Bolt first to Market with 200 mile EV!

[epaminondas]

Wow - I was surprised to read this:

http://insideevs.com/chevrolet-bolt-bmw-i3-killer-tesla-fighter-leaf-slayer/


I thought Nissan still had the leg up on everyone as far as releasing an affordable 200 mile car!

 

[hybridbear]

It's exciting!! I hope they'll have a Bolt at our auto show in a couple weeks.

 

[Steve0512]

The Bolt is just a concept car. At this point, it's barely more than an idea that GM has. Gm still needs to invent much of the technology that goes into the car. They would be lucky to release it by 2019. My money is on the 2020 production year.

 

[WattsUp]

The Bolt is just a concept car. At this point, it's barely more than an idea that GM has. Gm still needs to invent much of the technology that goes into the car. They would be lucky to release it by 2019. My money is on the 2020 production year.

Given that GM is anticipating that the Bolt with enter production in 2016 (presumably using much of the technology from the Volt) you're saying they are off by four years?

 

[Steve0512]

Yes I am!

 

[michael]

I would be very surprised (but also very pleased!) to find that I can buy a Bolt 2 1/2 years from now. The leases on my present cars run for 1 1/2 to 2 1/4 years more...I doubt I will be able to replace any of these cars with a Bolt, much as I would like to do so. My best guess is 3 to 4 years from now.

Please, Ford, stuff that much-promised 200 mile (50 kWh?) battery in an FFE and offer it for $38K....I'll take two!!!

 

[nousernogood]

From the article...

"We suspect that the Chevrolet Bolt will go on sale in the U.S. in October 2016."

So about a year and a half...

 

[michael]

From the article...

"We suspect that the Chevrolet Bolt will go on sale in the U.S. in October 2016."

So about a year and a half...

Unfortunately, that is merely the writer's opinion, not a statement from GM.

A 2013 article in the New York Times said:

Tesla Motors has confirmed that production of its all-wheel-drive Model X electric crossover will begin in late 2014, a year later than the company had originally announced. The revised timing was described in the company’s Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission last Thursday.

When Tesla first revealed the Model X in February 2012, the company said production would begin at the end of 2013, with deliveries following in 2014. Nearly a year later, at the Detroit auto show last January, Elon Musk, Tesla’s chief executive, made the first public statement about the shift in the schedule. Mr. Musk said production of the Model X would begin in the second half of 2014, according to Reuters

Things very often take much longer than the optimistic estimates. I really hope the speculations about early availability are right, I really want one of these when my FFE lease expires, but I'm not counting on it.

 

[hybridbear]

GM has announced when they expect production to begin. I hope they don't pull a Tesla and miss that date.

 

[triangles]

If we see a Bolt or Tesla model 3 before 2018 I will be shocked! :shock:

 

[michael]

GM has announced when they expect production to begin. I hope they don't pull a Tesla and miss that date.

I haven't yet seen that...do you have a reference?

In fact, to the contrary, just a week ago...


http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/press_kits.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2015/feb/chicago/0212-bolt-ev.html



CHICAGO – Chevrolet this morning confirmed production of its next-generation pure electric vehicle, based on the Bolt EV concept. It will be built at General Motors’ Orion Assembly facility near Detroit.

GM North America President Alan Batey made the announcement ahead of the Chicago Auto Show. The Bolt EV concept was introduced last month at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

“The message from consumers about the Bolt EV concept was clear and unequivocal: Build it,” said Batey. “We are moving quickly because of its potential to completely shake up the status quo for electric vehicles.”

Leveraging the industry-leading battery technology found in the Chevrolet Volt and Spark EV, the Bolt EV concept was developed as a game-changing, long-range pure electric for all 50 states, designed to offer more than a GM-estimated 200 miles of range at a target price of around $30,000.

The progressively styled concept vehicle features selectable driving modes for preferred driving styles, such as daily commuting, and it was designed to support DC fast charging.

