Marques Brownlee on... the Chevrolet Bolt EUV

In the US, the standard Chevrolet Bolt hatch has been the benchmark for affordable electric cars since it was first launched in late 2016. It’s not glamorous, or sporty, or luxurious, but prices start at $26,500, and you can’t argue with that.  

But fans of small US electric hatchbacks may have noticed that this isn’t actually the Bolt EV. The taller stance and black plastic cladding give this away as the Bolt EUV – a crossovered creation that arrived when the hatch was facelifted in 2021. That acronym stands for ‘Electric Utility Vehicle’ and means this is slightly longer and larger than the EV. In the USA, it goes up against stuff as varied as the Nissan Leaf and Volkswagen ID.4, but the Nissan has dramatically less range and the ID.4 costs a fair bit more. This is hands down the best value electric car out there. 

GOOD - nailed it

For a small and affordable EV, the EUV nails the fundamentals. There’s a single motor that drives the front wheels with 197bhp and 266lb ft of torque, which is plenty, and the 65kWh battery means Chevy claims 247 miles on a single charge. Think sub-200 real world.

BAD - splitting bars

I know style is secondary to practicality and affordability here, but I’m not a fan of the split headlights. Works on a Rolls-Royce Spectre, not so much here. 

GOOD - kit list

Prices start at $28k for LT trim and that gets you a 10.2-inch infotainment screen, an 8.0-inch driver display, wireless phone pairing (and charging) and a rear camera. Everything you need, really.

BAD - axle to grind

It's a shame that Chevrolet hasn’t included an all-wheel drive option. That would have made this the perfect little winter EV for colder states. 

GOOD - nice ‘n’ easy

The Bolt’s comfortable in its own skin, it’s not trying to be too sporty or premium, it knows it’s a budget option and has a quiet, relaxed driving character as a result. 

BAD - soft power

One thing that could do with an improvement is the charging speed. The EUV can only fast charge at speeds of up to 55kW, which isn’t ideal for roadtrips or frequent users of public charging stations.

CONSUMER TECH COMPARISON...

The first Airpods from Apple weren’t really standout in any way, but they were cheap enough and set the benchmark for years to come.

Verdict

The Bolt is the best value EV in the US right now. Maybe anywhere in the world. Given it offers similar tech to $50k+ rivals for a fraction of the price, it’s a massively underrated package. 

THE DRIVE: 4/10

THE TECH: 6/10

THE WANT: 5/10