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On Second Thought, Maybe Chevy Won’t Call it a “Bolt”

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2015 Chevrolet Bolt EV Concept

The Chevrolet Bolt EV Concept

When the 2016 Chevy Bolt concept debuted in Detroit last month, it attracted a lot of attention, and even some speculation that the eventual production version could take on Tesla. It also prompted some less positive responses, chiefly the complaint that “Bolt” is a terrible name that sounds too similar to the Volt (and also to a forgettable Disney cartoon starring John Travolta and Miley Cyrus).

USA Today reports that General Motors is well aware of both the cheers and jeers that the Bolt name has received.

“Some people think it’s confusing,” GM North America president Alan Batey admitted. “People are having some fun with it. It is generating awareness, which is good. It’s so conversational.”

2015 Chevrolet Bolt EV Concept all electric vehicle – Exterior

The Chevy Bolt’s plug-in charging port

“We’re still in the decision phase,” Batey added, though, hinting that the “Bolt” moniker may not be long for this world. “It could go either way.”

Batey also stated, in an interview at the Chicago Auto Show, that GM may have a whole year to ponder its decision before production begins. However, he’s convinced that whatever they call it, consumers won’t be confused by the Volt/Bolt soundalike names.

“The Volt and Bolt are different vehicles for people with different needs,” he clarified.

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The Bolt’s interior

“The biggest consumer concern is range anxiety,” Batey also stated, and he felt that the Bolt’s ability to go 200 miles on a single charge would assuage those fears.

GM also confirmed that the Chevy Bolt (if that is your real name) will be available in all 50 states, though has not yet commented on whether it will be sold outside of America.

News Source: USA Today