2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV

The Bolt EV is no head-turner, and how you see this vehicle plays with your sense of proportion. From some distance away, the form can look somewhat more stockier and van-like or more like that of a utility vehicle, but up close it fits the form of a taller, albeit graceful hot hatch—just stepped up all around a few inches in height. There’s nothing overtly rugged about the design, but the “floating” roofline helps make the profile visually tuck downward at the rear. 

Cabin design ends up as the weak point in the Bolt EV’s design. With a pastiche of plastic surfaces and a dash and center-stack layout that can feel almost van-like, with the big 10.2-inch touchscreen front and center, it mixes economy-car efficiency with what smacks of overambition—and could simply use some cleaning-up.

The Bolt EV has front-wheel drive and does not have an all-wheel drive option.

How fast is the Chevy Bolt EV?

Don’t expect the Bolt EV to give anything up by being all-electric. Quite the contrary, it delivers more acceleration punch—especially at city speeds—than most gasoline hatchbacks you might compare it against. Generally speaking, it holds the road well, too, and rides like a bigger vehicle.

The front electric motor makes 200 hp and delivers up to 266 lb-ft of torque, giving this hatchback shockingly quick and strong acceleration and responsiveness, up to about 50 mph, and a 0-60 mph time of less than seven seconds. 

A normal mode provides a reasonable amount of coasting, and allows the vehicle to “creep” ahead when you lift your foot off the brake pedal, while a second mode, closer to the “one-pedal driving” that Tesla owners prefer, nixes the idle creep that mimics gas vehicles and brings more regenerative braking when you lift off the brake pedal.

The Bolt EV maneuvers well, with a generous on-center steering zone that keeps the Chevy tracking down highways with minimal fuss. The big, flat 66-kilowatt-hour battery pack is low in the floor, which helps in handling and stability. Handling on curvy roads doesn’t feel quite as sharp——in part because it’s so heavy for its size (nearly 3,600 pounds).

A long driving range of 259 miles is an important part of the Bolt EV’s performance credentials; we’ve found over several longer-distance drives that this is a number that the Bolt EV can at least approach in a wide range of conditions.

Although the space is there, it’s comfort and support that are missing. Front seats are upright and thinly padded, with short thigh cushions, and despite minor improvements to these seats in recent model years, they’re still a reason the Bolt EV might get left at home on a weekend trip, even if it does have the driving range. 

There’s 16.9 cubic feet of cargo room—more than some large sedans—in the cargo area. Tumble the second row out of the way and the cargo capacity expands to 56.6 cubic feet. Why do you need an SUV again?

While all the spaces are mapped out to their best, it’s the fine details that could be better. The Bolt EV’s interior speaks to a more modest price tag than it has. Multiple drab tones of plastic and hard surfaces within reach add up to a car that doesn’t feel like it should add up to more than $40,000.

It’s not quite in the top tier, though. Headlights are rated just “Acceptable” by the IIHS, with an overall rating of “Good,” but that includes an “Acceptable” rating for the passenger-side small overlap test. In federal NCAP testing the Bolt EV earns five stars overall, but its front crash tests only manage four stars. 

Automatic emergency braking is included in all the Bolt EV’s rivals, but getting it here involves some careful option-package checking. The Driver Confidence I package is available on LT and Premier trims and adds blind-spot monitors and rear parking sensors. The Driver Confidence II package adds active lane control, automatic high beams, and forward-collision warnings with automatic emergency braking that rates as “Superior” by the IIHS.

Premier versions add as standard features leather upholstery, a camera-based rearview mirror and an HD surround-view camera system, heated front and rear seats, blind-spot monitors, and rear parking sensors. Options include wireless smartphone charging, Bose premium audio, and active-safety upgrades.

Which Bolt EV should I buy?

The base LT. But it’s hamstrung in the value department because Chevy makes features that are standard on rival models optional here. With the Driver Confidence II Package, to add automatic emergency braking and other safety features, plus DC fast charging, the LT adds up to nearly $40,000. To compare, the base price of a Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus, with a 263-mile range, is $39,190 at the time of writing.

How much is a fully loaded 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV?

The loaded Premier model starts at about $42,000. Option it with an infotainment package (wireless charging and Bose premium audio) and the Driver Confidence II package (active safety items and active headlamps), and it adds up to about $43,000.

If optioned with DC fast-charging, the Bolt EV can recover 100 miles of range in 30 minutes (at an official 50 kw, or up to 55 kw in some conditions)—good enough to tackle occasional weekend road trips without feeling like you’ve spent all day charging.