What is the Difference Between Chevy Bolt and Volt?

Chevrolet vehicles are commonly associated with being gas guzzlers; however, with the Volt, Chevy made its debut in the world of electric cars. This is a move that has since evolved to include the company’s high-powered Bolt. But how are the two vehicles different?

The Chevy Volt, released in 2010, could travel 30 to 50 miles on a single charge. Meanwhile, the 2022 Chevy Bolt can traverse over 200 miles without needing to be plugged in. While mileage varies, the primary difference is the Volt’s gas-electric combination engine.

In the last few years, the electric car market has grown significantly. Vehicle manufacturers are no longer constrained to small sedans that are only capable of traveling a few miles before they need to be charged again. Learn more about Chevy’s evolution from the Volt to Bolt below!

Chevy Volt

While the Volt is not the first electric car sold by the parent company General Motors, it was the first electric vehicle to hit the road adorned with the Chevy bowtie. Chevy released its electric vision at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show. The company expressed high hopes for the vehicle and hoped to alter its reputation of making gas-guzzling vehicles.

What makes the Chevy Volt unique is its revolutionary combination of a gas and electric engine. The lithium battery could carry the vehicle 38 miles on a single charge.

When the battery gets exhausted, a combustion engine activates to complete the vehicle’s trip. This hybrid model assured customers that they would not end up stranded without a way to charge their car.

The newest Chevy Volts had an extended battery life of 50 miles per charge. The gas-powered engine can achieve 42 miles per gallon (an impressive amount for any vehicle). This meant that vehicle was economical even when it wasn’t in electric mode.

Another benefit of the Chevy Volt was its universal charging system. With many electric cars sold today, you need a specific type of charging port installed or have to find one located nearby. You can plug the Chevy Volt in at home, at work, or anywhere electricity is available.

This front-wheel-drive vehicle was favored by many as a daily commuter. Though Chevy released the Volt concept in 2007, consumer purchases began in 2010.

While Chevy hoped that the Volt would take off, it lost money on every Volt sold. However, the company used the Volt to enter the world of electric cars and make significant strides in developing their newer vehicle models.

A mechanic at Kolar Tire and Auto in Montana gave us his take on hybrid vehicles, “Hybrids can be nice, with higher mpg than a normal gas or diesel vehicle. I think they’re worth the money.”

Unfortunately, the compact design of the Chevy Volt is no longer the type of vehicle consumers are looking to drive. Consumers no longer want sole electric efficiency.

They want the capabilities of a larger vehicle as well. Because of Chevy Volt’s smaller size, it no longer met the market demands. Production of the Chevy Volt lasted for nine years.

If you are looking for a small, affordable electric vehicle, the Chevy Volt is an excellent choice. While it may not have the same capabilities as a fully electric Tesla, it is still much more effective than a solely gas-powered vehicle.

Chevy Bolt

When you think of an electric car, chances are you think of Tesla, not Chevrolet. But maybe you should. The Chevy Bolt hit the production line in 2016. How did the Bolt differ from its older sibling? Well for starters, the Bolt no longer featured a gas-powered engine.

While later models of the Volt could only last for 50 miles on a single charge, the earliest model of the Chevy Bolt can travel 119 miles on highways and city streets.

According to FuelEconomy.gov, the 2017 Chevy Bolt has a total range of 238 miles per charge. Talk about efficiency!

Today, Chevy sells two different Bolt models, the EV, and the EUV. We’ll discuss each of these models more in-depth in the following sections.

Bolt EV

The Bolt EV is the cheaper of the two models, starting at just $31,000. You no longer have to be a millionaire to own an electric car! On a full charge, the 2022 Chevy Bolt EV has a 259-mile range. The Bolt EV is stocked full of Chevy’s latest driving technology.

The dashboard features an 8-inch graphic display notifying drivers of their estimated remaining range. The Chevy Bolt EV also includes a one-pedal driving system.

Activate this setting, and you will be able to accelerate and decelerate with the same pedal. This feature helps reduce the amount of electricity used when braking.

Driving a car isn’t just about efficiency. It is also about enjoying the ride. Do not disregard the Bolt EV as a boring vehicle. Chevy boasts that this fully electric vehicle can reach 60 miles per hour in just 6.5 seconds, perhaps faster when in sports mode.

One of the complaints with fully electric cars was the accessibility to charging ports. To have a charging port installed in your home, you had to pay hand over fist. To make matters worse, if you ran out of power in a rural area without a charging port, you would be stranded.

Luckily, Chevy now pays for the installation of your home charging station. But what happens if you start to run out of charge when you’re on the road? Just use the My Chevy App to find a station nearby!

Bolt EUV

The Chevy Bolt EUV is the company’s take on a fully electric SUV. Because the vehicle is larger than the EV, it has a maximum range of 247 miles per charge, which is still an impressive distance.

While the Bolt EUV travels fewer miles, it is $2,000 more expensive than the Bolt EV.

Another difference from the EV is that Bolt EUV includes hands-free driving technology on more than 200,000 miles in the United States and Canada.

The Chevy Bolt EUV also includes lane detection systems for increased safety while driving. Overall, the Bolt EUV is the ultimate electric utility vehicle.