The 2022 Chevy Bolt EUV Is the Electric SUV Underdog
The 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV isn’t getting as much attention as other exciting electric SUVs like the Ford Mustang Mach-E or Kia EV6. The Bolt EUV is the underdog. It has to fight an uphill battle to gain the attention of consumers.
The 2022 Chevy Bolt EUV has a controversial sibling
The Bolt EUV was built after Chevy’s Bolt hatchback. The nameplate exists as a Bolt Spin-off designed to compete in the SUV vehicle segment. The Chevy Bolt was once well-received, but it fell from grace a few years after its debut.
The electric vehicle debuted in 2016 as a 2017 model year. Critics loved Chevy’s electric hatchback at first. Today, the Bolt lives in infamy, at least momentarily.
The trouble started around 2020 when Bolt drivers began to report dangerous battery overheating cases. Some Bolt models caught fire and ended up destroying property. Imagine charging your electric vehicle overnight in your garage and waking up to a house filled with thick black smoke.
General Motors knew it had a big problem on its hands and had to take decisive action. GM recalled all Bolt models that were ever produced after battery fire reports became more frequent. Since the Bolt EUV is so closely related to the problematic Bolt, some consumers naturally are apprehensive about the electric SUV.
Is the 2022 Chevy Bolt EUV safe?
Practicality is important to EVs, but the Chevy Bolt battery fire debacle raised new concerns about electric vehicles. Consumers now have a legitimate reason to believe that EVs can be unsafe. Consumer Reports gave the 2022 Chevy Bolt EUV a 2/5 predicted reliability score. That score isn’t very reassuring. The organization gave it a 4/5 predicted owner satisfaction rating, which could redeem the electric SUV in the eyes of many consumers.
The Bolt EUV got perfect CR scores for noise, transmission, fuel economy, and greenhouse gas. Consumer Reports ranks the Bolt EUV as the fifth-best electric vehicle. Not too shabby at all.
The electric SUV comes with standard safety features like automatic emergency braking and forward-collision warning. Assuming that General Motors has addressed its huge EV battery issue (and it should have), the Bolt EUV has all the makings of a decent electric SUV model. It’s certainly the underdog in its segment, and it isn’t getting nearly as much attention as some of its competitors.
Will the Chevrolet Bolt EUV sink or swim?
It’s hard to deny that the electric future is coming. U.S. President Joe Biden expressed that he would like 50% of all vehicles produced in America to be EVs by 2030. Automakers are aiming for a more conservative 40% of total vehicle production. This means that the electric SUV is poised to become one of the most competitive vehicle segments in the country.
Some electric SUVs will rise to the occasion, and nameplates will become ubiquitous. Others will be tossed to the wayside in favor of more practical, exciting models. Is the Chevrolet Bolt EUV destined for greatness, or will it be at the bottom of the barrel as new electric SUVs emerge?
