The new Bolt EUV is basically the crossover version of Chevrolet’s popular EV. In fact, EUV stands for Electric Utility Vehicle. The Bolt EUV has a roomier cabin, more upscale materials, added features and tech. and a decent 247-mile range. The Bolt EUV is about six inches longer than the Bolt EV, including three more inches of legroom in the second row.
Base Price: $37,500
As Tested: $43,585
Horsepower: 200
Mileage: 125 MPGe city/104 MPGe highway/115 MPGe combined
The five-passenger Bolt EUV is brand new for the 2022 model year. It starts at $33,995 for the base LT trim, which makes it the cheapest electric SUV available in the U.S. It’s also available in Premier and Launch Edition trims, starting at $38,495 and $43,495. Front-wheel drive is standard; all-wheel drive isn’t available.
The new Bolt EUV is the first Chevy to offer GM’s Super Cruise, a semi-autonomous driver assistance system for enabled roads.
The Bolt EUV is powered by a 65-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and electric motor that generate 200 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque with a single-speed transmission. Acceleration is swift—not as quick as a Tesla or the Mustang Mach-E, but the Bolt EUV can hustle from zero to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds, and there’s also plenty oomph for merging and passing at freeway speeds. The ride is mostly smooth, although you will notice larger bumps, and the Bolt EUV feels sure-footed when cornering. It’s tight turning radius and small size makes it easy to maneuver in busy city traffic and fit in small parking spaces. Visibility is pretty good all the way around. All in all, the Bolt EUV is a fun ride whether you’re darting around town or cruising on the highway.
You can enable One Pedal Driving mode, which lets you slow down and/or stop by simply taking your foot off the accelerator. Or you can use pull Regen on Demand paddle on the back of the steering wheel to control the amount of regenerative braking.
The range is 247 miles on a full charge. You can easily get more by having a relaxed driving style (no jackrabbit starts and stops) and by limiting or avoiding using heat or air conditioning.
EPA ratings are 125 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent) city, 104 MPGe highway and 115 MPGe combined.
The Bolt EUV takes about seven hours to charge on a Level 2 or 240-volt outlet, or about 4 miles per hour using a regular 120-volt household plug or Level 1 charger. If you have access to Level 3 or DC Fast Charging, it takes only about 30 minutes to get 95 miles of driving range. The Bolt EUV comes with a dual-level charge cord that has 120-volt and 240-volt capabilities.
The cabin is attractive and has a nicer fit and finish than previous Bolt EV models. Materials look nice for the most part, although here are some hard plastics. But there are also plenty of soft-touch surfaces with appealing textures and trim. A large 10.2-inch touchscreen dominates the center stack. Adults enjoy good leg- and headroom up front, and average-size adults will fit fine in the second row, although taller folks will wish for more headroom.
Standard features include keyless entry, push-button start, rearview camera, automatic climate control, cloth upholstery, eight-inch digital gauge cluster, infotainment system with 10.2-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, HD Radio, wireless device charging, and automatic high-beam headlights.
Available features include a surround-view camera system, rearview mirror with integrated camera mode, leather upholstery, power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, Bose audio system, navigation, and a panoramic sunroof.
Standard driver assistance technologies include forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keep assist and pedestrian detection.
Available driver assistance technologies include blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, Super Cruise (GM’s semi-autonomous drive mode with automated steering, acceleration, and braking on certain highways), rear parking sensors and rear cross traffic alert.
The infotainment system looks great with its 10.2-inch touchscreen. Menus are logically arranged, graphics are sharp, and the system responds quickly to touch and voice commands. Physical controls for common functions such as audio and climate make it easy to make quick adjustments.
The Bolt EUV has a good amount of cargo space considering this is a small vehicle. There are 16.3 cubic feet behind the second row and 56.9 cubes with the second row folded.
The good:
Quick acceleration
Peppy handling
Good 247-mile range
Spacious, upscale cabin
Lots of standard and available features and tech
Standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
Excellent value for the money
The not-so-good:
Not available with all-wheel drive
Pricing info:
My tester starts at $37,500. The Sun and Sound package is $2,495 and includes a Bose seven-speaker audio system, power dual-panel panoramic sunroof with power sunshade, and Chevrolet Infotainment 3 Plus with navigation. The Super Cruise Package is $2,200 and includes Super Cruise semi-autonomous driver assistance system and enhanced automatic emergency braking. Bright Blue Metallic paint is $395. Destination charge is $995 bringing the grand total to $43,585.
Bottom line:
The 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV boasts peppy handling, a good range of 247 miles, a roomy and upscale cabin, and a user-friendly infotainment system. And all of that comes at a great price. It’s basically a bigger and better version of the Bolt and it should be on your list if you’re shopping for an electric vehicle.
