How US$30,000 2016 Chevrolet helps GM innovate to avoid Tesla and Nissan

“The message from consumers about the Bolt EV concept was clear and unequivocal: Build it. We are moving quickly because of its potential to completely shake up the status quo for electric vehicles.”

GM North America President Alan Batey commenting on their decision announced on Wednesday February 11th 2015 to make the 2016 Chevrolet Bolt

Looks like GM, makers of the popular All-Electric Vehicle, the 2016 Chevy Volt, have decided to invest in yet another model, as the market is set to boom over the next five (5) years.  

They’ve also decided to breathe life into their concept All-Electric Vehicle, the 2016 Chevy Bolt for production in late 2015 or early 2016 as noted in the article “Chevy hustles its Bolt electric into production to feed the need for green”, published February 12, 2015 By Ronan Glon, Digitaltrends.

GM made the announcement in a Press Release entitled “Chevrolet Commits to Bolt EV Production Game-changing, long-range EV to be built at Orion Assembly facility in Michigan”, published 2015-02-12, Chevrolet.

The Chevrolet Bolt EV was introduced January 2015 during the North American International Auto Show in Detroit along with the much anticipated revamp of the 2016 Chevrolet Volt as noted in the article “GM unveils 2016 Chevrolet Volt, Chevrolet Bolt EV concept at Detroit auto show”, published  January 12, 2015 at 8:20 AM, by David Muller, Mlive.

The video below give you an idea of the potential of the Chevrolet Bolt EV and why everyone found it so exciting.

Still, the Chevrolet Bolt EV was merely a concept car that wasn't expected to go into production, a mere dream for the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Now, based on yesterday’s announcement, we can expect this All-Electric Vehicle sometime in 2016 the latest.

Oh, and it’ll cost some US$30,000, which is price competitive with the Tesla’s Model 3 that’s coming out later in 2016 as noted in the article “GM confirms it will build Bolt electric car”, published February 12, 2015, by Alica Priddle, USA Today.

2016 Chevrolet Bolt - Commitment to innovate or Tesla and Nissan will beat them

They're basically committed a good sum of money on retooling their  Orion Assembly, some 30 miles north of Detroit as noted in the article “It’s official: GM’s 200-mile, $30K electric Bolt car will be produced”, published Feb. 12, 2015 - 9:18 AM PST, by Katie Fehrenbacher, Gigaom:

1.      US$160 million for tooling and equipment

2.      US$40 million for new dies

3.      US$200 million in total to produce the Chevy Bolt

This announcement changes that, as this advanced concept car is now being brought to life as Chevrolet fends off competition from Tesla Motors as noted in the article “Chevy to produce the $30,000 Tesla-fighting Bolt EV”, published February 12, 2015 7:39 AM PST by Tim Stevens, CNET News.

What's got everybody excited is the range, which is expected to be 200 miles. It'll also capitalize on the popularity of the already popular Chevy Volt, which had made its debut back in 2010 alongside the Nissan Leaf as noted in my Geezam blog article entitled “The American Race towards Alternative Energy”.

More details are sure to emerge as to how Chevrolet manages to achieve such an incredible range with just batteries and Range Extender Technology. Then again, what many may really be concerned about is what Nissan may have in store as predicted in my blog article entitled “Nissan, NASA and Self-Driving Nissan Leaf by 2020 - Little Progress made with Humans trusting Self-driving All-Electric Vehicles”.

I await technical details on the 2016 Chevy Bolt…… and the Hydrogen PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) based Nissan Leaf as well as Tesla’s Model 3! Even more interesting, All-Electric Vehicles may be coming to Jamaica soon….details of which I’ll explain in another article!