General Motors Unveils 200-Mile Charge Chevrolet Bolt EV

Screen Shot 2016-01-06 at 4.11.05 PMThe way people get around is changing, and General Motors thinks they have the answer in their new Bolt EV, a new 200-mile charge electric vehicle expected to be on the market next year. 

GM CEO Mary Barra announced the Bolt EV during her keynote address at the CES International 2016 while taking liberal, but veiled digs at other electric carmakers during her introduction.

“Societal trends are changing the way people interact with personal transportation,” Barra said after coming on stage, noting that the next five years in the automotive industry will see more change than the past 50 years.

Barra compared the place for electric vehicles to that of smartphones, saying that just 12 years after Blackberry first entered the arena more than 1.2 billion smartphones were sold around the world.

“Imagine that in an automobile at an affordable price,” she said as the 2017 Bolt EV was driven on the stage.

The car, which Barra says comes with a 200-mile charge and will supposedly cost $30,000 after government incentives, will afford individuals the ability to upgrade with mobility and the transportation solutions they demand.

“We believe strongly in the dealer model,” Barra said in her first direct dig at luxury EV maker Tesla. “Unlike others, our EV customers will never have to travel to another state for services. We understand the importance of giving people the conveniences they love.”

In addition to a longer charge life, the Bolt EVs will have a DC fast-charging system that can charge to 80% of capacity in just an hour.

It also comes equipped with a rear camera with wide views that streams to the rearview mirror, and a navigation system that can estimate EV-optimized routes, meaning you’ll see the most efficient path to your destination, not just the fast way to get there.

Barra says the Bolt will be the first vehicle with both Apple’s CarPlay and Android Auto.

“It’s more than a car, it’s a platform that enhances and personalized the driving experience,” Barra said.

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