GM to abandon Chevrolet Bolt EV again — production could end by 2028

General Motors recently brought the Chevrolet Bolt EV back into production, but it has already begun preparing to end it. Bloomberg reports this, citing sources familiar with the company's plans.

What is known

The Bolt is supposed to return to the assembly line at the Fairfax Assembly Plant in Kansas City for the 2027 model year after a pause that began in 2023, but, as claimed, this "second attempt" will be short-lived. According to Bloomberg, GM intends to move the production of the Buick Envision crossover, currently manufactured in China, there.

The decision is primarily related to the tariff policy of the Trump administration regarding China. The 2026 model year Buick Envision is manufactured at the SAIC-GM joint venture in Shanghai, but increased customs duties make importing the model into the USA less and less profitable. Moving production to the USA should help keep the car's price at a competitive level.

Moreover, in the second half of 2027, GM plans to move the production of the gasoline-powered Chevrolet Equinox to the Fairfax plant. The model is currently manufactured in Mexico, but this decision is also explained by tariff risks. As early as June of last year, GM announced its intention to gradually move some production from Mexico to plants in Michigan, Tennessee, and Kansas.

According to Bloomberg, it is precisely the redistribution of production capacities that has once again cast doubt on the future of the Chevrolet Bolt. This is happening despite the model potentially remaining one of the most affordable electric vehicles on the market. Even after the cancellation of the $7,500 federal tax credit, the price of the 2027 Bolt should start below $30,000 — a rare indicator given that the average price of a new car in the USA has already exceeded $50,000.

Bloomberg notes that the Bolt theoretically may still have a chance if demand for the model turns out to be unexpectedly high, but sources believe this scenario is unlikely.

A GM spokesperson, in a comment to the publication, stated that the Chevrolet Bolt was originally intended as a model with a limited life cycle and returned solely due to "high customer interest." They also confirmed that the company will later announce details about the phased rollout of the Bolt as the Fairfax plant prepares to begin production of the gasoline Chevrolet Equinox in mid-2027.

Source: Bloomberg