For 2020, Chevrolet boosted the range of the Bolt EV to 259 miles—from 238 miles in 2019 and earlier models.
According to the company, small tweaks in the chemistry of its battery cells accommodated the new range, though it says the capacity remains the same at 60 kilowatt-hours.
When the Bolt first hit the market in 2017, it was the first affordable long-range electric car. Now the market includes the segment’s range leader, the Hyundai Kona Electric, at 258 miles, and the Kia Niro EV with 239 miles, and soon, the Kia Soul EV with 243 miles. Tesla launched more affordable versions of the Model 3 competing with the Bolt that have 240 miles or range, and earlier this year Nissan launched the longer-range Leaf Plus with up to 226 miles of range.
Changes otherwise are limited to a few new features. The 2020 Bolt will also add a surround view camera in place of a standard backup camera, and a rear-view camera mirror on Premier models. For 2020, the Bolt also comes with a tire-fill alert system which emits a chime outside the car when a tire being filled reaches the recommended pressure.
It will again include Chevrolet’s Energy Assist feature, a smartphone-based app to help drivers map routes with multiple charging stops; it can be displayed on the car’s center screen through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Bolt buyers can also pick three new colors for 2020: Green Mist Metallic, Slate Gray Metallic, and Shock, a fluorescent lime green.
The MSRP remains the same at $37,495.
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