2021 Chevy Bolt EV Review

Name: 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV Review
Brand: Chevrolet
Price: 14992 USD

Price Estimate: $17,900 - $17,990

Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback Exterior

+160

The Chevrolet Bolt is a solid electric vehicle, especially with its 259 miles of range. It solves many of the qualms that EV shoppers have traditionally held. A spacious interior and fun-to-drive dynamics are bonuses. Its biggest problem is the swath of affordable competitors that have followed hot on its heels from Hyundai, Kia and — of course — Tesla.

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Price & Payment

199 cars

$17,945 avg. price

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Appraise My Chevrolet Bolt EV

Chevrolet Bolt EV model years

2017

Chevrolet Bolt EV for Sale

2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV Review

by the Edmunds Experts

What's new

DC fast charger is now standard on Premier trim
Part of the first Bolt generation introduced for 2017

2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV Insights

Trim:

Bolt EV LT

Estimated Range Based on Age

edmunds TESTED

257 miles^{The range for a used 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV is estimated to be 257 miles because electric cars typically experience 1-2% of range loss per year, with slightly faster degradation over the first 50,000 miles as the car settles into its long term state, according to Recurrent's study of 15,000 EVs.}

EV batteries lose 1-2% of range per year. Est. range for this car is 257 miles.^{Electric cars typically experience 1-2% of range loss per year with slightly faster degradation over the first 50,000 miles as the car settles into its long term state, according to Recurrent's study of 15,000 EVs.}

Estimated range map^{This map is a visual representation of the possible one-way and round-trips by this vehicle (on a full charge) from the geometric center of Rutland, North Dakota. The depicted ranges are based on the estimated new vehicle range value provided by the EPA, rounded down to miles for one-way and miles for round-trip. Actual range will vary depending on the condition of this vehicle’s battery pack, how you drive, driving conditions and other factors.Map display generated using: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors | Leaflet} from

Charging

SAE Combo^{Standard port for most electric models. Supports Level 1, Level 2, and DC Fast charging.}

Plug Type

10 hrs

240V Home Charging^{Estimated total charging time when using a 240V outlet. This is either a 3-prong or 4-prong outlet used for appliances, for example a clothes dryer.}

EV batteries should be kept at 30-80% charged to extend battery life.

When can I use NACS/Tesla charging stations?

EV Battery Warranty

8 yrs or 100,000 miles^{The federal government requires that EV batteries be warrantied for a minimum of eight years or 100,000 miles. The EV battery warranty includes replacement if your battery capacity drops below a certain percentage of the original capacity.}

According to GeoTab’s data, if the observed degradation rates are maintained, the vast majority of batteries will outlast the usable life of the vehicle.

Estimated battery warranty remaining is 4 years or 44,000 miles for this car.^{Warranty remaining value is based on the vehicle year, and on driving 14,000 miles per year. Confirm exact warranty coverage for each vehicle with the dealers and the manufacturer before purchasing.}

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

$4,500

Available Rebates. Restrictions apply.

Restrictions:
Under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offers taxpayers a Used Clean Vehicle Tax Credit equal to 30% of the sale price up to a maximum credit of $4,000 for the purchase of a used plug-in electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. Beginning January 1, 2024, Clean Vehicle Tax Credits may be initiated and approved at the point of sale at participating dealerships registered with the IRS. Dealers will be responsible for submitting Clean Vehicle Tax Credit information to the IRS. Buyers are advised to obtain a copy of an IRS "time of sale" report, confirming it was submitted successfully by the dealer. Not every version of the vehicle models will necessarily qualify. Please check with the dealer/seller to determine the eligibility of your specific vehicle.

For the vehicle to qualify:
- Price cannot exceed $25,000.
- Need to verify the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
- Must be at least two model years older than the current calendar year in which the vehicle was purchased.
- Must be sold through a dealership, private sales not permitted.
- Not have already been transferred after August 16, 2022, to a qualified buyer.
For individuals to qualify:
- Must meet income eligibility, depending on modified adjusted gross income (AGI) and tax filing status.
- Must not be the first owner of the qualifying vehicle.
- Has not been allowed a credit under this section for any sale during the 3-year period ending on the date of the sale of such vehicle.
- Purchased for personal use, not a business, corporation or for resale.
To learn more, visit https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/used-clean-vehicle-credit
Restrictions:
Otter Tail Power Co offers EV owners a rebate of up to $500 towards the installation and cost of a Level 2 charging station.

