The Chevy Bolt is coming back, and this time, it's with a better battery — and another big innovation that could be coming soon.
The Bolt is going back into production, with plans to get the car safely back on the road this spring. Last year, every Bolt ever made was recalled to fix a problem with their batteries that could cause them to catch fire. The recall is costing Chevy an estimated $2 billion, and some analysts speculated that Chevy would dump the compact EV altogether.
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Chevy Bolts are made at GM’s plant in Orion Township, Michigan, which hasn’t been producing them since August. New Bolts will be built starting this April. Older Bolts must have a module replaced and diagnostic testing completed to be sold by dealers.
But that’s not the only change for the Bolt. Michelin is working with Chevrolet to to develop airless tires for the next generation of the car. The tires have been tested on current Bolts, but they won’t be available to consumers for the next few years.
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The airless tires use flexible ribs for a spring action that works the same way as air-filled tires. The big difference, of course, is that if the tire is punctured, it won't matter, potentially making pesky flats a thing of the past.
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