2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Electrical
Electrical leads by volume: 93 of 173 complaints (54%) mention it.
Complaints filed fell from 175 in 2019 to 173 in 2020.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | vs. 2020 electric vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 650 | 650 | 650 | 650 | 650 | |
| Combined MPGe | 119 | 119 | 118 | 118 | 120 | |
| City / Highway MPGe | 128 / 110 | 128 / 110 | 127 / 108 | 127 / 108 | 131 / 109 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Complaints filed | 88 | 175 | 173 | 67 | 59 | |
| Recalls issued | 5 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 7 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 2 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 3 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 1 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| Injuries reported | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV have?
8 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV?
Electrical: 93 of 173 NHTSA complaints (54%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV get?
EPA rates it 118 MPGe combined.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV?
EPA estimates $650 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (1)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | — | — | Front-Wheel Drive | Electricity | Small Station Wagons | 127 MPGe | 108 MPGe | 118 MPGe | $650 | 0 g/mi |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 93 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Brakes | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 18 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (8)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY THERMAL:MANAGEMENT:SOFTWARE · Campaign 24V812000 · Oct 31, 2024
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2022 Bolt EUV vehicles previously repaired under Recall 21V-650. The installation of advanced diagnostic software may have failed. As such, the high voltage battery could catch fire when charged to full or nearly full capacity.
Consequence: A battery fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to take the following interim steps: Set the Target Charge Level feature in their vehicle to limit the charge level to 90%, charge their vehicle more frequently, avoid depleting the battery to 70 miles range remaining, park outside after charging, and do not charge the vehicle indoors overnight. Dealers will reinstall advanced diagnostic software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 3, 2024. Owners may contact the Bolt EV Concierge Team at 1-833-382-4389. GM's number for this recall is N242470160.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY · Campaign 24V481000 · Jun 27, 2024
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV vehicles that were previously remedied under recall number 21V-650. The advanced diagnostic software may have been incorrectly installed and fail to detect defective battery modules, possibly resulting in a battery fire.
Consequence: A battery fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to take the following interim steps: Set the Target Charge Level feature in their vehicle to limit the charge level to 90%, charge their vehicle more frequently, avoid depleting the battery to 70 miles range remaining, park outside after charging, and do not charge the vehicle indoors overnight. Dealers will reinstall the advanced diagnostic software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 1, 2024. Owners may contact the Bolt EV Concierge Team at 1-833-382-4389. GM's numbers for this recall are N242443000 and N242443002.
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS; SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER · Campaign 23V845000 · Dec 14, 2023
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles. This recall includes certain vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under NHTSA recall number 22V-930. After a crash with seat belt pretensioner deployment, the pretensioner exhaust may ignite carpet fibers near the B-pillar, causing a fire.
Consequence: A fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect both front seat belt pretensioners and, if necessary, install metal foil at the carpet near the pretensioner exhaust. Certain vehicles will also need a pretensioner cover installed. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 24, 2024. These vehicles were previously recalled for this same issue under recall number 22V-930 and will need to have the new remedy performed. Owners may contact GM EV Concierge at 1-833-EVCHEVY (1-833-382-4389) (TTY 711 / 1-800-833-2438) or Customer Service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N232421970.
SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER; STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS · Campaign 22V930000 · Dec 15, 2022
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles. After a crash with seat belt pretensioner deployment, the pretensioner exhaust may ignite carpet fibers near the B-pillar, causing a fire.
Consequence: A vehicle fire can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will install metal foil at the carpet near the pretensioner exhaust, and install a pretensioner cover as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed between January 23, 2023 and April 25, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N222383790.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY · Campaign 21V650000 · Aug 23, 2021
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV vehicles. The high voltage battery could catch fire when charged to full or nearly full capacity.
Consequence: A battery fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to take the following interim steps: Set the Target Charge Level feature in their vehicle to limit the charge level to 90%, charge their vehicle more frequently, avoid depleting the battery to 70 miles range remaining, park outside after charging, and do not charge the vehicle indoors overnight. Defective battery modules will be replaced by GM, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 1, 2021 and June 23, 2023. Owners may contact the Bolt EV Concierge Team at 1-833-382-4389. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall 21V-560. GM's number for this recall is N212345940.
SEAT BELTS; SEAT BELTS:CRITICAL FASTENERS · Campaign 20V811000 · Dec 28, 2020
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2021 GMC Canyon and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV and Chevrolet Blazer, Camaro, Colorado, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500, Suburban and Tahoe vehicles. Incorrect bolts may have been used at one or more fastening locations to secure the seat belts to the vehicle. If an incorrect bolt was used, the seat belt may not be properly attached to the vehicle.
Consequence: If a seat belt assembly is not properly attached to the vehicle, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect bolts, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8785, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202322230.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER · Campaign 20V808000 · Dec 22, 2020
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles. These vehicles may have an improperly cast front left brake caliper that can fracture during a high-pressure braking event.
Consequence: If a brake caliper fractures and brake fluid is lost, the vehicle may experience reduced brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the casting lot number on the front left brake caliper and replace it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202321400.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH · Campaign 20V184000 · Mar 26, 2020
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles. The door-handle cable inside the rear doors may be too long, allowing contact with the window when it is opened, possibly damaging the cable. A damaged cable may cause the rear door to open unintentionally when the rear window is opened. Additionally, it may cause the rear inside door handle to not work.
Consequence: If the rear door opens while driving, or the door handle fails to open the rear door, there is an increased risk of injury to the rear passengers.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear inside door-handle cables, free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is A202298320.