Your cheap Chevrolet EV might not be cheap for Long

By Varun Mirchandani Published January 23, 2026 6:49 PM

General Motors’ effort to bring back the Chevrolet Bolt EV as an affordable electric vehicle is already facing a roadblock. Although the refreshed 2027 Chevy Bolt EV has just started arriving at U.S. dealerships with a sub-$30,000 price tag, Bloomberg reports that GM officials now say the new model will be in production for only about 18 months before the line winds down around mid-2027.

This shift comes as GM continues reshuffling its manufacturing footprint, with its Fairfax Assembly plant in Kansas City, Kansas, set to switch from Bolt EV output to other vehicles, including gas-powered models and a relocated Buick crossover. The decision marks a significant pivot away from making one of the U.S. market’s most affordable electric cars, at least for now.

Under current plans, the updated Bolt, which has been marketed as a budget-friendly EV with around 255-262 miles of range and a starting price around $28,995, won’t stick around for long. GM confirmed that once the limited-run Bolt EV completes its production cycle, the Fairfax plant will transition to building gas-powered Chevrolet Equinox SUVs beginning in mid-2027, freeing up capacity previously aimed at electric vehicles.

What’s more is that officials also plan to assemble the next-generation Buick compact SUV on the same line starting in 2028, a model currently built in China and imported into the U.S. That reshoring effort aligns with tariff pressures and changing trade policies, but it comes at the expense of a vehicle that was meant to help fill the EV pricing gap left by Bolt’s earlier discontinuation.

For EV shoppers, the Bolt’s short production run highlights just how uncertain the market still is. Policy changes such as the loss of the federal EV tax credit, higher tariffs on imported cars, and shifting consumer demand are forcing automakers to rethink their strategies in the U.S., even as GM continues to push models like the Equinox EV. While the 2027 Chevy Bolt EV is still one of the most affordable electric cars in America, its limited run suggests that truly budget-friendly EV options may stay rare unless new models step in to fill the gap.