General Motors plans to discontinue the Chevrolet Bolt at the end of this year as it focuses on its new generation of electric vehicles, CEO Mary Barra said. The automaker plans to build electric versions of the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra at the Bolt plant in Orion Township, Mich. Employment at the plant will triple in 2024, when it reopens after a $4 billion overhaul, Barra said on GM’s first-quarter earnings call.
“The size of the Bolt itself isn’t a popular size for the American consumer. It’s a little too small,” Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions said. “And with advances in battery technology and motor technology, they’re getting more mileage out of a charge and making the vehicles bigger. So the pricing and the battery range can move up a step and basically replace the Bolt with a smaller version of the Equinox.”
