Car and Driver: Watts News: 2017 Chevrolet Bolt Powertrain Detailed

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-Because General Motors didn’t want people reading everything about the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt all in one shot, the car’s specs keep trickling in. This time, the Bolt’s powertrain is detailed.

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The lithium-ion battery pack has a capacity of 60 kWh (or what the now-discontinued Tesla Model S 60 had for nearly double the price). The 960-pound unit contains 288 individual cells that are 3.9 inches thick and 13.1 inches wide, and unlike the Volt‘s T-shaped unit are spread beneath the entire floor of the passenger compartment. While we had initially predicted GM would use air cooling to save costs (as does the Nissan Leaf), the Bolt actually relies on the Volt’s more complex liquid cooling system, which is likely to extend battery life in hotter climates. The EPA-estimated range is not available yet, so that’ll be yet another story. For now, it’s still “more than 200 miles.” Of note, the Model S 60 was rated at 208 miles.

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While the battery pack can deliver up to 160 kW, the electric motor winds up to 150 kW (200 horsepower) with 266 lb-ft of immediate torque. With a 3580-pound estimated curb weight, the Bolt is 640 pounds heavier than the last Spark EV we tested during a six-electric-car comparison in 2014, in which it led the pack with a 7.9-second 0-60 run. Despite the extra pounds, the Bolt should outgun the Spark, given its 59 more ponies and 7.05:1 final drive ratio compared to the Spark’s super-tall 3.17:1 ratio. Chevy claims 60 mph will zip by in less than seven seconds, which would make for a close drag race against the BMW i3 (we timed the EV-only i3 at 6.5 seconds).

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Single-pedal driving is possible, indeed encouraged, in two ways: When off the throttle, hold a paddle on the steering wheel while in Drive or throw the shifter into Low. Either method provides regenerative braking to slow the car (and thus illuminate the brake lights) without touching the left pedal.

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A 7.2-kW onboard charger (compared to the Spark’s 3.3-kW and the Leaf’s 6.6-kW) promises 50 miles of range in less than two hours with a 240-volt connection. Hook up to 480-volt DC using the SAE combo plug (compatible with the standard J1772 plug) and Chevy says you can grab 90 miles of range in a half hour. Exact dead-to-full estimates are not available, and we’re still not sure if Chevy is extracting the full 60 kWh from the battery or, as in the Volt, the Bolt knocks off a few kilowatts to preserve the cells long-term.

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• 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Official Photos and Info: GM’s $30K EV Is Almost Here!-
• We (Briefly) Drove the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV-
• Nissan Leaf EV Offers More Range—For a Price-

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Korean electronics giant LG Chem is manufacturing the battery, the motor, and the rest of the drive unit in South Korea (not at the Holland, Michigan plant that supplies the Volt’s innards). The rest of the Bolt will be assembled in Orion Township, Michigan starting late this year. With all these numbers, here’s the most important one: $37,500. That’s this little EV’s base price before incentives.

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