At the same time that American GM announces the end of Bolt EUV production for the end of this year, the Brazilian subsidiary announces the arrival of a batch of just 200 cars to follow up on its electrification plan.
The 203 hp and 36.7 m·kgf electric motor transfers power to the front wheels through a single-pair speed reducer, and can reach 100 km/h, starting from immobility, in just 7.7 seconds, but its maximum speed is limited to 150 km/h.
The battery is positioned on the floor of the vehicle, giving greater rigidity to the bodywork, so the battery is structural, consequently improving drivability. Its 66 kW·h of storage capacity allows for 456 km of range measured in the WLTP cycle. According to the new Inmetro standard, which deflates the range provided by the battery by 30%, this is 377 km.
For charging, the Bolt platform already shows signs of ageing, as in direct current (DC), for fast charging, the system accepts a maximum charge rate of 50 kW, which represents about an hour to reach 80% of the charge. full charge. In alternating current (AC) the maximum is 7.4 kW, also below the most modern electric cars that reach 22 kW. This limitation of the Bolt will be overcome with the introduction of GM’s new battery technology, Ultium, which will be in new 2024 vehicles.
Driving the new Bolt EUV it is possible to notice the good integration between the propulsion system and the suspension of the vehicle. The tread is complete and does not present noises that could disturb. All road imperfection filtering is in charge of McPherson front suspension and torsion axle rear. On both axles, the springs are helical, the shock absorbers are pressurized and the front comes with an anti-roll bar.
The transfer of power to the front wheels takes place progressively and at the slightest indication of loss of trajectory, the driver assistance systems come into action, reducing power to the wheels and keeping the vehicle on the ideal trajectory.
The steering has electric assistance and has a good connection with the wheels, in addition to presenting calibration with good center definition. On urban journeys, steering effort is adequate for parking maneuvers, a virtue for a car that weighs 1,669 kg in running order and can carry up to 462 liters in the trunk.
The use of the butterfly behind the steering wheel on the left side is one of the best innovations that GM presents in its electric cars and that I hope to continue in the next generations. When pulled, it increases the intensity of regeneration, with the same effect as engine braking on combustion engines, but with the exclusive advantage of generating electricity to recharge the battery. If well used, it can eliminate the need to apply the service brake, which has discs on all four wheels, which are ventilated at the front. The modulation between the regenerative brake and the service brake is very well calibrated, making it difficult to perceive the switch from one to the other.
On the outside look, the Bolt EUV features a modern design with a raised roof that ends with a deflector at the rear, an essential element to improve the vehicle’s aerodynamics, thus contributing to its energy efficiency. The hood has a good slope following the well-angled windshield. Again, they are devices to reduce the resistance of the air passage.
The interior of the Bolt EUV has a similar instrument panel to its predecessor and the driver assistance and safety features are equivalent, bringing adaptive cruise control, adjustable speed limiter, lane keeping assistant, mirror blind spot assistant exterior lights, forward collision alert with pedestrian detection and autonomous emergency braking, and parking assistant with 360-degree vision.
On the technology side, the vehicle is equipped with a state-of-the-art multimedia center with resident 4G Wi-Fi, OnStar concierge system, both with a tasting period for future subscriptions and the Bose premium sound system with subwoofer providing excellent acoustic response and stage effect to the occupants.
If the Bolt EV was already a fun-to-drive hot hatch , the new compact electric utility vehicle incorporates the same fun-to-drive characteristics of its older brother with the advantage of being the type of bodywork that has most pleased the public in recent years. Space and comfort are offered in abundance in the car that could be a classic of the future, given the low import volume that it will end up having in 2023.