2023 Chevrolet Bolt EUV Premier - Review by Bruce Hotchkiss

Bruce Hotchkiss

By Bruce Hotchkiss
Special Correspondent, West Coast Bureau
THE AUTO CHANNEL

Back at the end of September 2022, I posted a review on two 2022 Bolts, an EV and an EUV. The biggest news for 2023, and I reported on this in September, is a reduction in price. The 2023 Bolt EUV Premier starts at $32,695 - $6,300 lower than the 2022 version. That's a decent savings.

There is an estimated range of 247 miles on a full charge.

I like the Bolt, either size, (the EUV is 6.3" longer than the EV) it's the right size for me and should make a decent commuter.

My time with the 2023 Bolt was during a spate of foul weather here in Northern California. I did not head out to some dismal mall parking lot to recharge it just to sit and listen to the rain. And that's the big downside to an EV, any EV. If you don't have a home charging station your life revolves around public charging stations. Why aren't these charging stations at Starbuck's, or a library, or somewhere practical?

I read somewhere that there are about 160,000 charging stations in the USA. I wonder how many actually work? Seems like the ones I used in the past had more than a few dead chargers.

So, I am still not completely sold on EVs. Too many hurdles to reach fast, easy, and inexpensive charging. I don't know about your area, but out here electric prices are soaring. And the grid sucks. Not to mention battery life (I tend to keep my smart phone for as long as I can and I can attest that battery life is an issue), fires, and how to dispose of dead batteries.

I'm not saying internal combustion vehicles are totally problem free, obviously, they are not, but they work relatively well, are cleaner than they've ever been, and they last just about forever now. I wish my smartphone was as reliable as my '95 Chevrolet Lumina.

Editor's Note: OOPS Bolt Production Ended.