GM Bolt EV to be sold here next year
GM Korea CEO and President James Kim, left, poses with GM International Vice President of Planning and Program Management Lowell Paddock, center, and GM Electrification Engineering deputy director Martin Murray, with the all-new Bolt EV during the 2016 Korea Electric Show at COEX in Samseong-dong, southeastern Seoul, Wednesday. / Courtesy of GM Korea
By Jhoo Dong-chan
GM Korea will sell the Bolt electric vehicle (EV), an all-electric subcompact car developed by Chevrolet in partnership with LG, in the first half of next year.
The local affiliate of the U.S.-based car brand GM hosted the GM Mobility Forum event in its Chevrolet Pavilion booth during the 2016 Korea Electric Show (KES) at COEX in Samseong-dong, southeastern Seoul, to unveil the company’s latest technologies including the Bolt EV and its charging booth.
“I am pleased to announce that the game-changing Chevrolet Bolt EV will be launched in Korea in the first half of 2017,” said GM Korea CEO and President James Kim during the event.
“The Bolt EV truly embodies the ingenuity that is at the core of everything we do at Chevrolet.”
With the addition of the Bolt EV to a lineup that includes the Bolt extended-range EV and Malibu Hybrid, GM Korea said in a press release that Chevrolet will offer more affordable EV options than any other major car brand in Korea.
The Bolt EV is a long-range EV that provides a range of more than 383 kilometers, which would nearly allow the model to drive from Seoul to Busan on a single charge.
It also features connectivity and infotainment technologies, seamlessly integrating smartphones and other electric devices with the vehicle.
A GM Korea official said detailed information, including Korea-certified specifications and the price, will be announced near the start of sales.
For the opening of KES 2016, GM International Vice President of Planning and Program Management Lowell Paddock shared his perspective on the present and future of the global vehicle market.
“GM expects the automotive industry to change more over the next five to 10 years than it has over the past 50 years,” said Paddock. “To cope with the rapid pace of change, GM will strengthen and grow our core business of building and selling great cars, trucks and crossovers while leading the future of personal mobility, based on our wide range of partnerships and technical knowhow.”
A GM Korea official said that the carmaker will focus on four key areas: connectivity, autonomy, sharing and alternative propulsion. Through the development of cutting-edge new technologies, it aims to drive change in the autonomous vehicle industry and provide customized customer services.