Compare Chevy Bolt to Tesla Model 3

The Model 3 selling price for a stripper is $35000 + destination fee + Tesla BS fee. The Bolt may have a MSRP of $37500 but will be selling for less + dealer BS fee. I believe a lot of the Bolt's options will be standard in the stripped Model 3.

Tesla's attitude is that you can charge anywhere there is electricity. Can the Bolt plug into 110v, J1772, & Chademo? We know it won't plug into Tesla Superchargers or destination chargers.

I believe Tesla will support the Model 3 with software upgrades and may eventually sell a bigger battery to the owner. GM's attitude for the Bolt will be--no upgrades for you.

I have more faith in Tesla resolving whatever issues appear than with Mr. Goodwrench's attitude of "It's supposed to do that." GM blamed owners, not their own substandard or defective ignition switches when the cars turned themselves off. Tesla retroactively improved their warranty coverage for the Model S to include (unintentionally) running over a road hazard.

Will GM's warranty match or exceed Tesla's? I doubt it.

I believe the Model 3 will have a full 5 star safety rating. I'll be surprised if the Bolt has a 5 star safety rating.

As I said, "I'll eat my own vomit before I buy another GM vehicle." I placed a reservation on a Model 3 although I may not order the car.

 

Good points. No need to throw up!

Now watch this:
For the sake of simplicity I ignore dealer fees, taxes, mostly reference to rebates, etc. and the prices are not recently confirmed but in the end exact prices don't matter. I am showing a trend.
2016-17 Volt listed at US$ 35,000 - Can$ 40,000 (50 miles EV range)
2016 Leaf listed around US$ 35,000 - Can$ 40,000 (101 miles range)
2017 Bolt said to be around US$ 37,000 - Can$ unknown (said to have 200 miles range)
2018 (?) Tesla 3 - said to be US$ 35,000 - Can$ unknown (said to have 215 miles range - or more?)

2016 Prius, depending on modes and options Can$ 26,000 to 31,000.
The Can$ 40,000 Volt qualifies for a $11,517 Ontario Govt. Incentive. This makes the price of the base Volt about equal to the price of a 2016 Prius - broadly speaking.

Now if you were Toyota, how would you price the 2017 Prius Prime (plug-in) with 22 miles EV range? (In either currency!)

According the Tony Seba's "Clean Disruption of Energy and Transportation" (check on Amazon) the average price of a car/SUV in the US is around $31,000. Now if you are on the market for a car, and can get one for $35,0000 (less rebates!), which runs like a Porsche, good quality, seats 5 AND free "fill-ups" on your long trips at least, which car would you buy? On the cost of gas you save over the ownership of the car, you can probable send one kid to collage. You do the math!

And I am convinced that an SUV version of the Model 3 is on the drawing boards at Tesla.

I am looking for a replacement of my 2008 Prius. I looked at the new Prius. I found it too plasticky (cheap) even to my current car. I will need to test drive it. But I will definitely look at the 2017 VOLT (Yes, I never thought that I will ever step into a GM dealership either, but things change.) Maybe wait for the Prius Prime (2017?) if the price is OK.

Remain undecided
Laszlo

 

i'm sure there will be people who buy each, it's not that clear cut.

as for prime pricing, that's going to depend on how badly toyota wants to sell the car.

 

2017 Bolt EV: All-Electric Vehicle | Chevrolet

 

Bolt is design like the fit lots of room & cargo space! Technology handed down from the volt yes most likely you can get one by next year charge at home or stations. Model 3 awesome looking less cargo room faster and maybe a little more claim range! put a down payment now maybe you get one if your lucky in 3-4 years baring and problems! Get ready to wait IN line to use charging stations, as I see out in silicone valley tesla are nesting at charge stations! Makes more sense to go with a prius plugin or Volt. Going out of town where there no charge station no problem! Big problem if you have a EV only!

 

My point exactly. It seems the the US$35,000 price range is getting crowded with a choice of very nice list of fine plug-in cars, each can do more than 22 miles in EV mode. And more coming from Hyundai. Their "Prius killer" Hybrid is also 22 miles rated - I think, need to check. They can't possible sell in the same price range as a 200+ miles plugin. On the top of it the various rebates favor the bigger batteries, and rightly so. So after rebate (Ontario) a C$ 40,000 Volt will cost the same as a plugless Prius. The Hyundai plug-in Sonata with 9.8 KW battery qualifies for C$8,460, which is about what the Prius Prime will get.

That said I should visit my neighborhood Hyundai dealer too.

