Back in January at the Detroit Auto Show, General Motors unveiled the Chevrolet Bolt EV concept, an audacious and largely unexpected 200-mile electric car.
It quickly followed that up with confirmation of production plans, likely late next year.
GM plans to sell the Chevy Bolt EV in all 50 states, at a base price of $37,500–before any Federal, state, or local incentives.
DON’T MISS: GM Officially Confirms It Will Build Chevy Bolt Electric Car With 200-Mile Range
The public may get its first look at the production version of the Bolt EV at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January, according to The Verge.
GM executive vice president Mark Reuss confirmed plans to show the car at CES during a discussion at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show this week, the site says.
As consumers demand more sophisticated infotainment systems and smartphone connectivity, CES has become an important venue for carmakers.
Chevrolet Bolt EV electric car development prototypes in testing, Jan-Jun 2015 [from GM video]
It’s become routine for them to hold press conferences at the annual Las Vegas trade show, unveiling new technology features and even entire concept cars.
GM CEO Mary Barra will be the keynote speaker at CES this year.
Given that the Bolt EV is expected to start production at the end of 2016, a debut earlier in the year does make sense.
ALSO SEE: Chevy Bolt EV Prototype Electric Cars Now Testing In Public
Photos of camouflaged prototypes indicate that the production Bolt EV will retain at least the general outlines of the concept’s hatchback shape.
There may be more substantial changes involved on the inside, to make the somewhat fanciful concept-car interior production feasible.
To meet its fairly aggressive production timeline, GM partnered with battery supplier LG Chem to supply a large number of components.
Chevrolet Bolt EV concept, 2015 Detroit Auto ShowIn addition to the lithium-ion battery cells and battery pack, LG Chem will supply the electric-drive motor, onboard charger, instrument cluster, infotainment system, and many other components.
LG Chem has supplied battery cells for the Chevy Volt and Spark EV, so it already has a working relationship with GM.
MORE: 2017 Chevy Bolt EV Development: GM, LG Chem Reveal Deep Partnership
But contracting out so much of the electric powertrain on what is expected to be a volume model is fairly unusual.
All of those LG Chem components will be fitted to a GM-developed platform, although the company is tight lipped about where it will come from.
Reports suggest the Bolt EV could share underpinnings with the next Chevy Sonic, which will share GM’s Orion Assembly Plant with the electric car.
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