Chevrolet ‘Jolt’ Makes the Case For An Affordable Electric Coupe

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2016 Bold Ride LLC.

 

Posted by Jeff Perez 
                               

                                        

Yesterday someone with too much time on their hands launched a website dedicated to the new Chevrolet Jolt EV (ChevyJoltEV.com). One problem: the Chevrolet Jolt EV doesn’t exist, it’s a clever idea thought up by a marketing guy—that doesn’t work for Chevy, mind you—in hopes that execs would see his plea and immediately order the project.
 

Nevertheless, the well-done website did feature an actual car; at least, a concept of which. That car is the Tru 140S, which made its world debut in 2012 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

It may not have seemed like anything other than an imaginative idea, but the awkwardly-named Tru 140S was a handsome, millennial-focused vehicle that really was the first step towards the tech-inclusive lineup Chevrolet has today:
 

“This buyer prizes connectivity,” Chevrolet said in a press release. “Allowing them to stay connected by integrating their personal devices through MyLink and WiFi enabling the vehicle to be their own docking station.”

The Tru 140S was one of the first Chevy vehicles to feature MyLink and WiFi connectivity. Alongside its partner in crime, the Code 130R, the two vehicles paved the way for cars like the current-gem Camaro and Cruze.

Using the previous-generation Cruze as a base, the Tru 140S produced 150 horsepower from a 4-cylinder engine, and was capable of getting 40 mpg, or so said Chevy. If built, Chevrolet would have priced it around $25,000, similar to the estimated price of the fictional Jolt EV.

But is there an actual case for an electrified version of the Tru 140S? Absolutely, says its creator.

The faux Jolt EV was imagined by a man named Matt Teske, and his idea for an electric future doesn’t start and end with sedans and SUVs. “The Chevrolet Bolt EV is a great first step,” he says on the website, “but not enough.”

He wants a sporty electric vehicle, as do a number of consumers. With the market emerging even more clearly for the electric vehicle, and the infrastructure to support it, a sporty-enough, electric coupe could be the logical next step for companies like Chevrolet, or even Tesla.