The 2027 Chevy Bolt is the McRib of the automotive world

Few things attract such religious attention. Even after being in power for years, true fans yearn to return home, their devotion amounts to religious fervor. Well, they are lucky. It’s back for a short time.

It’s not a McRib, but a 2027 Chevrolet Bolt.

Like the McDonald’s McRib, there are several theories that could explain the Bolt’s reappearance.

GM’s electric car segment has grown since the previous Bolt was introduced in 2016, helping to fund the new model, as McRib is taking advantage of. can be explained by low pork prices. It also doesn’t hurt that many Bolt owners, like McRib fansand rabid fans, including some within GM. The truth can probably be found somewhere in between.

After the company realized it had an 18-month production gap at its Fairfax, Kansas, management signed off on a small revival of EVs.

Unlike the McRib, the new Bolt doesn’t strictly follow the original recipe. But there is enough that is familiar in the new model to please its die-hard fans. TechCrunch got a closer look and test drive of the upcoming Chevy Bolt during a recent press tour, where GM provided tours and accommodations.

Something old, something new

GM started with the chassis and body panels from the Bolt EUV — a subtly inflated version of the old Bolt — and redesigned the front and rear. It changed the suspension from the other front chassis, but largely the same steel.

Some of the plastic inside has been refined, though there are enough hard surfaces to remind you that this is the cheapest EV sold in the US today. Prices start at $28,995 including destination charge, which is very good considering the current state of the car market. Don’t get too excited, because a loaded Bolt can cost more than $40,000, where the warm fuzzies start to fade.

What is missing? Many drivers will notice the lack of CarPlay and Android Auto, which are now missing from all new GM vehicles. The previous Bolt was one of GM’s only EVs with a touchscreen, and its failure may cause more controversy among current owners. To ease the pain, they’ve added Spotify and Apple Music apps. They help, but only a little – the native apps were less responsive to my input than their CarPlay counterparts.

There were also changes to the headlights and taillights; but the stars of the show are the battery, motor, and Super Cruise.

The new 65 kilowatt-hour battery is GM’s first to use lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP). Power from there flows through a new battery management system to an electric motor removed from the Chevy Equinox’s front-wheel drive.

Battery replacement is essential. For years, American car manufacturers have focused on the LFP. Chemistry removes important minerals such as cobalt and nickel, reducing cost. LFP batteries no longer suffer from degradation when repeatedly charged to 100%. Previous Bolt owners were encouraged to reduce their daily expenses by up to 80%, saving the last part for road trips. (That’s even before the battery fire recall that forced owners to do so for so long.)

The LFP cells also discharge more consistently, maintaining a full force close to 0% of the charge than before.

In the new Bolt, the car produces 200 horsepower and 169 pound-feet of torque. The latter is a bit lower from the previous model, but it sounds peppy enough around town.

Kris Keary, chief engineer for the EV’s propulsion system, told me that’s because the new car can rev faster and more efficiently, allowing the team to specify a shorter gear. At the wheels, torque is slightly higher, meaning Chevy expects the new Bolt to go from zero to 60 mph a touch faster than before.

The length is long

Between the new engine and more efficient electronics, the Chevy was able to get 15 more miles, Keary said. Even with a smaller battery, it can go longer, up to 262 miles in the lower-spec LT. (Top RS models have a range of 255 miles.)

The electronic system also alleviates a problem that previous owners had with the car: speed bumps. Although the previous Bolt produced decent figures for road use, its speed was not very encouraging at 50 kW. Adding 200 kilometers takes about an hour or more.

Now, charging from 10% to 90% should take 24 minutes, according to GM. A 400-volt pack can accept up to 150 kW, although one person in a car I briefly visited saw 157 kW on a Tesla Supercharger. (Yes, the Bolt now has the North American Charging Standard (NACS), though plug-and-charge on Tesla’s network is coming later this year.) I didn’t do much better, only seeing 115 kW in a nice 70˚ ​​F climate. My total charge time was 24 minutes from 24% to 80%. Not what Chevy was hoping for, but not bad.

Accelerated acceleration combined with Super Cruise means this little girl can be a great roadster or cruiser. The front and rear seats are spacious and comfortable, although there is zero toe room under the front seats. The trunk is reasonably large for a subcompact, but doesn’t fit more than a few carry-on bags.

Super Cruiser

As Chevy representatives constantly remind us, the Bolt is the most affordable sedan on the market today, although you may want to check the menu because it requires a special order – “LT + Comfort + Evotex + Tech + Super Cruise.” Cheap is a relative term these days, of course. It will still set you back $35,655.

To test the Super Cruise, I ran a short 14-mile run up and down the 101 in northwest Los Angeles. The Level 2 ADAS system handled mid-day traffic well, changing lanes when approaching a slow-moving vehicle. I didn’t have to look in the mirror to confirm, what BMW wanted, for example. But Super Cruise will rock the left or right glute to give you headaches. Oh, hey now! What is that! Oh, the lane change is coming.

As before, Super Cruise will only work on designated routes by GM, which include freeways and dual carriageways. If your route requires an exit or interchange, it will try to get you into the required lane before asking you to take it. On my car, it was interrupted several times by oncoming traffic in the right lane of the car, removing the shift. I thought it was very aggressive when trying to find a way through. (You can always shake it to change directions by hitting the turn symbol.)

This is where Chevy defends its decision to remove infotainment tools like CarPlay and Android Auto from its vehicles. The Bolt’s Android Automotive-based infotainment system is shared with other GM EVs. This means that the system can talk to the battery management, heating the battery before starting a quick charge, and Super Cruise, allowing the Bolt to do its magic of changing direction when it approaches your exit.

Super Cruise will still cost you. Because Chevy requires more options before you start driving hands-free, the feature adds more than 20% to the base price, requiring owners to shell out $35,655. Is it another $6,600, plus the cost of OnStar after the three-year trial? It depends on how you intend to use it. For long-distance travelers, the supplement can be a stress reliever that adds a few years to their life. Anyone? Maybe not.

I’d bet most Bolt buyers already know they’re going to buy a Bolt. They either have one parked in their garage or have a soft spot for smaller EVs.

Chevy is betting there are enough to sell in 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 lover.