-spec LT. Higher spec RS models should travel 255 miles.
The power electronics also mitigate an issue previous owners had with the car: charging speed. Though the previous Bolt produced road trip-worthy range figures, its charging speed was far from inspiring at 50 kW. Adding 200 miles of range took about an hour or so. Now, charging from 10 percent to 90 percent should take 24 minutes, according to GM. The 400-volt pack can accept up to 150 kW. The Bolt is now equipped with the North American Charging Standard, though plug-and-charge on the Tesla network is coming later this year.
Faster charging paired with Super Cruise means this little vehicle has the potential to be a decent road tripper or commuter car. Front and back seats are roomy and comfortable enough, though there is zero toe room under the front seats. The trunk is decently sized for a subcompact, but it will not fit more than a few carry-on bags.
The Bolt is the cheapest hands-free vehicle on the market today, though you will want to double check the menu because it requires a very specific order. Cheap is a relative term these days, of course. It will still set you back $35,655.
To test Super Cruise, I ran a short loop up and down the highway. The Level 2 ADAS system handled traffic well, automatically changing lanes when I approached a slow-moving vehicle. Super Cruise will buzz your left or right glute to give you a heads up about a lane change. As before, Super Cruise will only work on routes GM has mapped, which includes freeways and some two-lane highways. If your route requires an exit or interchange, it will do its best to get you into the necessary lane before asking you to take over.
This is the point where Chevy defends its decision to eliminate screencasting tools like CarPlay and Android Auto from its vehicles. The Bolt’s infotainment system is shared with other GM EVs. That means its navigation system can talk to the battery management system, warming the battery up before fast charging, and Super Cruise, allowing the Bolt to perform its lane changing magic as it approaches your exit.
Super Cruise will still cost you. Because Chevy requires a lot of options before you can get hands free driving, the feature adds more than 20 percent to the base price. Is it worth another $6,600, plus the cost of OnStar after the three-year trial expires? It depends on how often you think you will use it. For long-haul commuters, the addition could be the stress-reducer that adds a few years to their life expectancy. Everyone else? Probably not.
I would wager that most new Bolt buyers already know they are going to buy a Bolt. They either have one parked in their garage or have a soft spot for small EVs. Chevy is betting there are enough of them that it will sell out after about two years. After that, the automaker will not commit to another run. But who knows? Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Just ask any McRib fan.