11 hours ago by Eric Loveday
Chevrolet Bolt
Chevrolet Bolt chief engineer Josh Tavel recently sat down with the Detroit News for a brief interview.
The focus of the interview seemed to be on Tavel's love for cars and his need for speed. Very little of the interview centered around the Bolt, but Tavel's responses to a few questions still provide us with some background on the vehicle's chief engineer and gives us a sense of what he believes are priorities when engineering an electric car.
Chevy Bolt's Chief Engineer Josh Tavel
According to Tavel, he engineered the Bolt like a mini Tesla Model S.
The focus was on the electric car's inherent benefits, such as gobs of torque and a low center of gravity. The focus, at least from his side of things, was never on being green, but rather on delivering a proper hot hatch that just so happens to be battery-powered.
You can check out the full interview here. Below we've focused just on the questions and answers that actually mention the Bolt:
Q: Your first project lead?
Tavel: I was lead development engineer on the Chevy Cruze diesel in Milford. Then I was the chief engineer for Cadillac ELR. Then I came to Bolt EV.
Q: What's in your garage today?
Tavel: Chevy Bolt, Spark, Yukon. A Spec Racer Ford, and 1970 Datsun 240Z E-Production SCCA race car. I'm starting (to build) a Corvair — a highly modified Corvair. And I also have two Corvettes in the garage. Fixes top coupe and a Grand Sport C6 which is my Dad's.
It's clear to us that Tavel is a car guy, and that's exatcly the type of guy you want engineering cars. The Bolt will likely go down as his crowning achievement, not because it's an affordable, long-range electric, but rather due to the fact that it's a well-rounded car that doesn't cost a fortune and does most everything well including travelling long distances, yet is powered by a battery. A first in the automotive industry.
Source: Detroit News
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Source: Chief Engineer For Chevrolet Bolt Says Performance And Electric Go Hand In Hand
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