News from the Frankfurt Motor Show from GM is that the highly anticipated, long-range and affordable Chevy Bolt will also be sold in Europe under the Opel brand. Surprisingly, though, the report is that there will be no right-hand drive model sold in the UK.
Considering that the UK has become one of the largest electric car markets in Europe (seeing a huge jump in 2015), it is quite surprising and disappointing to hear that the Bolt won’t live there. On the other hand, if GM is only planning on producing 30,000 Bolts a year, given the concept car’s impressive specs, it’s hard to imagine a lot of supply being left over for Europe.
On the bottom of the Autocar article that mentioned to “no Bolt for U…K” news, the writer included some interesting tidbits about the concept Bolt, some of which I don’t recall seeing (h/t to bro1999 on the GM-Volt forum):
The concept version of the Bolt EV has operating modes configured for different driving styles, such as daily commuting or weekend cruising. The modes adjust accelerator pedal mapping, vehicle ride height and suspension tuning. The Bolt EV concept is also designed to support DC fast charging – although there’s no word on how long charging takes.
The concept features a 10.0in touchscreen on the dashboard. It can be paired with a smartphone with the concept Bolt EV Connect app, which is designed to allow a smartphone to perform as the key fob, allow drivers to offer and accept ride sharing and park the car autonomously.
Perhaps more interesting than any of the above, though, is a statement from GM CEO Mary Barra that another electric vehicle will be launched in Europe as well (not based on the Bolt platform). Hmm… more info? Nope, not really — we don’t even know if she means fully electric or plug-in hybrid electric. Still, though, that’s good news… if not all that surprising given European regulations. Look at how many plug-ins BMW, Volkswagen, Audi (which is admittedly part of Volkswagen) and other European automakers are unveiling.
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