The Chevy Bolt Name Is Here To Stay

After GM pulled back the curtain on the Chevy Bolt, its 200-mile electric car concept, one of the first questions a suit asked me was “What do you think of the name?” I shrugged if I’m being honest. It’s better than the meaningless alpha-numeric nomenclature plaguing many luxury car brands, but it doesn’t have the same panache that “Mustang”, “Corvette”, or even “Volt” have. It feels a bit…silly. Since then, GM has confirmed it will build the Bolt, but waffled on whether or not it would stick with the name.

As it turns out, GM is sticking with the Chevy Bolt name, the automaker confirmed to The Detroit News. As far as new car names go, considering the limited options, it’s not all that bad.

“Since unveiling the Bolt EV three months ago, the name has quickly become associated with Chevrolet,” the company said in an emailed statement. “Therefore, we will use the name when the vehicle goes into production. The Bolt EV is a significant statement of Chevrolet’s commitment to electrification and the name suits this game-changing electric vehicle designed for attainability, not exclusivity.”

Choosing Bolt is an obvious attempt to link the new electric car with the semi-successful Volt plug-in hybrid. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though it makes me think GM is really trying to distance itself from its first foray into electric cars, the EV1. One name I thought would have gone well with the rest of the Chevy naming nomenclature would have been Current, though I think Chevy Amp has a nice ring to it too.

GM has made its decision after conferring with car dealers and focus groups, saying the association with the Volt resonates well with consumers. It’s really not an awful name, and if GM can deliver a 200-mile EV for $37,500 (before tax credits) in the next couple of years, I could care less what they call it.

Just let me buy it, or else I might have to turn to Ford or Tesla t oget my electric fix.