Chevy's refreshed Bolt EV is delayed until 2021
The pandemic has claimed another (temporary) electric car victim.
So much for driving an updated Chevy Bolt EV in 2020. The company's Megan Soule told Electrek in a statement that it has pushed back the updated Bolt EV's release to 2021 due to the "current business situation" (read: the COVID-19 pandemic). The Bolt EUV crossover "remains on schedule" for the same year, Soule said. The updated version of the standard Bolt is expected to have a sportier design, more comfortable seats, a wider range of front cameras for adaptive cruise control and a better infotainment system, among other changes.
The automaker has shut down regular manufacturing across North America to prevent coronavirus infections, and doesn't expect to resume production until it can "safely" get back to business. While the tweaked Bolt EV wasn't due to arrive until later in 2020, a shutdown for several weeks or more could disrupt operations and create a knock-on effect for releases like this.
Not that GM is alone. Tesla recently had to stop work at its Fremont plant due to California's shelter-in-place order, while Lucid Motors is delaying the unveiling of its Air EV. Like it or not, the future of transportation (along with other fields) is being put on hold until it's safe for factory workers and engineers alike.