To qualify for this rebate, the customer and/or charging station must meet the following requirements:
- Receive electricity from Otter Tail Power Co.
- Have purchased or leased an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle.
To learn more, visit https://www.otpco.com/ways-to-save/programs/electric-vehicle-rate/

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Cost to Drive

$61/mo

Bolt EV

$160/mo

Car Avg.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

Am I Ready for an EV?

EV ownership works best if you can charge (240V) at home or at work ^{This typically means a 240V home installation, but you could also have a similar setup at your office or other places your car is already parked for several hours each day. Don't expect a regular household outlet (120V) to suffice unless you've got a plug-in hybrid, in which case overnight charging at home is feasible.}
If you can’t charge at home, charging at a charging station could take at least 10x longer than at a gas station ^{With public charging infrastructure still in its infancy, the user experience can be maddeningly inconsistent. Tesla owners tend to rave about the reliability and speed of the company's proprietary Supercharger stations, but rival DC fast options have thus far been plagued by technical issues and overcrowding. It's an evolving landscape and our best advice is to do your research on the available options for the EV you want to buy.}
Adding a 240V home charging system could cost up to $1,600 or more ^{If your existing electrical service can handle the additional demands of EV charging, you may be able to add Level 2 charging at home for less than a grand, including installation. But your costs will multiply if you need to upgrade your electrical panel or add a dedicated circuit.}

Learn more about EV charging

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Chevrolet Bolt EV Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.3

67 reviews

5(69%)

4(13%)

3(3%)

2(6%)

1(9%)

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Awesome car

Tina Leuer, 06/01/2020

2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)

I just bought a 2020 Bolt Premier and am loving it! I am 5 foot 8 and hubby is 6 foot 2 inches and we both have plenty of head room and leg room. The visibility is great. Owning numerous Corvettes in the past, we can’t stand cars with no zip. This car is very fast! The back seats lay down flat, and because the hatchback door opens up really high, you don’t hit your head when loading …

Love This Car

Allen B., 03/01/2020

2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)

I couldn't be more impressed overall with this car. I've had it for 2000 miles, and have grown to prefer it to the Tesla 3 that my wife drives. Yeah, it lacks premium interior feel and self-driving tech, but it's somehow a bit more fun to drive. Not plush seating, but not uncomfortable either -- I don't have any issue with seats, and I've done days where I use up the 200+ miles. Frankly, …

Bolt delivers

PK from Vancouver, BC, 04/25/2020

2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)

If shopping for EV don’t miss at least trying the Bolt out. It is a much bigger car inside than out and does the job and more! Drives well. Interior is not luxurious but roomy. Excellent visibility. Easy to park. Superior turning radius. Range delivers as advertised and further. I routinely get 450km on single charge with city driving. No problems so far 👍

fast and efficient

David, 09/03/2020

2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV LT 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)

Have put 3000 miles on. First electric car. Seats are comfortable (I am 6 ft and 190 pounds. Good driver position and visibility. Have 240 volt charging station in garage. Car handles very well and accelerates very quickly. Two lane and interstate the car rides very well. The large 10 inch screen works very well with Android Auto. Prefer that to a built in video GPS as Google maps …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV, so we've included reviews for other years of the Bolt EV since its last redesign.

See all 67 reviews of the Chevrolet Bolt EV

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2021 Bolt EV Highlights

Trim:

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$36,500
EV Tax Credits & Rebates	$4,500 Based on income
Engine Type	Electric
EPA Electric Range	259 miles
Cost to Drive	$61/month
Total Charging Time (240V)	10.0 hours
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	16.9 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles
EV Battery Warranty	8 years / 100,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the Bolt EV models:

Forward Collision Alert: Scans the road ahead and warns of potential rear-end collisions in case the driver hasn't already identified the risks.
Automatic Emergency Braking: Works with forward collision warning to help you avoid or reduce the severity of a front-end collision. Works at speeds under 50 mph.
Lane Keep Assist w/Lane Departure Warning: Warns the driver that the car may be drifting from its lane and can apply corrective action to nudge it back into line.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall4 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat4 / 5
Rollover
Rollover5 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover9.7%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Acceptable
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2021 Chevy Bolt EV Review

Price & Payment

2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV Review

What's new

2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV Insights

Estimated Range Based on Age

Charging

EV Battery Warranty

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

Cost to Drive

Am I Ready for an EV?

Chevrolet Bolt EV Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Trending topics

Awesome car

Love This Car

Bolt delivers

fast and efficient

2021 Bolt EV Highlights

Safety

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