Tested: 2027 Chevy Bolt Almost Hits 300 Miles of Real-World Range

The Bolt is back! Can lightning strike twice?

written by Brian Wong
edited by Steven Ewing
5/8/2026
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What's new: The Chevy Bolt returns for 2027 after a 3-year hiatus.
Why it matters: The Bolt offers an impressive 290 miles of Edmunds-tested range, and with a starting price of just $28,995 including destination, it's one of the most affordable EVs on sale today.
Edmunds says: Cheap EVs are hard to come by these days, and the Bolt is a great option for those who want to go electric at an accessible price point.

We never really understood why the Chevy Bolt was discontinued. It was a small, efficient, practical car and one of the most affordable electric vehicles on sale in the U.S. So we're pleased to see that the Bolt is back — and with a few crucial updates that make it more appealing than ever.

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By the numbers

The new Bolt is actually based on the outgoing Bolt EUV, which was a larger, slightly more SUV-esque version of Chevy's original electric hatchback. Its single electric motor produces 210 horsepower and 169 lb-ft of torque, the latter representing a whopping 97-lb-ft reduction over its predecessor. But as we learned in our testing, that loss of power doesn't matter. The new Bolt can sprint to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds — just like the old one.

How is that possible? Chevy retuned the programming of the Bolt's single-speed transmission, changing the final drive ratio from 7.1:1 to 11.6:1. What that means in simple terms is that more power is available during initial acceleration, though it comes at the expense of ample thrust at higher speeds. The new Bolt is appropriately quick for pulling away from stoplights, but it won't be as easy to blast around a slower car on the highway. Considering the Bolt is a city car above all, we're more than fine with this trade-off.

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2027 Chevrolet Bolt RS	Edmunds test results
Motors	one
Power	210 hp
Torque	169 lb-ft
Transmission	single-speed automatic
Driveline	front-wheel drive
EPA-estimated range	262 miles
Observed range	290 miles
EPA-estimated efficiency	28 kWh/100 miles
Observed efficiency	26.2 kWh/100 miles
Weight	3,804 pounds
0-30 mph	3.3 seconds
0-45 mph	5.0 seconds
0-60 mph	7.1 seconds
0-75 mph	10.0 seconds
Quarter mile	15.2 seconds @ 94.2 mph
Lateral grip (200-foot skidpad)	0.84 g
60-0 mph braking	124 feet
Sound level at idle	33.4 dB
Sound level at 70 mph	66.5 dB

More fun than expected

Though the Bolt isn't exactly quick or grippy, it's still surprisingly fun to drive. The chassis is taut and the body stays flat while cornering. However, this results in a busy, unsettled ride over broken pavement. The firm seats don't help overall ride comfort either.

Chevrolet changed how the 2027 Bolt's brakes work to prioritize regenerative braking over mechanical stopping. This is where the electric motor feeds supplemental energy back into the battery under braking. There are normal and high settings for the regen, which theoretically allows for one-pedal driving, but when you do have to hit the brake pedal, it's supersensitive.

New battery chemistry results in better charging and range

Most EV makers recommend charging a car to only 80% for daily use, which prolongs the life of the battery. But thanks to the lithium-iron-phosphate chemistry in the new Bolt, Chevy actually recommends charging up to 100% every time, meaning you always get the EV's maximum range.

How much range? 290 miles, per the Edmunds EV Range Test. That's a solid improvement over the EPA's estimated 262-mile range, and it gives the Bolt one of the best range-per-dollar quotients of any EV. It's efficient, too — we observed energy consumption of 26.2 kWh per 100 miles, compared to the EPA's 28-kWh estimate (lower is better).

The updated battery chemistry also means the Bolt now charges three times faster than the old model. Along with the increased range, this makes the Chevy much more viable for a road trip — if you can fit everyone's bags into that tiny trunk, that is.

Welcome back — for a limited time

The 2027 Bolt picks up right where the old one left off. Its smart interior design offers great storage and more passenger room than expected, and it is a fun and efficient EV from behind the wheel. We wish the infotainment system offered Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, but that's a complaint we have about all General Motors EVs.

Unfortunately, Chevrolet has already announced that the Bolt's revival will last only one year. Luckily, there isn't a limit to the number of units being sold; Chevy says it can build as many as people order. We definitely recommend this little EV. Get one while you can.

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by Brian Wong

Brian Wong has worked in the automotive industry since 2010, writing over 1,000 car-related articles and testing and reviewing hundreds of vehicles over the course of career. Brian is a senior reviews editor at Edmunds and has also contributed to Cars.com, Motor Authority and Green Car Reports. Brian has also been featured on MotorWeek as an expert for several car comparisons. He loves convertibles (the smaller the better) and hates paying for parking, so Los Angeles is both the right and wrong city for him.

edited by Steven Ewing

Steven Ewing is Edmunds' director of editorial content. An automotive journalist for more than half of his life, Ewing's been on staff at Winding Road magazine, Autoblog, Motor1.com, CNET, and he was the U.S. correspondent for Top Gear magazine. He's also contributed to publications like Automobile magazine, Car and Driver, The Drive, Jalopnik, Porsche Panorama, and more. Ewing has worked in the automotive industry since 2003. From testing prototype cars in the Arctic Circle to spilling a beer on a Formula 1 driver at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (oops), he's always got an interesting story to tell.

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