Chevrolet is preparing a facelift for the all-electric Bolt. The Bolt shares its technical base with the Opel Ampera-e, but it doesn’t seem like the side-by-side session will have consequences for that EV.
Not to be confused with the near-eponymous plug-in hybrid Volt of yesteryear, the electric Chevrolet Bolt was presented in 2016 as General Motors’ answer to cars like the Nissan Leaf. Unlike the Volt mentioned, the Bolt did not come to Europe, but we would also receive something from the car in the Netherlands. Later in 2016, Opel, which was still operating under the General Motors banner at the time, introduced the Ampera-e to the world. That Bolt-with-Opel sauce, in turn not to be confused with Volt clone Ampera, also appeared on the Dutch price lists. Chevrolet shows the first images of the facelifted Bolt.
Chevrolet already shows the side view of the renewed Bolt. It looks like the compact EV will have a new front in which much flatter LED headlights are mounted. Chevrolet is also making changes to the rear. The rear lights that we see seem to miss the thin spur that dives into the side of the carriage. The rear light units also seem to be connected to each other.
Chevrolet Volt Interior
In the interior we see a revised center console, complete with a new infotainment system and renewed ventilation grilles. Chevrolet also indicates that it uses higher quality materials. Chevrolet may launch the model’s already announced crossover brother at the same time as the updated Volt. It is not clear whether Chevrolet is also making technical changes. The current model received a 66 kWh instead of 60 kWh battery pack last year, good for a range of 416 kilometers according to the US EPA measurement cycle. Opel is now sailing its course under the French Groupe PSA, so this renewed Volt will most likely have no consequences for the Opel Ampera-e. About 3,500 Ampera-e’s have been sold in the Netherlands. This year, the car is even experiencing its peak year, 1,377 copies already went to the Opel counter. In 2019 and 2018, the sales counter did not exceed 900 pieces.