Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2021 Bolt EV.
The 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV is an all‑electric hatchback built on Chevrolet’s dedicated EV platform and powered solely by an electric drivetrain. Its reliability record shows a modest 66 owner complaints, with the electrical system identified as the primary area of concern and a total of five recalls issued for the model year. Positioned within a broader complaint timeline that spans 2019‑2027—flanked by a peak of 175 complaints in 2019 and a low of 57 in 2023—2021 sits in the mid‑range of the model’s reliability curve, indicating incremental improvement but still reflecting lingering electrical‑system issues that researchers should monitor.
Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.
Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.
From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI Only use AGM VRLA Battery. 140R · 520 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.
| Battery | 88866037 |
| Front wiper blades | 42566594 alt 42566593 |
| Cabin air filter | 13508023 |
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 164.2 in |
| Overall width | 69.7 in |
| Overall height | 62.6 in |
| Wheelbase | 102.4 in |
| Curb weight | 3583 lb |
| Track (front / rear) | 59.1 / 59.1 in |
| Weight distribution (front / rear) | 56/44 |
0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.
No 2021 road test on record; the results below are same-engine tests from nearby model years, each shown under its own year.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Premier Hatchback Elec 65-kWh | 6.30 sec | 14.90 sec | 200 hp | FWD |
| 2020 | Premier Hatchback Elec 65-kWh | 6.70 sec | 15.20 sec | 200 hp | FWD |
| 2022 | 2LT Hatchback Elec 65-kWh | 6.40 sec | 15.00 sec | 200 hp | FWD |
| 2019 | Premier Hatchback Elec 60-kWh | 6.50 sec | 15.10 sec | 200 hp | FWD |
| 2023 | 2LT Hatchback Elec 65-kWh | 6.60 sec | 15.10 sec | 200 hp | FWD |
| 2017 | Premier Hatchback Elec 60-kWh | 6.30 sec | 14.90 sec | 200 hp | FWD |
| 2017 | Premier Hatchback Elec 60-kWh | 6.30 sec | 14.90 sec | 200 hp | FWD |
| 2017 | Premier Hatchback Elec 60-kWh | 6.50 sec | 15.00 sec | 200 hp | FWD |
Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.
Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs.
| Lug Nuts | 100 ft-lbs |
| Standard BCI Group Number | Only use AGM VRLA Battery. 140R |
| Standard BCI Cranking Performance | 520 cca |
| Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier Torque | Front: 30.0; Rear: 26.0 |
| Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt Torque | Front: 118.0 ft-lbs; Rear: 74.0 ft-lbs |
| ABS Sensor Torque | 6.1 |
| Minimum Pad Thickness | Front: 0.118; Rear: 0.063 in |
| Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for Replacement | Front: .906; Rear: .335 |
| Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness after Refinish | Front: .945; Rear: .346 |
| Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation | .0008 |
| Maximum Rotor Runout | .0016 |
Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.
| Every 7,500 mi | Accelerator Pedal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Hybrid Inverter (inspect coolant level) · Power Steering System (inspect) |
| Every 15,000 mi | Windshield Wiper Blade (replace) |
| Every 22,500 mi | Cabin Air Filter (replace) |
| Every 75,000 mi | Hood Hinge (inspect) |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
The 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV sits at a clear inflection point in the generation’s federal record, with complaints dropping sharply to 66 from 175 (2019) and 171 (2020), and continuing to decline in subsequent model years. Recalls for the 2021 model total 5, a slight reduction from the 8 recorded for 2020, while investigations fall to 1, matching the downward trend seen through 2023. The top complaint category remains the electrical system with 20 reports, though the data does not specify a root cause, and notably there are zero fire complaints for this model year. With 501 technical service bulletins, the 2021 Bolt still carries a higher volume of documented service items than later years, but the overall pattern of fewer complaints and no fire incidents makes it a considerably safer bet than the earlier, more problematic model years.
All 66 complaints on record, top 8 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV vehicles. The high voltage battery could catch fire when charged to full or nearly full capacity. Remedy: Owners are advised to take the following interim steps: Set the Target Charge Level feature in their vehicle to limit the charge level to 90%, charge their vehicle more…
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV vehicles. After a crash with seat belt pretensioner deployment, the pretensioner exhaust may ignite carpet fibers near the B-pillar, causing a… Remedy: Dealers will install metal foil at the carpet near the pretensioner exhaust, and install a pretensioner cover as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed…
Showing 5 of 501 bulletins on record with NHTSA.
| Bulletin | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| PIT5966F | 2026-06-23 | Unknown Or Other | This Preliminary information communicates an issue with an OTA pending message still… |
| PIC6423A | 2026-05-11 | Unknown Or Other | Pi created to provide GM dealers with information on gathering information for projection… |
| PIC6551B | 2026-05-11 | Unknown Or Other | This Preliminary information communicates to dealer to perform a MEC reset for wireless… |
| PIT3271Q | 2026-04-01 | Unknown Or Other | This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel… |
| N25-250552 | 2026-03-20 | Unknown Or Other | Improvements to OnStar functionality. |
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.