General Motors Co on Wednesday unveiled the production version of its Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle, on which the US auto giant is pinning its hopes for the segment.
The Bolt aims to appeal to consumers looking at a more affordable price tag than the luxury, market-leading Tesla.
“It’s more than a car, it’s a platform that can be upgraded,” GM chairman and chief executive Mary Barra said at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. “Who are our customers? Anyone who wants to save time, money and the environment in a car that is truly fun to drive.”
Photo: Bloomberg
The Bolt, set to go into production later this year, is designed to travel 320km between charges. It also features some of the connected technology found on rival vehicles, including a Wi-Fi hotspot offering access to apps and services.
The price tag is expected to be in the range of US$30,000 after US government tax incentives, which is less than half the price of new Tesla models on the market.
“The Bolt EV is truly the first EV that cracks the code of long range and affordable price,” Barra said.
The new GM car will be compatible with various connected platforms such as Apple CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto.
Bolt will also feature its own dedicated smartphone app, which will manage vehicle information and functions, such as charge status, maintenance and navigation. The car also includes a rear camera connected to the interior rear-view mirror, enabling drivers to see behind them even if their view is blocked by passengers.
Barra said the Bolt is the next step for GM toward more autonomous vehicles and possibly new ownership models such as car sharing, two concepts other auto manufacturers are also eyeing.
“Down the road, the connectivity ... will one day help us offer other technologies and transportation solutions that customers will demand,” she said. “Everything from car-sharing apps to ownership models and automated driving and, one day, self-driving cars.”
Separately, Blackberry Inc laid out its plans to build autonomous car software. The company’s QNX software division showed off demo cars that can scan for obstacles, keep from straying from a highway lane and communicate wirelessly with nearby vehicles to help avoid accidents.
Nvidia Inc, looking to expand its reach in the automotive market, has introduced a new computer for vehicles that includes features to make them more autonomous, while Volvo Car Corp is to use the new product in its public trials of autonomous vehicles next year.
However, Panasonic Corp president Kazuhiro Tsuga said it would be years before autonomous systems contribute meaningfully to the company’s bottom line.
Panasonic, which has partnerships with Ford Motor Co, Toyota Motor Corp and Tesla Motors Inc, forecasts sales in the automotive segment will climb to ￥2.1 trillion (US$17.8 billion) in the year ending March 2019.
Most of that would come from cockpit infotainment systems and car batteries, Tsuga told reporters on the sidelines of the trade show.
The company estimates about ￥1.3 trillion of automotive revenue in the fiscal year ending March, according to its Web site.
“We will offer support on the component level, but for the time being, autonomous driving will be limited to controlled environments,” Tsuga said. “Slow and steady: That’s our stance.”
Additional reporting by Bloomberg
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