The Bolt was designed from 2012 by a team of 180 people in GM's Korea studio (formerly Daewoo Korea), as B-segment size on its own platform, the GM BEV2. It does not share elements with the GM Gamma platform cars like the Chevrolet Sonic/Spark.
The EPA classifies the Bolt as "small station wagon", with less than 130 cu ft of interior volume.GM refers to the Bolt as a crossover. The passenger volume is 94 cu ft (2,700 L), and cargo space is 17 cu ft (480 L)(381 liter).
The Bolt's doors, tailgate, and hood are aluminum.The driver can adjust the level of regenerative braking as the accelerator pedal is lifted. The front seats are asymmetrical to maximize cabin volume while accommodating airbags.
GM planned for over-the-air software updates during 2017 but the feature was finally released to the Bolt in April 2018.