Consumer Reports already ranks Chevrolet Bolt EV owners as some of the most-satisfied car owners on the road today.
Well, General Motors might have added to that feeling Wednesday, unveiling the 2017 Chevy Bolt EV at the Westgate Hotel as part of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2016. The pure-battery, electric car touts a bolstered 200 mile range and the ability to charge to 80 percent in one hour flat — all with the expected retail price of "around $30,000," according to GM CEO and chair Mary Barra.
The Bolt EV is "more than a car, it's a platform," Barra said onstage and there was plenty to back up her claim, considering all the vehicle will be giving users in terms of connectivity and beyond.
The Bolt EV marks Chevy's first all-electric vehicle to offer Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, joining the automaker's 14 other models which currently do the same.
The car also touts what Barra called a "floating instrument panel," which drivers can enjoy on a beautiful 10.2-inch screen, larger than an iPad Air.
Owners of the connected vehicle will be encouraged to download its accompanying MyChevrolet app, which puts everything from the car's charging status to mapping, and the owner's manual at users' fingertips. In addition, owners can use the app to also remote start the Bolt EV and pre-set the temperature within the cabin, whether it's cooling it down with the AC or heating it up.
To make owning a Bolt EV an experience within a community, Chevy is even introducing a gaming feature, which will allow owners of the vehicle to compete over most economical miles per charge and the highest miles per gallon equivalent via its Top 100 game boards. Hey, why not?
The vehicle even comes standard with an innovative wide-angle, rear camera mirror, giving drivers a full wide-angle view of everything behind the car without any obstructions.
The 2017 Bolt EV will go into production later this year.
