America's cheapest EV is making a comeback with a new Chevrolet Bolt – as Mercedes cuts its electric car prices

• Chevrolet has teased the next generation of its popular Bolt EV model
• The vehicle isn’t expected to arrive until 2027
• Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche are struggling with sales

Chevrolet has taken to social media to release a number of teaser images that give some hints of what the North American public can expect of its redesigned Bolt.

The much-loved Bolt was among the first mass-produced electric vehicles to take off in the States, with early models praised for their impressive electric range, ease of use, masses of practicality and comparatively low sticker price. As a used proposition, they also represent phenomenal value for money.

That said, the Bolt could only ever manage to charge at a maximum speed of 54kW, which made longer journeys difficult. Chevy seems to have addressed this in the upcoming, 2027 version, which will be among the first General Motors vehicles to sport a NACS charging port as standard.

The teaser images also reveal a sportier front fascia, redesigned taillights (a topic that bothered former owners) and a striking new alloy wheel design, with the brand stating that more details will be revealed this fall.

Back in late 2016, the original Bolt could be picked up for just under $27,000 before federal and state electric vehicle incentives, which made it one of the cheapest ways to get behind the wheel on a new EV in the USA. It is predicted that General Motors will attempt to keep prices of the new model similarly low.

Analysis: The US needs more affordable EVs

The news comes at a time when several other big name automakers have publicly stated that sales have been slow in North America.

Mercedes-Benz, for example, has reportedly started slashing prices of its EVs to boost customer demand and will even pause deliveries of some of its EQ range to prevent dealer inventory from piling up.

Porsche has also scaled back its financial forecasts due to its exposure to President Trump’s raft of recent trade tariffs, seeing as the company exclusively manufactures its cars in Germany and ships them overseas.


The upcoming Chevrolet Bolt comes at a time when the US market desperately needs more affordable EV options, seeing as Tesla could underwhelm with its much-rumored cut-price model and the cheaper Chinese competition is yet to gain a foothold in the region.

Nissan's Leaf remains among the cheapest, but that is also due an imminent refresh, while Hyundai's small Kona Electric has also proven popular thanks to its approachable price tag.

However, many of the closest rivals still cost around $40,000, which for many buyers, is still too much.

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