Chevy Bolt: Why the EV Can Appeal to Any Consumer

The 2017 Chevy Bolt will soon be hitting dealership lots. The Bolt will appeal to a variety of different drivers. It’s stylish, safe, and roomy, and there are plenty of entertaining technological features. Could you really ask for anything else? Furthermore, the vehicle is a sign that Chevy is dedicated to producing the most innovative cars yet.

“The Bolt EV truly embodies the ingenuity that is at the core of everything we do at Chevrolet,” said Alan Batey, president of General Motors North America and head of Global Chevrolet. “The technologies and the engineering expertise behind the Bolt EV are tremendous examples of the kind of innovation we intend to offer our customers, across an array of products at a tremendous value – something only Chevrolet can deliver.”

With an EPA-estimated 238 miles of range, the 2017 Chevy Bolt will be an amazing, stylish, and practical daily driver.

To see why the upcoming Chevy Bolt can appeal to a variety of different drivers, continue reading below. When you’re finished reading, you’ll be itching to get down to your Chevrolet dealers in Kentucky…

Stand-Out Features

The 2017 Bolt has many distinguishing features that make it a great choice for an EV. These include:

• Large windows for panoramic visibility
• LED headlamps and taillamps
• 6 cubic feet of flexible cargo volume
• 60/40 split-folding rear seats
• A hidden storage compartment
• 2-inch-diagonal color touchscreen display with “flip-board” operation

It’s Stylish

The 2017 Bolt is the first “ground-up, long-range electric vehicle,” meaning the engineers had plenty of flexibility when designing the car. The result was surprisingly stylish, as the vehicle includes distinctive cut lines and noticeable proportions.

The exterior of the 2017 Bolt includes large windows for panoramic visibility, a progressive profile, and LED headlamps and taillamps.

“We were given a blank canvas – a rare opportunity with a unique platform to recast EV design for customers across the spectrum,” said Stuart Norris, managing director of Design. “The team answered the challenge with a progressive design distinguished by dramatic graphics and exceptional passenger space.”

The vehicle can easily fit five occupants, and they’ll also remain comfortable considering the spacious interior measurements. Due to the lack of a battery, front passengers are provided with even more legroom, and they’ll also notice the ease of entering and exiting the vehicle. The multi-purpose front console provides the driver and front passenger with sliding armrests, a sizable storage bin, and a wireless charging station.

Of course, the engineers weren’t only focused on making a stylish vehicle during the production process. Their vehicle was also designed to provide an optimal driving experience. For example, the “expressive proportions” play a role in the vehicle’s “solid, robust stance.” Meanwhile, the “enclosed, flat underbody” streamlines airflow and improves the vehicle’s aerodynamics. Engineers were able to include this latter feature due to the electric vehicle’s lack of a battery, which means the area typically reserved for air combustion is empty.

“The flat-pack orientation offered the flexibility to make the most of the proportions while creating a clean, sculpted design,” said Norris. “This really opened up the interior and created a fantastic view from every seating position. All of this additional space gave us a lot of opportunities to play with creative design and storage solutions.”

The vehicle was also designed to provide drivers with plenty of cargo room. The fold-flat seats will provide the driver with 56.6 cubic feet of flexible cargo volume, and the 60/40 split-folding rear seats mean you can customize this area to store any cumbersome or oddly shaped item. You’ll also find a hidden storage compartment underneath this rear space, providing you with an extra bit of room to stow away some of your more valuable cargo.

It was Chevy’s goal to produce a vehicle that was both stylish and practical. The inclusion of these design choices wasn’t intended only for aesthetic purposes, but they were instead chosen because they impact the vehicle’s drivability.

There’s Plenty of Technology

Electric vehicles are rather innovative, so it’s no surprise that the 2017 Bolt contains some of the most advanced technological features ever included in a Chevy model. It starts with the interactive 10.2-inch diagonal tablet that serves a variety of purposes. The touchscreen can provide the driver with plenty of information and settings, such as:

• The car’s battery levels
• The range estimation
• Any charging settings
• Your vehicle’s interior climate control settings
• Apple CarPlay

You’ll be able to make calls, listen to your music, and even access your calendar. If you want to browse YouTube and play a song, you can easily access the video via the available 4G LTE Wi-Fi.

Other unique technological features include a rear camera mirror, which provides the driver with a wide-angle view of everything happening behind their car. The Surround Vision technology also gives the driver a “bird’s-eye view” of the area surrounding the Bolt. Eventually, the vehicle is expected to include Gamification technology, which will allow Bolt owners to compare their driving styles to determine who drives most efficiently.

“The Bolt EV is capable of using the latest mobile app technology to enable car sharing, advanced GPS routing and gamification, all designed to enhance the ownership experience now and into the future,” said General Motors Chairman and CEO Mary Barra.

Of course, regarding technology, we also have to mention the car’s electric capabilities. The vehicle offers more than 200 miles of range per charge, and customers can also opt to have a 240-volt charging station installed at their house. The vehicle completely fills its charge in nine hours.

And Of Course, It’s Safe

Engineers wanted to keep the Bolt’s driver and passengers safe, so they included a number of “ingenious radar- and camera-based systems” to help further protect the vehicle’s occupants. Preventative technologies include the Forward Pedestrian Alert and Forward Collision Alert (which will anticipate a potential collision and adjust accordingly), the Side Blind Zone Alert (which will let the driver know of any driver who may have snuck up beside them), and the Rear Cross Traffic Alert. These systems are supplemented with the previously-mentioned Rear Camera Mirror and Surround Vision technology.

The vehicle is made of an advanced high-strength steel that will absorb the brunt of any impact. Furthermore, the 10 air bags will provide all of the car’s occupants with just one more way to stay protected. Finally, the Bolt features OnStar’s Automatic Crash Response. In the case of an emergency, personnel will be sent to your vehicle as soon as possible (with assistance from your car’s GPS).

 

The 2017 Bolt offers enough features to make any driver happy. Those looking to impress fellow drivers will appreciate the stylish, eye-catching design. Those with large families will appreciate the abundance of cargo room, and your passengers will enjoy all of the technological features. Of course, everyone can appreciate the various safety features and capabilities. Regardless, it’s clear that the upcoming Chevy Bolt will be a vehicle that can appeal to any driver.

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