Making good on a hint made a year ago, Chevrolet delivered its first three Bolt EVs to retail customers in the San Francisco Bay Area on Tuesday.
The deliveries of the company’s first EV for national distribution come within days of the six-year anniversary of the Chevy Volt and the 20th anniversary of the GM EV1.
Last year and former EV1 sales person Chelsea Sexton noted on Facebook it would be great if the Bolt launch could be timed with the EV1’s anniversary, and in response GM North American President Mark Reuss coyly suggested the Bolt could arrive at this time.
But today’s announcement is about looking ahead, and Chevrolet noted the $37,495 EV is eligible for a $7,500 federal credit, state credits, and is “the brand’s promise to offer a long-range electric vehicle at an affordable price.”
“All of the hard work that the Chevrolet team have put into designing, engineering and building the Bolt EV brings us to this truly satisfying moment of making the first deliveries to customers on-time, as planned,” said Alan Batey, president of GM North America and Global Chevrolet brand chief. “Chevrolet is proud to offer a vehicle like the Bolt EV, with ground-breaking technology wrapped in a modern design that is also fun-to-drive at an affordable price.”
Chevrolet delivered the 238-mile-range Bolt to one loyal Chevy electric car owner, and two conquest-sale customers for stories that could speak well of its newest electric car.
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One, retired law enforcement officer William “Bill” Mattos, also owns a generation-two Volt and a Spark EV. Another, software developer Bobby Edmonds is getting out of a BMW i3 and choosing the Bowtie brand instead. A third, commercial real estate broker Steve Henry is ditching a Toyota Prius to go EV with the Bolt.
“The range and technology attracted me to the Bolt EV,” said Edmonds. “It’s also a great-looking, roomy vehicle and I love the fact it’s from an American brand. I look forward to the longer drives I can make compared to the i3 that I owned.”
When are the rest of the Bolt customers getting theirs?
“Bolt EVs are currently in transit to California and Oregon markets and are arriving this month,” said Chevrolet. “A national rollout begins in 2017, and a number of Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States including New York, Massachusetts and Virginia will see first deliveries this winter.”
More will arrive in dealerships in other major metro markets throughout the first half of 2017 and by “mid-2017,” said the company, “the Bolt EV will be available at Bolt EV-certified dealerships across the United States.”
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