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GM Shows Off 2017 Chevy Bolt EV With 200-Mile Range

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

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LAS VEGAS—GM took to the CES stage today to unveil the 2017 Chevy Bolt EV.

CES 2016 Bug ArtSlated to go into production this year at GM's Orion, Michigan plant, the Bolt EV will offer 200 miles on a charge and cost around $30,000 after government incentives, GM CEO Mary Barra said during a keynote speech here. Thanks to a DC fast-charging system, the Bolt EV will get 80 percent juice in 60 minutes or a full charge overnight.

"The Bolt EV is truly the first EV that cracks the code of long range and affordable price," Barra said, adding that the 200-mile range is "well beyond the daily needs of most people."

The battery is incorporated into the car's chassis and mounted beneath the passenger cabin for a completely flat floor. It can hold up to 5 passengers, and has 17 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat.

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV

The car's navigation system offers what Barra called "EV-specific routing," which shows routes that maximize range or include a charging station. There's also a range predictor, which takes topography, temperature, and your driving habits into account to let you know if you'll make it to your destination without any issues, or if you'll need to hit up a charging station.

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV

The Bolt EV also features a "wide-angle rear camera mirror" that shows everything behind the car, without the back seats blocking your view. Other features include a floating instrument panel with a 10.2-inch touch screen, support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and a new smartphone app that shows the car's battery level, owner's manual, and lets you pre-set the cabin temperature.

One other cool feature GM is working on for the Bolt EV: Gamification, which will let people "compete for eco bragging rights," Barra said.

A Bolt EV concept car was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in January 2015, and in October, GM teamed up with LG on Bolt EV development. LG will share its expertise in infotainment, battery systems, and component development while GM focuses on electric motor design, battery control, system validation, and vehicle body/system integration. As part of the deal, LG has invested over $250 million in an engineering and manufacturing facility in Korea, which will support component development and manufacturing for Bolt EV parts.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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