2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV: Affordable Advanced Tech

Chevrolet Bolt EUV: An Affordable Leap into Advanced Technology

The 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV presents itself with an appearance reminiscent of the standard Bolt, yet a significant amount of cutting-edge technology resides beneath its practical exterior.

This technology is offered at an accessible price point, making advanced features available to a wider audience.

Through the introduction of the Bolt EUV, and its comprehensive array of advanced driver assistance systems, General Motors is democratizing both electric vehicle technology and sophisticated driver-support features.

GM's Electric Vehicle Expansion

The launch of the Bolt EUV, alongside an updated Bolt model, is a key component of GM’s ambitious plan to release 30 new electric vehicles over the next four years.

Opportunities were provided to evaluate pre-production versions of the Bolt EUV, specifically focusing on its integration with GM’s Super Cruise system.

Distinguishing the Bolt and Bolt EUV

Despite sharing foundational elements, the Bolt and Bolt EUV represent distinct vehicles.

The EUV is characterized by its extended length and increased overall size compared to the standard Bolt.

Furthermore, the EUV incorporates additional features, most notably Super Cruise.

Super Cruise: Hands-Free Driving Capability

Super Cruise is an advanced driver assistance system enabling hands-free operation on designated highways.

This feature is offered as a $2,200 option on the Bolt EUV.

Notably, Super Cruise is not a feature available on the 2022 Bolt model.

This distinction positions the Bolt EUV as the vehicle of choice for drivers seeking a more automated driving experience within the Chevrolet lineup.

Chevrolet Bolt EUV: An Overview

The Bolt EUV utilizes a 65-kWh battery pack comprised of 288 cells, delivering a power output of 200 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque, as stated by Chevrolet. A full charge is estimated to provide a driving range of approximately 250 miles. Utilizing DC fast charging capabilities, the vehicle can regain up to 95 miles of range within a 30-minute charging session.

When connected to a standard 240V household power supply, a complete charge to 100% capacity is anticipated to take around 7 to 8 hours. This aligns with Chevrolet’s expectation that the majority of owners will primarily charge their crossover at home. To facilitate this, Chevrolet has partnered with Qmerit, a home charging installation service, to offer complimentary charger installation for purchasers or lessees of new Bolt or EUV models. Considering installation costs can reach $2,000, this represents a significant benefit.

Platform and Technology

The Bolt EUV does not incorporate the advanced Ultium battery technology and architecture featured in upcoming GM electric vehicles like the Hummer EV and Cadillac Lyriq. Instead, it is constructed upon the BEV2 platform, which also underpins the 2021 Bolt. Notably, the Bolt EUV offers Super Cruise as an optional upgrade.

Introduced in 2017, Super Cruise was initially exclusive to Cadillac vehicles, debuting on the 2018 CT6 and subsequently expanding to the 2021 CT5. The Bolt EUV marks the first instance of this system being available in a production vehicle outside of GM’s luxury brands, even as a paid addition.

Pricing and Incentives

The starting price for the Bolt EUV is $33,995, representing a $2,500 reduction compared to the current 2021 Bolt model available at dealerships. The 2022 Chevy Bolt is also priced around $4,500 lower than the 2021 version. Chevrolet’s stated objective is to “increase the accessibility of EVs for all consumers.” This pricing strategy also appears aimed at ensuring the new vehicles qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit, which was previously unavailable to GM after exceeding the 200,000 EV sales threshold in the U.S.

The Launch Edition, featuring Super Cruise, an illuminated charging port, and unique badging, was priced at $43,495. Reservations for the Launch Edition are currently fully booked. However, reservations for the LT or Premier trims of the 2022 Bolt EUV remain open. Super Cruise is offered as a $2,200 option exclusively on the Premier trim, which begins at $38,495. It’s important to remember that these figures do not include any applicable state or local tax incentives or rebates for electric vehicle purchases.

Competitive Landscape

For comparison, the Tesla Model Y Long Range, currently the most affordable Model Y configuration following the discontinuation of the base option, has a starting price of $41,990 before incentives. Tesla’s “Full-Self Driving” capability – which is, in reality, an advanced driver-assistance system – adds an additional $10,000 to the cost.

Key Features:

Battery Capacity: 65 kWh
Horsepower: 200 hp
Torque: 266 lb-ft
Estimated Range: 250 miles
Optional Feature: Super Cruise

User Experience with Super Cruise

The Super Cruise system, despite its advancements, demonstrates a conservative approach to its deployment. This technology permits drivers to operate vehicles without hands-on control across a network exceeding 200,000 miles of pre-mapped divided highways nationwide.

