2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV: MPG and fuel economy
The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV is a fully electric vehicle rated at 119 MPGe combined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It has an EPA-rated driving range of 238 miles on a full charge.
This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.
Key takeaways
- Returns 244% better combined MPG than the average car in the Small Station Wagons class for the 2017 model year (34.6 MPG class average).
- The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV is the most efficient car in the Small Station Wagons class for the 2017 model year, with its 119 MPG rating leading the segment.
- EPA estimates this car saves around $7,500 in fuel over five years compared with an average new vehicle of the same model year.
- Has an EPA-rated electric driving range of 238 miles.
Fuel economy at a glance
These are the EPA's official ratings for the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.
Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).
| Combined MPG | 119 MPG |
| City MPG | 128 MPG |
| Highway MPG | 110 MPG |
| Annual fuel cost | $650 |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | — |
| Fuel type | Electricity |
How the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV compares
The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV returns 119 combined MPG. Cars in the Small Station Wagons class for the same model year average 34.6 MPG, which puts this car ahead of the class average by about 244%.
Within the Small Station Wagons class for the 2017 model year, the Chevrolet Bolt EV is the leader. No other car in the same class beat its 119 MPG rating. The bar chart below shows it alongside the class average and the average new car for some additional context.
For broader context, the average new car of the 2017 model year (across all classes) returns 26 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 2017 model year is on its own page.
Annual fuel cost across driving patterns
The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for electricity, which is $0.15/kilowatt-hour. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.
The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPGe and the reference electricity price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. Charging at home rather than at a public DC fast charger usually lowers the real cost below the EPA's published figure.
| Driving pattern | Estimated annual fuel cost |
|---|---|
| Light driver, 7,500 miles per year | $325 |
| Average driver, 15,000 miles per year | $650 |
| Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year | $1,083 |
Year-over-year MPG for the Chevrolet Bolt EV
The EPA has rated the Chevrolet Bolt EV across 7 model years, from 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV through 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.
Combined MPG has stayed in roughly the same range across the run. The peak rating came with the 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV at 120 MPG.
| Year | Combined MPG | Open year page |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 120 MPG | 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV |
| 2022 | 120 MPG | 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV |
| 2021 | 118 MPG | 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV |
| 2020 | 118 MPG | 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV |
| 2019 | 119 MPG | 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV |
| 2018 | 119 MPG | 2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV |
| 2017 | 119 MPG | this page |
Compare against other Small Station Wagons for 2017
If you are cross-shopping the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Small Station Wagons class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.
Specifications
The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV is a fully electric vehicle. It is powered by 150 kw acpm. The EPA rates its driving range at 238 miles.
Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.
- Vehicle class
- Small Station Wagons
- Transmission
- Automatic (A1)
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Fuel type
- Electricity
- Electric motor
- 150 kW ACPM
- EV range
- 238 miles
- Annual petroleum use
- 0.1 barrels per year
Common questions about the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV
Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV.
-
Is the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV fuel efficient?
Yes. The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV returns 119 combined MPG, which beats the average car in the Small Station Wagons class for the same model year by about 244%. -
What MPG does the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV get?
The EPA rates the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV at 119 combined MPG, 128 MPG in city driving, and 110 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is. -
How much does it cost to fuel a 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV per year?
The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $650 for the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade. -
Does the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV use gasoline?
No. The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV is fully electric and runs on grid electricity. The MPGe figure on this page converts electricity use into a gasoline-equivalent so you can compare it directly to a regular car. -
Has the Chevrolet Bolt EV become more fuel efficient over time?
Combined MPG has stayed close to flat across the run. Both the earliest (2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, 119 MPG) and most recent (2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV, 120 MPG) versions sit in the same range. -
How much CO₂ does the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV emit?
The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV produces zero tailpipe emissions because it runs entirely on electricity. The full carbon footprint of charging it depends on how the electricity on your local grid is generated, which varies a lot from one state to another. -
What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV?
City driving returns 128 MPG and highway driving returns 110 MPG. A flat (or city-better) split is the signature of a hybrid or electric drivetrain, where regenerative braking recovers energy that would otherwise be lost in stop-start city traffic. -
What motor does the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV use?
The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV uses 150 kW ACPM. Electric motors do not have a displacement or cylinder count the way a combustion engine does, so EPA reporting focuses on the motor type and battery system instead. -
What transmission and drivetrain does the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV have?
The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV comes with a automatic (a1) transmission and front-wheel drive. -
Is the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV the most efficient car in its class?
Yes. Among cars in the Small Station Wagons class for the 2017 model year, the Chevrolet Bolt EV returns the highest combined MPG at 119 MPG. No other car in the same class beats that figure.
Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.