“We’re proud that Chevrolet has decided to produce the Bolt EV here in Michigan at the Orion Assembly facility,” Gov. Rick Snyder said. “Michigan unquestionably remains the global automotive leader. Chevrolet is tapping a skilled workforce that includes some of the most talented and hard-working people in the world for this cutting-edge vehicle. Chevrolet is an important part of our state’s automotive history, and Michigan-made products like the Bolt EV point to a bright future as well.”

Start of production and additional details will be announced later.



So....GM says in effect: we will get back to you on that....

 

[nousernogood]

GM has not officially given a date but...
http://insideevs.com/chevrolet-bolt-built-michigan-october-2016-opel-companion-ev-coming/
"Two suppliers from General Motors have leaked word that the company intends to put the Chevrolet Bolt into production in October of next year at its Orion township plant in Michigan."
"Looking at the careful wording of the statement, and the fact there are multiple sources speaking on some very specific information…and the fact that GM’s Consumer Affairs guy James Bell definitively said the Bolt will be in showrooms in 2016 during a live interview (watch) from the NAIAS (also retracted later) means to us that GM is probably not too happy with the informational leaks and are trying to”stuff the cat back into the bag”."
http://insideevs.com/general-motors-head-of-consumer-affairs-james-bell-discusses-volt-bolt-video/

Hardly an optomistic estimate as this is a sister car to the next gen Sonic that has been in the works for several years and they already have know how from Volt/Spark...
LG has also stated publicly that they will be suplying a 200 mile batery to an auto company in 2016...
I beleive the LG statement was made last summer...

Tesla is not as a mature company production and design wise so their date is a little more likely to slip...
I also would not be suprised if reading a biography of Musk 20 years from now that the slip for the X was intentional as they were battery restrained and to create greater demand...
Tesla has sold billions worth of cars with little more the "twitter" for advertising...
In short Tesla hasnt even begun to try selling more cars because they are not ready capacity wise...
And yes I am a Tesla fan and a Musk fan...

 

[michael]

Again, that is third party comment and speculation.

Two suppliers from General Motors have leaked word that the company intends to put the Chevrolet Bolt into production in October of next year at its Orion township plant in Michigan.

It's interesting that people are willing to hang on to third party comments and opinions that suggest GM can come out with a substantially new design in a short period even when GM itself is silent on the subject.

Just as a conversation starter, I posted another topic here suggesting that it would be interesting if Ford produced a modified version of the FFE with two seats and an enlarged battery. How hard does that sound? The idea was criticized as unworkably complex.

Take out two seats, remove two, doors and enlarge the battery? Naw..too tough...can't be done. Come up with a new car? Sure...we can buy it next year!

Again...hope I'm wrong, I will be one of the first to buy a Bolt if they are available in time to replace my FFE, but I don't think it's gonna happen that soon.

 

[jmueller065]

Just as a conversation starter, I posted another topic here suggesting that it would be interesting if Ford produced a modified version of the FFE with two seats and an enlarged battery. How hard does that sound? The idea was criticized as unworkably complex.

Take out two seats, remove two, doors and enlarge the battery? Naw..too tough...can't be done. Come up with a new car? Sure...we can buy it next year!

I don't think the gist was that the two seat FFE was unworkably complex I think it more comes down to will: Ford doesn't have the will to do anything with the FFE at all. For the Bolt GM seems to be showing the will (heck it was announced by the CEO--granted so was the FFE here in the US, Mulally even went on Leno to show it off--but times change).

I'm struck by one of the comments to an Inside EVs article I read earlier this week. It was from one of the staff who lives in the greater Detroit area and was to the effect of: "Everyone in the Detroit area seems to think that EVs have no business being in the automotive market..." I think this statement perfectly nails Ford's attitude given that they don't even want to admit they sell the FFE these days (and I would bet they are taking the: "If we ignore it will it go away?" approach).

At least GM seems to want to push forward a bit (and maybe even beat a rival or two to the punch).

