GM has reportedly cut Chevrolet Bolt production by 75%, a move some dealers are meeting with a shrug as the automaker shifts the Kansas plant toward gas-powered vehicles.
The details: The Detroit automaker’s Fairfax plant in Kansas, where the Bolt is built, is now on track to produce about 35,000 units of the revived Bolt before production ends in the first quarter of 2027, compared with the 150,000 units originally planned, according to Automotive World.
The revived Bolt, a vehicle symbolic of GM’s early commitment to EVs, was always intended to have a limited production run.
Lower Bolt output has delayed the return of a second shift at Fairfax, where nearly 1,000 workers remain laid off.
The Kansas plant will now build the gas-powered Chevrolet Equinox and Buick Envision.
GM sold just 4,224 units of the new Bolt during the first half of 2026, with Kelley Blue Book putting monthly sales between 1,400 and 1,600 units.
Why it matters: One GM dealer in CDG Circles, who agreed to share their thoughts anonymously, said their store is down to “one new Bolt,” but that demand in their market is largely centered on the Equinox, Trax, and Traverse. “Those [models] are what we cannot get enough of,” the dealer said.
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Per GM: “We continuously evaluate market dynamics and customer demand,” GM said, while declining to comment on the lower Bolt output, per Automotive World.
Between the lines: GM’s move to scale back Bolt production does reflect a broader shift by the company toward ramping up gas-powered offerings amid slowing U.S. demand for EVs.
In fact, GM has announced plans to invest $340 million in its U.S. plants to support the production of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, according to Business Insider.
The investment will go toward two facilities—one in Michigan and one in Ohio—that produce key parts for ICE vehicles, including 10-speed transmissions and engine components.
Mike Trevorrow, GM's senior vice president of global manufacturing, told Business Insider that “it's good news, really, for the United States," after the investment was announced.
"We're able to give customers what they want with the increased capacity,” he said.
Bottom line: GM continues to recalibrate its production strategy around consumer demand, cutting EV output while adding capacity for gas-powered vehicles more closely aligned with near-term buying patterns as the EV market evolves.
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