Jeremy Short, the vehicle chief engineer overseeing the engineering, development, validation, testing, and manufacturing of the Bolt EUV, articulated the ultimate goal: “Achieving zero congestion and crashes would justify the pursuit of full autonomy.” He further noted the rapid evolution of autonomous driving technology, questioning whether the current capabilities were foreseeable just five years prior.

However, Super Cruise is not without its limitations, and General Motors is continuously refining the system, even within models like the Bolt EUV. Initial testing of a Bolt EUV prototype during peak Los Angeles traffic revealed some inconsistencies. The system exhibited a tendency to oscillate within lane boundaries, and at speeds below 30 mph, it occasionally lost track of lane markings on heavily trafficked routes such as the 405, leading to lane drifting and disengagement.

2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV. Image Credits: GM

Subsequent testing, encompassing a 50-mile loop from Carson, showed improvement in the system’s performance. Nevertheless, both Short and the test driver observed that Super Cruise still encountered difficulties when traffic slowed to under 10 mph. While the EUV responded appropriately to decelerating vehicles, it would subsequently drift across lanes as traffic resumed, triggering disengagement alerts.

Short acknowledged the observed “ping-ponging” at lower speeds, humorously suggesting further engineering drives were needed to refine the system’s navigation in that specific area. He also pointed out that road conditions, particularly California’s textured concrete surfaces which can be misinterpreted as lane markings by the AI, and vehicle speed can influence Super Cruise’s operation. “The more data available, the greater the accuracy of the vehicle,” he explained.

The Super Cruise system undergoes continuous learning and updates, even in established vehicles like the CT5 and CT6. Each new vehicle integration necessitates updates and adjustments to sensors, software, and processing capabilities due to variations in weight, speed potential, dimensions, steering, braking, sensor placement, and available features. For instance, the 2022 Cadillac Escalade offers a Super Cruise version with automatic lane changing, a feature not available on the 2022 Bolt EUV due to differing sensor configurations.

“Each vehicle implementing Super Cruise possesses a unique configuration, requiring tailored processing and functionality,” Short clarified. “The Super Cruise development for the Bolt EUV occurred concurrently with that of the Escalade, yet their distinct steering and braking systems resulted in differing system implementations.”

Super Cruise is classified as a Level 2 autonomous system. Drivers must remain alert and attentive, but can relinquish control of the steering wheel and pedals on compatible roadways. Eye-tracking sensors integrated into the steering wheel monitor driver attention, even in low-light conditions or with sunglasses, ensuring focus on the road. The system provides limited tolerance for diverted attention; even brief glances away from the road at 65 mph, such as to adjust the 10.2-inch infotainment screen, trigger alerts.

Short illustrated the experience with a hypothetical long-distance drive: “On a trip from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, you would essentially function as a front passenger.” He noted that his own fatigue level during such a trip, utilizing Super Cruise, was comparable to that of his passenger – minimal.

Additional Features and Capabilities

A comprehensive week-long evaluation of the 2022 Bolt EUV wasn't possible during our initial testing phase. Nevertheless, sufficient time was available to assess several of the vehicle’s key functionalities.

Chevrolet’s latest infotainment and navigation suite is powered by the Infotainment 3 platform. The system incorporates voice control with natural language processing, enabling swift searches – such as locating nearby charging stations – with ease.

However, a limitation exists. While the system displays numerous charging locations, it doesn’t provide real-time status updates regarding availability, operational condition, or affiliation with EvGo, GM’s charging partner.

Furthermore, drivers are restricted from browsing search results while utilizing Super Cruise, as the driver attention monitoring system detects diverted gaze from the roadway.

Locating EvGo chargers necessitates utilizing the myChevrolet App to pinpoint locations and subsequently transferring directions to the vehicle’s navigation system. Certain features are disabled during operation, and app navigation is restricted.

Further evaluation during extended testing will reveal more about this system’s performance. Currently, it doesn’t appear to offer the same level of integration as the Tesla charging experience.

The 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV fundamentally delivers a compelling combination of sophisticated driver assistance technology and an accessible price point within the electric vehicle segment. Following two separate, four-hour drives in EUV prototypes, it’s evident that this compact SUV possesses the necessary space, performance, and advanced features to compete effectively with models like the Tesla Model Y, Volvo XC40 Recharge, Ford Mach-E, and Volkswagen ID.4.