 

[michael]

I truly hope GM will do as the popular press suggests and provide a very capable EV at a reasonable cost. As you can see from my fleet, I am not a GM hater. I do believe that there is a lot of posturing going on by GM. The Bolt announcement was designed to get them publicity, to be seen as the up-and-coming Tesla. If they were serious about taking over the EV market, they had a great opportunity in designing the Volt 2, and they did not take advantage of it.

I think that if the Volt 2 had provided 60 mile range, 6 kW class charging, and DCFC capability, and if GM would advertise it decently so that the public actually understands what all this offers, it would have taken over the EV market. Who would want a 70 mile, bug-eyed, battery broiling Leaf given a 60 mile Volt as an option? Who could still use "What if I want to drive to Vegas" as an excuse to not get such a Volt? I see no reason to believe GM has all that much more commitment to EVs than does Ford.

I am afraid GM will milk the Bolt for the next four years as Tesla has done with the promised future models. I expect to see the announcement that I can actually buy a Bolt on my iPhone 8.

 

[nousernogood]

A two seat FFE is easy from an engineering prespecite but a non starter from a sales perspective...
Ford only sells the four door Focus in the US because Americans ralery buy two door cars let alone two seat ones...

All Ford needs to do to boost the range of the FFE is to switch to LG's next gen battery which packs more range in the same size package...
Chevy will be using it in the 2nd gen Volt and the Bolt so the battery tech is already here...

Hundred year old auto companies will have lots of internal resistnace changing from Dinosar tech to batters...
There is no doubting that, but if they dont switch they will eventually fail...
Consumers will realize in the next five years electric cars are not just more enviormentaly friendly but are better cars that will also be cheaper within 10 years...
Europe/China are only begining to outlaw diesels in paticular and cars alltogether in some parts of cities...

and more speculation... hello iCar??
http://insideevs.com/apple-start-production-electric-titan-vehicle-2020-report/

 

[michael]

A two seat FFE is easy from an engineering prespecite but a non starter from a sales perspective...
Ford only sells the four door Focus in the US because Americans ralery buy two door cars let alone two seat ones...

/

Two seaters...

Honda CR-Z
Corvette
Miata
Nissan 370-Z
Smart
BMW Z4
Audi TT
Porsche 911
And virtually every single pickup truck.

Not for everybody, definitely, but sellable.

And at least here in Los Angeles, few pickup trucks carry anything other than air in their cargo areas. The truck is in many cases a fashion statement, not a tool.

I wish some Discovery Channel show would convert a 80 mile EV into a 200 mile EV in a week, show it's not un-doable.

 

[jeffand]

I think the model 3 is about 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 year out yet. When the gigafactory comes on line late next year it will be producing batteries for the model S and X. What is holding vehicle production back is battery production. Far as I know their are no secret model 3 in a back room at Tesla. The gigafactory won't be up to full production until 2020. The high volume production model 3 will need an ample cheep supply of batteries in order to meet market demand. Profit margins on the Model 3 will be tighter than other Tesla models. Don't be surprised if two battery sizes are offered.
As for the model X, I feel confident that the X will go into limited production sometime early in the forth quarter. Once the Model X goes into production Tesla can then turn it's attention to the Model 3 development.

What we are seeing is the early beginnings of the 2nd generation of electric vehicles. With improved driving range, and further refinements. Such as the Bolt that will be built on the larger new redesigned Sonic body.

 

[WattsUp]

And virtually every single pickup truck.

Not to mention the "coupe" versions of many popular cars... Accord, Camry, etc..

 

[nousernogood]

Trucks really dont apply and all the cars listed are low volume sellers...
The two door versions of Civic/Camary/etc are low volume sellers too...

If you dont have the volume, sales price, or production run it is a money looser...
Ford sells two door Focus/Fiesta in other parts of the world but does not in the US...
Ford does not think it is worth their time or effort or the crash testing bills to sell a two door ICE Focus in the US...