U.s. electric vehicle price war heats up! general motors revives chevrolet bolt starting at $29,000

China Financial News Agency, October 10 (Editor: Shi Zhengcheng)With the $7,500 electric vehicle purchase subsidy in the U.S. ending at the end of September, a fierce price war has immediately erupted.

On Tuesday, right after Tesla released the "less-equipped, lower-priced" versions of the Model 3/Y, General Motors held an event to unveil the all-new Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle, which is set to be launched early next year.The key selling point is the lowest pricing in the United States.。

The new car is expected to be launched in early 2026, with the RS Sport version starting at approximately $32,000 and the LT Comfort version priced at $29,990.The LT base model will debut with a starting price of $28,955.The pricing already includes approximately $1000 in shipping fees, so this is the total price that consumers need to pay.

Currently,The closest competitor to the Bolt's pricing is the 2026 Nissan Leaf, which starts at $29,990 in the U.S. (excluding a $1,495 destination charge).Nissan will also launch an entry-level Leaf, and the pricing of the Chevrolet Bolt will obviously be an important consideration. Meanwhile, Ford is reportedly developing its own $30,000 electric pickup truck.

After Tesla abandoned its goal of a "25,000-dollar electric car," a number of competitors are scrambling to take up the banner of cost-effectiveness.

As background, General Motors first launched the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt in 2016, which was well-received by American consumers. However, due to a large-scale recall event caused by battery issues, as well as updates in technology platforms and the situation of "high sales but thin profits," GM discontinued the model by the end of 2023. However, due to strong consumer demand, GM promised at that time to introduce a new version of the Bolt based on the next-generation "Ultium" battery platform.

The battery specifications are also the biggest improvement in the new Bolt model.

Previously, there were market rumors stating that,Unlike the previous generation which used LG battery cells, the new model's 65 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery cells are supplied by CATL.General Motors and LG's joint venture battery company Ultium Cells is currently upgrading its U.S. factories to produce lithium iron phosphate batteries.

The new Bolt currently supports a maximum charging power of 150 kW (compared to 55 kW for the previous generation).It takes just 26 minutes to charge from 10% to 80%.This model alsoSupport Tesla's NACS charging interfaceIt can connect to the Tesla Supercharger network to enhance the convenience of long-distance travel and also use the CCS charging network through an adapter.

In addition to fast charging speeds, this new car can also supply power in reverse at 9.6 kilowatts.

According to data from General Motors, this new battery can provide a range of 255 miles (approximately 410 kilometers). The company has not yet announced the 0-100 km/h acceleration time, but the new Bolt uses the same motor as the Chevrolet Equinox SUV, which can output 210 horsepower, so the 0-100 km/h time should also be in the 6-second range.

As an unexpected upgrade,The cheapest electric vehicle under General Motors can also be equipped with the Super Cruise driver assistance system.It will become the second model under General Motors equipped with the new "Route Follow" feature—currently, this feature is exclusive to the Cadillac Vistiq.

Various signs also indicate that General Motors seems to have other plans for the entry-level electric vehicle product line. In a statement, Scott Bell, Global Vice President of Chevrolet, referred to the new Bolt as a "limited-time return."

GM spokesman Chad Lyons, when asked about the meaning of this wording, simply responded that General Motors "cannot disclose future product plans," but Chevrolet will not "abandon affordability as a core value."