2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV First Look: Meet Chevy’s Electric SUV

 Chevy adds a second member to the Bolt family.

The Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle gains a plus-sized sibling in the form of the 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV. As its name implies, the Bolt EUV combines the hardware of the freshly updated Bolt hatchback with a dose of SUV-like styling.

Still, the EUV is more than just a Bolt with some additional cladding … ahem ... bolted on. In fact, the two models share not a single body panel with one another. At 169.5 inches long, the EUV measures 6.3 inches longer overall the updated 2022 Chevrolet Bolt. It also rests on a 2.9-inch longer wheelbase.

This larger footprint directly impacts the rear seating area of the EUV, which offers 39.1 inches of legroom to the standard Bolt's 36.0 inches. For perspective, the 20.1-inch longer 2021 Cadillac XT5's rear seating area provides just 39.0 inches of legroom.

2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV: Familial Connections

Under its skin, though, the Bolt EUV has much more in common with the smaller Bolt. Both vehicles ride on the same basic underpinnings and rely on the same 65-kWh lithium-ion battery pack to feed electricity to a front-mounted 200-hp motor that directly drives the front wheels. Likewise, neither offers all-wheel drive. 

Chevy's decision to forgo an all-wheel-drive option for the EUV is probably for the best, as the 3,679-pound model weighs 90 pounds more than its stubbier kin. The EUV's additional mass impacts its efficiency, too, with Chevrolet estimating the model manages 250 miles of driving range on a full charge—nine fewer miles than what it estimates from the run-of-the-mill 2022 Bolt. That said, the Bolt EUV's estimated driving range is plenty for most consumers.

2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV: Charge Time

In order to make charging the EUV's battery pack a little easier, Chevy includes a so-called "Dual Level Charge Cord" as standard equipment. The setup features a changeable plug that permits the cord to work with both 120-volt and 240-volt outlets, the latter of which takes an estimated seven hours to fully charge the EUV's depleted battery pack. DC fast charging compatibility also comes standard and allows the Bolt EUV to add approximately 95 miles of driving range from a 30-minute charge.

Other standard features include a 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, an 8.0-inch digital gauge cluster, a wireless device charger, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. The bow-tie brand also offers the Bolt EUV with a sunroof (a first for any Bolt-badged model), surround-view camera, adaptive cruise control, and Super Cruise, the driver-assist system that enables hands-free driving on more than 200,000 miles of designated roads in the United States and Canada. 

2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV: Pay To Play

At $33,995, the 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV costs exactly $2,000 more than the lesser 2022 Bolt. Whether that extra sum is worth the EUV's tougher looks, more accommodating rear passenger compartment, and available model-exclusive options such as a sunroof and Super Cruise is tough to say without spending time behind-the-wheel of the vehicle. Nevertheless, the Bolt EUV's starting price marks a $3,500 discount relative to that of the current 2021 Chevrolet Bolt (meaning the base 2022 Bolt costs $5,500 less than its 2021 counterpart). The Bolt EUV's cost of entry also undercuts that of the 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric—our top-rated electric SUV—by $4,570.

Although Chevrolet remains mum on the Bolt EUV's trim and option package pricing, the brand did reveal its plans to sell a limited-production Bolt EUV Launch Edition. The $43,495 Bolt EUV Launch Edition includes special badging and wheels, an illuminated charge port, a sunroof, and Super Cruise. We expect a comparably equipped Bolt EUV without the Launch Edition getup to wear a similar price tag once sales begin this summer.