Chevrolet recently pushed out a press release announcing that the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV will offer a range of 259 miles, making it the highest-ranged non-Tesla electric vehicle on the market.
The new 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV has increased its range by about 8.8% (21 miles/34 km) compared to the previous model years of the electric car which had a range of 238 miles. This increase in range was the result of an increase in battery capacity from 60 kWh to 66 kWh.
Thankfully, the increase in capacity was done exclusively by making small changes to the cell chemistry itself that improved the overall energy of the cell electrodes. This means that the new Chevy Bolt can continue to use the same physical battery pack despite the greater range.
Tim Grewe, director of Global Battery Cell Engineering and Strategy, had the following to say within the press release:
“The Bolt EV set the benchmark for long-range, affordable electric vehicles, and we’re excited to raise the bar by offering nearly 10 percent more EPA-estimated range for the 2020 model year. At Chevrolet we’re constantly listening to customer feedback and we heard the desire for more range. The team worked diligently to find ways to improve battery energy, giving customers the confidence to go more than the extra mile.”
The 2020 Bolt will be available sometime “later this year” with the starting price of $37,495 (including destination and freight charges, excludes tax, title, license, dealer fees). In addition to the improved range, the new Bolt will be available with two new exterior colors: Cayenne Orange Metallic (additional cost option) and Oasis Blue.
With the increase in range, the new Chevrolet Bolt just barely edges out the Hyundai Kona Electric to hold the top spot in terms of highest range of non-Tesla vehicles.
- Tesla Model X Performance: 305 miles
- 2020 Chevrolet Bolt: 259 miles
- Hyundai Kona Electric: 258 miles
- Kia Soul EV: 243 miles
- Tesla Model 3 SR+: 240 miles
- Kia Niro EV: 239 miles
- Jaguar I-Pace: 234 miles
- Nissan LEAF e+: 226 miles
This title will probably end up going to the upcoming Porsche Taycan when it releases with a range of around 300 miles. But it will end up being at least twice the price of the Bolt, so I don’t believe most buyers will mind the slightly less range.
As can be seen by the list above, there is a high concentration of cars in the 230-260 mile range bracket. While Tesla still has a comfortable lead in terms of range, I wonder when we will see a breakout from this range bracket and sky rocket to the 300s.
What do you guys think of the new Chevrolet Bolt range? Does the increase in range make it a more enticing package? Let us know down in the comments below.
Source: Chevrolet