- The Chevrolet Bolt will reportedly go out of production early next year.
- GM had envisioned building 150,000 units, but actual number could be 35,000.
- Bolt has been a slow-seller since its return, despite starting at $27,600.
The story of the Chevrolet Bolt is perplexing as the model was one of the most popular electric vehicles in America. Despite this, GM killed the Bolt and Bolt EUV to build full-size electric trucks at Orion Assembly.
This plan quickly fizzled as the Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV were met with the same enthusiasm as a wet hug. As a result, after multiple delays, GM decided to retool Orion Assembly for production of ICE-powered trucks and SUVs.
More: GM Quietly Plots A Family Of Low-Cost EVs After New Bolt
Amid this chaos, the Bolt went on a short hiatus before returning with some notable improvements and a new home in Kansas. Despite a significant amount of work, Chevrolet confirmed it would be a “limited run model.”
It appears it will be even more limited than expected as Reuters is reporting production has been slashed by approximately 75%. This means that by the time the model goes out of production in the first quarter of 2027, only around 35,000 units will have been made.
The company was reportedly planning to build 150,000 units, so it appears bringing the Bolt back was a huge mistake and a giant waste of resources.
While GM declined to comment on the numbers, the company told the publication “We continuously evaluate market dynamics and customer demand.” That being said, sales have been dreadful. In the first half of the year, Chevrolet only managed to sell 4,224 units. That puts them on track to sell less than 9,500 Bolts for the entire year.
As a refresher, the Bolt starts at $27,600 before a $1,395 destination fee. It features a 65 kWh LFP battery pack, which feeds an electric motor developing 210 hp (157 kW / 213 PS) and 169 lb-ft (229 Nm) of torque. This enables the model to travel up to 262 miles (422 km) on a single charge.
It’s not entirely clear why the ‘reborn’ Bolt hasn’t been able to live up to the success of the original, but the elimination of the federal tax credit undoubtedly played an important role. It also doesn’t help that the ‘new’ model looks so similar to the old one, and the car hasn’t really been promoted.
That being said, consumers have embraced the Equinox EV. The crossover starts at $34,995 – before a $1,800 destination fee – and offers 319 miles (513 km) of range.
