Chevrolet Bolt EV Courtesy Bulb Size

The Chevrolet Bolt EV courtesy light utilizes 194 and 12961 bulb sizes for the interior lighting system. Data for the specified components spans from 2017 through 2023.

The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.

Bulb Size by Year Range

Years	Bulb Size
2023	194
2021	194
2019	12961 (Trunk Light, Map Light Front Center AND For Vehicle With Value Added Assembly Roof Trim (VRK))
2017-2018	12961

Bulb Specifications

Description	Bulb Size
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T10). 12V, 3.78W.	194
Philips part number. Miniature wedge bulb (T10) with W2.1x9.5d base. 12V, 5W.	12961

Other Locations

Additional Notes

The 194 and 12961 bulbs both occupy the T10 miniature wedge form factor, meaning they share the same physical housing shape despite originating from different classification systems. The 194 follows the ANSI standard used across the United States and Canada, while the 12961 is a Philips part number carrying the W2.1x9.5d base designation.
The two bulb types differ in power draw. The 194 operates at 3.78W on a 12V circuit, whereas the 12961 operates at 5W on the same voltage. This difference means the 12961 draws approximately 32 percent more current than the 194, which is relevant when evaluating socket and circuit load tolerances.
The Chevrolet Bolt EV uses the 194 bulb for courtesy lighting in the 2021 and 2023 model years, and the 12961 bulb for the 2017-2019 model years, indicating that the two types are not interchangeable across all model years without accounting for the wattage difference.
For the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV, the 12961 bulb applies specifically to the trunk light and front center map light, with an additional fitment condition noted for vehicles equipped with the Value Added Assembly Roof Trim package, identified by option code VRK. Vehicles without that package may have a different courtesy lighting configuration for those positions.