Chevrolet Unveils 200-mile Bolt EV Concept

One of the reasons why electric reasons still can not compete in the mainstream market, besides the well-known issues like range anxiety and scarce infrastructure, is that they are not really affordable. Bringing their cost down has been one of Elon Musk's main goals ever since his company Tesla motors started manufacturing electric vehicles, and lately, other car makers have ramped up efforts for building an electric car for the masses. General Motors is one of those automakers, with its Chevrolet division working to develop an affordable EV for a while now, and it seems to have gotten pretty close to achieving that goal.

At the Detroit Auto Show this week, Chevrolet showcased a concept of their new electric car that addresses the main issues these alternative vehicles are faced with - high purchase price and limited range. The compact EV concept, dubbed Bolt, was unveiled by GM's CEO, Mary Barra, and is considered the company's answer to Tesla's Model 3, which is expected to be launched sometime next year, and is touted as the world's first EV for the masses.

Chevrolet says that the four-door hatchback will be able to compete with Tesla's car in another important aspect, besides price. According to the company, the four-door hatchback will have a driving range of over 200 miles, which no EV, other than the ones made by Tesla, can achieve. As far as price is concerned, Barra said that it will cost somewhere around $30,000 after government incentives, as it will be eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit, similarly to what the upcoming Model 3 is expected to cost.

According to the company's CEO, GM was able to develop this long-range, relatively cheap electric car thanks to the experience and expertise acquired through the development of their two other EV models - the Spark and the Volt. "We have made tremendous strides in technologies that make it easier and more affordable for Chevrolet customers to integrate an all-electric vehicle in their daily lives," said Mary Barra.

The fact that Chevrolet used lightweight materials, such as aluminum and carbon fiber, to make the car's body, also helps ensure greater range. On top of the powerful battery pack and the appealing price tag, the abundance of advanced high-tech solutions may also help the Bolt become a worthy rival to the Model 3. It comes with GM's Connect app, which allows drivers to lock and unlock the car through their smartphone. Also, the car has a piloted parking feature, which means that the driver can leave it at a parking garage entrance and it will locate a vacant parking spot and drive to it all by itself.

Although GM didn't officially say that it plans to put it into production, the Bolt is expected to be launched in 2017, and when it hits dealerships, it will have to compete against the likes of the Nissan Leaf, the BMW i3, the Ford Focus Electric, and the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, in addition to the anticipated Tesla Model 3, and will have a significant edge over all of them, barring Tesla's car, in terms of both price and range.