Skip to main content

The Chevy Bolt will have a host of LG components wrapped inside it

General Motors isn’t expected to start production of its mass-market all-electric 2017 Chevy Bolt until October, but LG isn’t waiting. The South Korean electronics powerhouse is gearing up to “mass-produce parts” for the Bolt this month, according to Electrek.

The Bolt was designed, inside and out, by a South Korean GM design studio. LG is making the most of its electric vehicle-centric components.

Recommended Videos

Chevy has set its hopes on achieving a huge success for the Bolt. The EV has a $37,500 starting price before the $7,500 federal tax credit. The Bolt has a 200-mile rated range from an onboard 60 kWh battery pack. Those numbers put the Bolt squarely in the sights of people looking for a moderately priced electric car with a reasonable driving range. Much of the Tesla Model 3’s pre-order success has been attributed to those same factors.

The list of Bolt components supplied by LG defines the car’s performance and most of its user experience. LG is producing the electric drive motor, power inverter module, battery pack, battery heater, onboard charger, high-power distribution module, accessory power module, and power line communication module. The South Korean company is also making the electric climate control system compressor, the instrument cluster, and the infotainment system.

That full inventory of parts will be transported to Michigan where they will be used to make Bolts in GM’s  Orion Charter Township assembly plant. General Motors has reportedly already begun pre-production at the plant. With the LG parts on hand, full production starts in October. Finished Bolts will be rolling off car carriers onto dealership lots shortly after production starts.

Buyers eager for an electric family car will appreciate the Bolt’s cargo space, achieved by compromising on aerodynamic design. The Bolt has a drag coefficient of 0.32, which limits its range to 200 miles, while the Tesla Model 3 with a 0.21 coefficient is rated at 215 miles, even using a less powerful 45 kWh battery. GM and its South Korean design studio made the decision to favor cargo space over sleek design with family buyers in mind.

The Bolt isn’t exactly going head to head with Tesla’s Model 3, except on paper. The first Model 3s won’t be available before late 2017, if then. Because Tesla is still holding at least 373,000 Model 3 pre-orders, by the time the “mass market” Tesla is available for new orders — likely in late 2018 — the Bolt will already have been on the market for two years.

Bruce Brown
Bruce Brown Contributing Editor   As a Contributing Editor to the Auto teams at Digital Trends and TheManual.com, Bruce…
Waymo recalled 1,200 robotaxis following collisions with road barriers
Waymo Jaguar I-Pace

Waymo’s autonomous-car technology has made great advances over the years to the point where it’s now allowed to offer paid robotaxi rides in select locations in the U.S.

But the development of the technology is ongoing, and the robotaxi rides continue to gather valuable data for Waymo engineers to pore over as they further refine the driverless system to make it as reliable and efficient as possible. Which is why glitches will sometimes occur.

Read more
Apple CarPlay Ultra looks stunning in Aston Martin supercar debut
Apple CarPlay Ultra

Apple CarPlay Ultra is the next generation of the Cupertino, California-based firm's smartphone projection system for your car, and it's available in new vehicles in the US and Canada.

When we say "new cars", your options are very much limited to one brand... Aston Martin. So you'll need deep pockets if you want to experience CarPlay Ultra for yourself.

Read more
Archer’s flying taxis head to LA for the 2028 Olympics
archer air taxi la28 inglewood aerial a final

Remember the buzz about flying taxis zipping through Paris for the 2024 Olympics? That sci-fi fantasy never got off the ground —Germany’s Volocopter dream was denied certification, leaving fans staring at the same old ground traffic. But now, the skies are opening again for a second shot at glory—this time over Los Angeles.
Archer Aviation, the California-based electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) company, has been named the exclusive air taxi provider for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Archer’s Midnight aircraft, a piloted electric air taxi designed to carry four passengers, will be whisking around VIPs, fans, and stakeholders between venues and key locations like LAX, Hollywood, Santa Monica, and even Orange County. Think 10-20 minute flights that skip the infamous LA gridlock and land you right where the action is—on the roof, basically.
“We want to transform the way people get around Los Angeles and leave a legacy that shapes the future of transportation in America. There’s no better time to do that than during the LA28 Games,” said Adam Goldstein, CEO and founder of Archer Aviation.
And Midnight isn’t just a pretty rotor. It’s a whisper-quiet, emission-light aircraft with 12 rotors and a redundant, airline-level safety design.
What’s more, Archer and LA28 are working together to electrify vertiport hubs around the city—think futuristic sky stations—to serve not only Games-time needs but also to plant seeds for a post-Olympic air mobility network.
The air mobility market has been fast developing over the past few years, featuring the likes of Hyundai partnership with China’s XPeng HT Aero and Toyota's backing of Joby Aviation, a U.S. venture. Joby bought Uber Elevate in 2020, hoping to someday pair its air taxis with Uber’s ride-hailing app.
Archer, for its part, has been busy building a strategic partnership with United Airlines, which has already placed orders for the aircraft and is helping with logistics to integrate air taxis into airport-to-downtown travel. More than a demo for the cameras, the LA28 partnership will showcase urban air travel for real-world daily use, starting with one of the most high-profile events on Earth.
After raising false hopes in Paris, the air taxi dream is aiming for liftoff in LA—and this time, it might just stick the landing.

Read more