2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV 2LT

The 2022 Chevrolet Bolt fully-electric compact hatchback is $5,500 cheaper than the previous year’s model. This redesigned Bolt has a more mature appearance, leaving the “toy car looks” behind. The EV has a bigger cousin, the Bolt EUV, in the compact utility vehicle segment.

The narrow LED signature lights go quite nicely with the wide-eyed look. The actual LED headlamps have been placed lower to a space once occupied by the fog lights. This arrangement makes for a more sleek appearance, without losing any night time illumination.

The two light clusters are connected by a single strip of gloss black trim that flows towards the back, parting the roof and the hood from the side panels and allowing more attention to be drawn toward the grille.

In the rear the old narrow lighting, now a simple oval design, blends well with the rear gloss black trim. The bumper is a reflective thin bar above a larger area of black plastic that makes the rear end appear raised.

Inside, the new center console connects to the dash board in a more natural and integrated flow, in contrast to the previous configuration that had a floating design.

There is a vertical bank of P R N D buttons replacing the traditional shifter. Cup holders are more accessible thanks to moving the shifter in front of the cup holders. Holders are still too small for larger drinks though.

Bolt provides a one-pedal driving mode, where easing off the accelerator pedal slows down the car through the regen mechanism, and stopping the vehicle when the pedal is fully lifted.

I did not like the handling of the vehicle. The “Regen on Demand” paddle allows the driver to instantly decelerate and eventually stop after creeping forward a bit. Using one-pedal driving mode gives you more definitive control over the deceleration, but this will likely take some time to get used to.

There were numerous standard safety and assist tech features to better protect those inside and around the vehicle. Automatic Emergency Braking, Front Pedestrian Braking, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, and Forward Collision Alert are some examples.

The 2022 Bolt has a better interior from last year with more quality materials and a reshaped center console. The 10.8-inch screen houses the Chevrolet Infotainment 3 Plus software. It is easy to navigate and supports Wireless Apple CarPlay and Wireless Android Auto. I never could figure how to use the multiple driver concept, even my tech savvy grandson couldn’t figure it out.

Bolt excels with 259 miles per charge according to EPA’s estimate, which is the same as last year’s. Fortunately the new Bolt EV further reduces the range concern with this year’s upgrade to 11.5-kW high-voltage charging module. It supports Level 2 charging at home, and DC fast charging at public locations. Check your home to make sure you can support the extra current, and install a 48-amp wall charging unit to tap full advantage.

I had to use my own t 240V outlet, which took over seven hours.

The 2022 Bolt EV has not been evaluated by the NHTSA safety tests yet.

The MSRP starts at $32,495 for the 1LT model, and the feature-added 2LT commands a price of $35,695.

Chevrolet ensures a peace of mind by offering 5-year/60,000-mile roadside assistance and 8-year/100,000-mile battery warranty.

Durhl Caussey writes a car column read around the world. He may be reached at this paper or [email protected].