--- title: "Next-Gen Chevy Bolt Will Ditch Confusing Brake Light Setup: Report" date: "2024-08-05" modified: "2024-08-05" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/tech/next-gen-chevy-bolt-is-losing-the-weird-taillights-you-all-hated-report" categories: - "Car Tech" - "Chevrolet News" - "Electric Vehicles" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "Bolt" - "Chevrolet" - "compact" - "Electric Vehicle" --- # Next-Gen Chevy Bolt Will Ditch Confusing Brake Light Setup: Report ![Image of the rear of a 2022-2023 Chevrolet Bolt braking in the daylight, where you can see the upper taillights aren't lit and the actual brake lights are near the bottom of the bumper.]() *\The Drive\* When following a newer [Chevrolet]() Bolt or Bolt EUV in traffic, you might expect its brake lights to be the sleek-looking split LED lamps right below the rear window. Nope—those are merely the running lights and turn signals. The *actual* brake lights are mounted much further down by the rear bumper, which can confuse other drivers. But GM could be ditching that odd design choice for a more conventional setup in the next-generation [Chevy Bolt](). According to [a report from *GM Authority*](), the upcoming Bolt will have brake lights positioned much higher on the rear, presumably packaged with the running lights and turn signals, right where you'd expect them to be. While it was never a massive safety issue, some 2022 and 2023 Bolt owners have [expressed]() [concern]() that drivers of high-riding SUVs or pickups, [like the Silverado HD](), might not be able to see the car's low brake lights and instead rely solely on the top-mounted third brake light, which is arguably easier to miss. Customers who are interested in trading in their current Bolt for a future model may be pleased to learn that Chevy has supposedly come around on that design. ![]() **Chevrolet** Why is the Bolt's rear lighting situation so weird? [Countless regulations dictate]() where brake lights can be, and naturally those often determine where car designers put them. One such rule is that all vehicles sold in the United States require at least one set of "fixed" brake lights—meaning they can't be on any moving body part, such as a tailgate. As the Bolt's upper taillights are mostly part of the tailgate, Chevy needed to add additional brake lights below it, that would remain visible no matter what position the gate was in. Trouble is, other drivers would naturally expect the upper lights to indicate braking, as is the case with nearly every other car on the road. We say "nearly" because Chevy isn't alone. Several other automakers use funky separate taillight/brake light combinations, with one of the most recent offenders being the [2024 Hyundai Santa Fe](). Some have been quite clever about the placement, though. The [BMW iX](), for example, has a discrete pair of lights *inside* the tailgate door jambs; the old [Buick Cascada]()'s trunk was the same way. On those cars, the extra brake lights serve as backups when the normal ones can't be seen. Only time will tell if Chevy opts for that approach or an even more conventional one when the new Bolt eventually debuts. *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()