Back in 2023, Chevrolet announced it was pulling the plug on the Bolt. Despite overcoming early battery recalls to post record sales figures, GM retired the hatchback to retool its factory for electric trucks and sunset its aging battery platform. Now it’s back, but for only the 2027 model year, Chevy says. That’s sad because this is a really good EV.
At a Glance
- The Bolt never should have left
- Competitive in a competitive entry-level EV market
- Lots of upgrades with this new generation
- Good power management and plug availability
Across the internet, there were loud refrains as customers wondered why General Motors would discontinue a vehicle it spent so much effort making right. Through recalls, improvements, changes in battery design, and more, Chevrolet managed to make the Bolt into something that people actually liked and wanted to buy. But just as sales peaked, the Bolt was sent packing. Consumers across the web wondered why. Loudly.
So GM has brought it back. For one year. The 2027 Bolt entered the marketplace in the first quarter of 2026 and is intended to run through to sometime in mid-2027. It’s clear that GM is running a test balloon to see if a new iteration of the car is ready for prime time. With low consumer demand for electric vehicles (EV) in the US in general and an increasingly competitive market as automakers try to vie for fewer and fewer EV dollars, the Bolt faces a competitive market.
The similarly priced and market-aimed Nissan Leaf, the Toyota bZ (and it’s Subaru twin the Solterra), and the budget twins in the Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia Niro EV are tough competition. Chevrolet introduced the Equinox EV to fill the budget void, and while it has enjoyed solid sales success, it occupies a larger footprint. Budget-conscious buyers still craved a true, sub-US$30,000 subcompact.
So far, sales haven’t been explosive for the new Bolt, but they’re growing steadily alongside the Equinox EV. Comparatively, the Equinox is a larger, more upscale-feeling vehicle with better total range, but the Bolt is about $6,000 cheaper with a surprisingly spacious interior. It’s clear where budget buyers are looking.
The new Bolt is a thoroughly modern small crossover built on GM's latest EV architecture, shared with the Equinox EV and the Blazer EV. It's still relatively inexpensive (about $29,000 after destination fees), still practical, and still aimed squarely at people who think a car should be more about transportation and less a lifestyle statement. GM is learning that people find this refreshing in a market where every EV launch seems to involve phrases like "premium experience" and "immersive digital ecosystem."
This upgraded Bolt looks less like the cheerful jellybean it was when I originally drove it, and more like a scaled-down version of its crossover siblings. The styling is cleaner, more confident, and thankfully avoids the origami-inspired bodywork that seems mandatory in today's EV design studios. It's compact enough for city parking but tall enough to satisfy America's ongoing belief that every vehicle should at least look capable of getting to Moab the hard way.
Inside, Chevrolet cleaned things up considerably. The cabin feels more mature, with better materials than the outgoing Bolt and an intuitive layout that doesn't require a black belt to adjust the climate controls. There's an 11.3-inch infotainment display paired with an 11-inch digital gauge cluster.
At 16.2 cubic feet (459 L), the Bolt’s cargo space is just about right, and rear-seat space is genuinely usable by adults, which is unusual for this size class. Visibility remains one of the Bolt's best traits. You don't realize how much you've missed large windows until you drive something that still has them.
Power comes from a single front-mounted electric motor making 210 horsepower (154.5 kW). That's only a slight bump over the previous model, so don't expect neck-snapping acceleration. Chevrolet also reduced peak torque compared to the old Bolt, relying on revised gearing to maintain decent performance. The result is smooth, predictable acceleration rather than EV-induced whiplash. Don’t take this to mean it’s slow, unless you’re comparing it with other, more powerful EVs like the Mach-E GT or Model 3. Think seven-second 0–60-mph (0–97-km/h) runs instead of four.
Like its predecessor, the 2027 Bolt feels light on its feet. Steering is quick, body motions are well controlled, and the compact footprint makes it feel eager in urban traffic. It's not pretending to be a hot hatch, but it never feels like an appliance either. The suspension leans toward comfort, but isn’t floaty. Rough pavement reminds you that affordable cars are a thing, though.
One of the biggest improvements for the new Bolt comes every time you plug it in. This new architecture uses a native NACS (Tesla) connector, giving owners direct access to Tesla's Supercharger network. It also supports up to 150-kW DC fast charging, allowing roughly a 10-to-80% recharge in about 25 to 30 minutes under ideal conditions. Like with most EVs making these promises, the real world adds another 25% or so to that time.
Range lands around 255 to 262 miles (410–422 km) per charge, depending on trim and testing methodology. In the real world, I managed over 200 miles (322 km) with plenty of battery left to find a charging station. This range comes courtesy of a 65-kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery. LFP chemistry sacrifices a little energy density but gains durability and lower cost, which is exactly the sort of practical engineering decision that fits the Bolt's mission.
For most owners, charging will become a weekly errand rather than a daily ritual if home charging isn’t possible. At 50% battery, I plugged the Bolt into a 120-volt outlet just for giggles and it would have required 13 hours or so to fill. At 240-V/50-A, it took about a quarter of that.
Chevrolet includes its Super Cruise semi-automated driving system as an option for the Bolt, making this one of the least expensive vehicles offering genuinely competent hands-free highway driving. That's a significant selling point. Less impressive is GM's continued insistence on eliminating Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in favor of its Google Built-In ecosystem. The system isn’t terrible and one gets used to it, but if you routinely swap drivers for any reason, it will get to be a sore point.
The affordable EV segment is finally becoming interesting. The original Bolt succeeded because GM understood something many automakers forgot: affordable electrified transportation doesn't have to be boring or futuristic.
The 2027 version remembers that lesson. It's practical without being dull, efficient without feeling like homework, and technologically advanced without trying to convince you it's replacing your smartphone.
Sure, I'd like the regenerative braking paddle back. And I'd never complain if Chevrolet squeezed another 40 or 50 miles (64 or 80 km) of range out of the battery. But those are relatively small complaints.
For buyers who simply want an affordable EV that drives well, charges quickly, fits into normal life, and doesn't require six figures of disposable income, the 2027 Chevrolet Bolt hits a sweet spot few competitors manage.
Product Page: 2027 Chevrolet Bolt
