[bro1999]

http://wardsauto.com/2017-car-management-briefing-seminars/kiefer-introduces-changing-gm

The Chevrolet Bolt battery-electric vehicle was designed specifically for autonomy, and GM is the first company to actually build an autonomous vehicle in a high-volume factory, Kiefer says. Experimental autonomous Bolts currently undergoing testing were built at GM’s Orion Township, MI, factory using conventional mass-production processes.

 

[obermd]

Interesting. It doesn't hurt that the Bolt is also the best CUEV on the market today, beating Tesla to the punch by several months.

 

[viking79]

This explains why they chose such a poorly selling vehicle style for the Bolt EV as well, better suited to a taxi, not a style that sells well in the US (I like the style fine, but many don't).

 

[bro1999]

This explains why they chose such a poorly selling vehicle style for the Bolt EV as well, better suited to a taxi, not a style that sells well in the US (I like the style fine, but many don't).

CUV sales trends have been taking off in recent years. So your statement doesn't really fly unless you are classifying the Bolt as a hatchback.

 

[BAZINGA]

Personally I like the Bolt's styling, my gripe is it's TOO small. We just bought a 2017 GMC Acadia to supplement our 2017 Volt and when I'm driving either vehicle my mind invariably wanders to thoughts of owning JUST ONE vehicle. An Acadia sized CUV with The Voltec power train.

 

[ZamboniMan]

Personally I like the Bolt's styling, my gripe is it's TOO small. We just bought a 2017 GMC Acadia to supplement our 2017 Volt and when I'm driving either vehicle my mind invariably wanders to thoughts of owning JUST ONE vehicle. An Acadia sized CUV with The Voltec power train.

GM tried taking technology big with the Silverado 1500 hybrid, and it got mixed results. I would have a hard time justifying rushing the process just to ride the latest trend. When the Volt made it's debut, that vehicle style was the hot item. Now it's CUV. I appreciate having a Volt and a Suburban, as each vehicle does it's thing well. If you try to make one vehicle that is all things for all people, it will succeed at nothing.

 

[Qinsp]

I better keep my Magic Eight Ball. This is what I said about the Bolt from early on. The design appears to be for autonomous taxi/rideshare service. Nothing wrong with that. A 'people mover' design with easy access/egress, and plenty of power for 4-5 adults in all situations, with enough range for an 8 hour shift. Urban traffic averages about 25 mph from door to door.

 

[Loboc]

GM tried taking technology big with the Silverado 1500 hybrid, and it got mixed results. I would have a hard time justifying rushing the process just to ride the latest trend. When the Volt made it's debut, that vehicle style was the hot item. Now it's CUV. I appreciate having a Volt and a Suburban, as each vehicle does it's thing well. If you try to make one vehicle that is all things for all people, it will succeed at nothing.

Or you have a Pontiac Aztec.

 

[llninja]

Personally I like the Bolt's styling, my gripe is it's TOO small. We just bought a 2017 GMC Acadia to supplement our 2017 Volt and when I'm driving either vehicle my mind invariably wanders to thoughts of owning JUST ONE vehicle. An Acadia sized CUV with The Voltec power train.

I don't like the Bolt's styling, but agree it's too small

 

[llninja]

Or you have a Pontiac Aztec.

Nooooooo!!! So much ugly in the Aztec. Whoever buys or owns one and thinks it looks good needs to have their head examined. Same can be said for the newest Prius, i3, and the C-HR.

 

[obermd]

I actually saw an Aztec done right. The interior had been custom redone in a checkerboard motif at a 45 degree angle to the vehicle and the exterior repainted in a matching pattern. For some strange reason this one Aztec actually looked good.

 

[obermd]

Nooooooo!!! So much ugly in the Aztec. Whoever buys or owns one and thinks it looks good needs to have their head examined. Same can be said for the newest Prius, i3, and the C-HR.

I think C&D hit on the reason the new Prius looks the way it does - it's so ugly the wind doesn't want to touch it either.

 

[viking79]

CUV sales trends have been taking off in recent years. So your statement doesn't really fly unless you are classifying the Bolt as a hatchback.

Most Americans will classify the Bolt EV as a compact hatch, not a CUV.

Nissan Juke, Honda HRV, Mazda CX3, Toyota CHR, Buick Encore, etc are CUVs, even if offered in FWD, they have distinct style vs Bolt EV (which is very much compact hatch)

 

[fishhawk]

GM tried taking technology big with the Silverado 1500 hybrid, and it got mixed results...

Yes, but IIRC, it added $20K to the price of the truck. No way someone would spend that much more just to get a hybrid.

And that's the basic problem. Someone has to pay for that big battery; either GM takes a cut in profit (not likely), or the customer pays a lot more (also not likely).

 

[obermd]

Yes, but IIRC, it added $20K to the price of the truck. No way someone would spend that much more just to get a hybrid.

And that's the basic problem. Someone has to pay for that big battery; either GM takes a cut in profit (not likely), or the customer pays a lot more (also not likely).

Also, the hybrid technology they tried to use there was embedded in the transmission and would only work on their large SUVs and trucks where the transmissions are already large. It was dumped in favor of the Voltec design which can be scaled up to those same vehicles.

 

[bro1999]

CUV sales trends have been taking off in recent years. So your statement doesn't really fly unless you are classifying the Bolt as a hatchback.

Most Americans will classify the Bolt EV as a compact hatch, not a CUV.

Nissan Juke, Honda HRV, Mazda CX3, Toyota CHR, Buick Encore, etc are CUVs, even if offered in FWD, they have distinct style vs Bolt EV (which is very much compact hatch)

I've seen an Encore and Cruze hatchback lined up next to my Bolt, and the Bolt is MUXHT, much closer in shape to the Encore than the Cruze.

 

[viking79]

I've seen an Encore and Cruze hatchback lined up next to my Bolt, and the Bolt is MUXHT, much closer in shape to the Encore than the Cruze.

Cruze is a sporty hatch like Mazda 3. Bolt EV is a sub compact hatch like the Honda Fit. If the Bolt EV had some extra ground clearance and more aggressive styling and black plastic trim I could see it looking like a CUV. I get that practically speaking it is comparable to a FWD Juke, it doesn't look like a CUV any more than a minivan looks like an SUV (even if they are about the same, like Pathfinder and Quest).

 

[bro1999]

Honestly, the term CUV/crossover is just made up by the manufacturers anyways.
I'll be interested to see what the Buick Bolt looks like.

 

[jsmay311]

The Bolt is literally, officially classified as a "small wagon". Plus it's shape looks more like a larger Chevy Spark than any CUV I've seen.

Not trying to knock it. It's just not what most Americans would consider a CUV.

It doesn't hurt that the Bolt is also the best CUEV on the market today, beating Tesla to the punch by several months.

If by "CUEV" you mean Crossover Utility EV, wouldn't you mean to say beating Tesla by several years rather than several months? Model Y is expected in 2019 or 2020, I believe.

 

[Qinsp]

Dirty little secret: Compared to some cars, the Aztek/Rendevous were not failures, just short runs. About 475,000 were sold in the US in 8 years.