We live in exiting times!
Laszlo

 

but they are all different vehicles for different purposes. buyers will weigh the pluses and minuses of each, price being one of them, and make their decision on the overall balance of how it fits their needs and desires.

 

Watch the test drive videos of folks exciting the back seats; several were less than fluid shall we say. There is a video of one of the Bolt test mules at CES where the reviewer was about 6'2" or so who sat in the back with the driver's seat still positioned for him and he was fine.

 

I tried a Tesla S - their Toronto showroom. I banged my head when trying to get out. Others also complained. As you mature (age - lol) you loose some of your flexibility. I can get into a Ferrari Dino, but I can't get out!

But, it seems that by 2018 there will be a lot of US$35,000 environmentally friendly cars to pick from, depending what you like/need. And that is good.

Laszlo

 

The product comparison is interesting, however, to me, the companies standing behind their product is very important. What has happened in the last couple of days with the advance sales of Model 3 proves what Tesla can do, that GM could NEVER do!.

Musk, is a visionary, engineer, has a very, very strong, loyal following - GM, well, wishful thinking.

I'd go with the Model 3.

DBCassidy

 

Thanks for your thoughts.

I will test drive a Hyundai Hybrid next week. It is impossible to get into a Volt to test. The 2017s are not here yet. A local dealer wanted me to order one - hahh. I am not that adventurous.

As for the new Prius. Inside it is too "plasticky" to me. It looks outright cheap. (At the level or one notch above the interior of our iMiEV, but that we bought as a runabout.) My 2008 Prius is much nicer appointed inside, even after 8 years of use. I have all kind of goodies, like auto-dim rear view mirror with garage door opener, auto-dimming/courtesy lights etc. OK these features are not must haves but we got used to them. The garage door opener comes with the 'super option' package of the top model of the 2016 Prius. There is all kinds of tech stuff (options) in the base or technology versions but these were put in at the expense of the nicer interior. Will drive one next week.

Maybe I will wait till the Prius Prime - next year. But if it is priced comparably to the Hyundai plug-in and assuming the same Ont. Govt. 'incentive' - same drive battery size, the Volt beats both of those on price. Yes, I know GM is not Toyota but one must leave dangerously - eh?

Cheers
Laszlo

 

I try the volt gen2 before to buy my v and honestly the volt is top noth notting bad to say me and my wife were both sold on it but in the end there was not enough cargo space for us so we take the v after six month I love my v but dream on the volt..... for reliability i did a lot of research on Volt gen1 I invite you to do the same as it get better customer satisfaction than Prius

 

Lots of stuff here. I will try to hit all the items I noticed above:

The Bolt EV price is "not more than" $37,500 US and includes the $~900 destination fee. GM has hinted that the final price may be slightly less.

The Tesla Model 3 price of $35,000 may not include the destination fee so the actual Bolt vs Model 3 base price differential may be closer to $1,500 rather than $2,500. Of course, we don't know what the standard equipment is between the cars so that might account for some of the remaining difference.

The Bolt EV seats 5, not 4. It will support up to 32A (around 7,200 kW) AC charging. It will
Also support DC charging using CCS at a rate of at least 50 kW and perhaps somewhat more. It will be capable of adding 90 miles of range in 30 minutes and charging 0-80% in 60 minutes.

The 2016-2017 Volt has an MSRP of about $33,200, not $35,000.

The Hyundai Ioniq PHEV is supposed to get around 27 miles of EV range.

We don't know the Tesla Model 3 charging specs although the battery is rumored to be between 55 and less than 60 kWh. The Model S with a 60 kWh pack charges 0 to 80% in about 45-55 minutes, not 0-90% in 30 minutes. Tesla's with larger battery packs charge faster.

 

Model S, why?, when I see a company aiming for the heavens (Space X), I see vision, the ability to push the envelope, and drive to get there. It is perhaps these reasons and others, I haven't mentioned that puts Tesla at the leader of the pack.

I honestly can not sat the same for GM.

DBCassidy

 

"General Motors developed and delivered the inertial guidance and navigation systems for the entire Apollo moon program (including Apollo 11, the first manned landing, in 1969) and was also responsible for all mobility systems and components of the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) that the Apollo 15 astronauts first drove on the moon in 1971."

GM Goes to the Moon - Generations of GM

 

That was 47 years ago. What have you done for me lately? Pushing the envelope for concealing defective and substandard ignition switches?

 

I'm not a GM fanboy, just pointing out the facts. As to lately, how about the subject of this thread?