Tesla ModeModel 3 vs. Chevy Bolt

[ℬête Noire]

My from the wall electricity inputs into the Bolt are about 8% more than what the Bolt is using...so that is inline with charging losses.

Not sure what you're basing that on but it seems highly unlikely.

https://www.veic.org/docs/Transportation/20130320-EVT-NRA-Final-Report.pdf

That's measuring about 15% loss wall to battery.

 

[ℬête Noire]

Stopping on regenerative braking alone isn't just about time and distance, it's about control. With a Bolt at low speeds, I can modulate the regenerative braking force across a wide range of strengths. I can stop slower or faster as desired. With the Model 3, I don't have that option. It is going to be slow. If I don't start stopping in time, or misjudge where a car in front of me is going to stop, my only means of correction is the friction brakes. That's just the way the Model 3 works. With the Model 3, a regenerative stop isn't just a slow stop, it is an uncontrolled stop: it's gonna do what it's gonna do. If you've taught yourself to (mostly) stop that way, that's fine. I got no beef with you.

????

 

[seattlite2004]

"Using the brake" and putting your foot on the pedal are two different things. I move it towards there "just in case".

Yup, where-as I'm finding so far that Model 3 regen in fine for any corner without a need for the equivalent to "paddle cheat". Pretty sure this is chalked up to far superior cornering.

Not really a "cheat"...I dont like rounding the corner at a high speed...but I do approach it rather quickly...so depressing the paddle and feathering the accell....bleeds off enough speed so that corner speed is to my liking.

 

[seattlite2004]

Not sure what you're basing that on but it seems highly unlikely.

https://www.veic.org/docs/Transportation/20130320-EVT-NRA-Final-Report.pdf

That's measuring about 15% loss wall to battery.

I like this one also: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544217303730

 

[ℬête Noire]

Not really a "cheat"...

It is if you're calling it 'one pedal'.

 

[ℬête Noire]

I like this one also: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544217303730

"The experiments were conducted on two BMW MiniE vehicles."

 

[rachelhikes]

I wouldn't advise that, seeing how the Bolt only has 4 star crash ratings for frontal and side impact. For your family's sake, if you have access to a Model 3, please drive them around in a Model 3.

The Bolt is a pretty safe car. I'm comfortable with its safety. It compares favorably, for example, with a Tesla Model S in the IIHS tests (the Model 3 IIHS tests for the Model 3 are not all in yet):

 

[rachelhikes]

With a Bolt at low speeds, I can modulate the regenerative braking force across a wide range of strengths..

????

I can press or release the pedal to different degrees, causing the braking force to be stronger or weaker. I apologize for any ambiguity.

 

[ℬête Noire]

I can press or release the pedal to different degrees, causing the braking force to be stronger or weaker. I apologize for any ambiguity.

The brake pedal? Not the paddle, right?

 

[drawfour]

I can press or release the pedal to different degrees, causing the braking force to be stronger or weaker. I apologize for any ambiguity.

Same with the Model 3. I can continue to push a little on the accelerator pedal, and it will reduce my regen, reducing how much I slow down. If I push it just right, I can "coast".

 

[Gavyne]

The Bolt is a pretty safe car. I'm comfortable with its safety. It compares favorably, for example, with a Tesla Model S in the IIHS tests (the Model 3 IIHS tests for the Model 3 are not all in yet):

From NHTSA tests, Bolt only has 4 star ratings for front passenger side for frontal crash, and 4 stars for rear passenger for side crash.

You are telling me you are happy to put your family in this:

I get people choosing to drive the Bolt when they can't afford a Model 3, or you drive a Bolt when you are by yourself. Yes Bolt has good qualities, but let's not pretend Bolt is even on the same level playing field as the Model 3. I don't know how anybody can feel good about driving their families around in a Bolt when they have access to a Model 3.

But sure, let's go back to talk about how great the Bolt is over Model 3 due to its superior one-pedal driving system.

 

[Glamisduner]

I seldom choose to respond to every point someone else makes in a discussion. Doing so tends to create expanding posts where each reply is longer than the one that precedes it. Generally, I pick a point to which I think I have the most interesting thing to say and just reply to that one. And I think lots of people do that sort of thing. So, in general, assuming that when someone doesn't reply to a point, that the reason is because they don't have an answer is ill-advised.

Stopping on regenerative braking alone isn't just about time and distance, it's about control. With a Bolt at low speeds, I can modulate the regenerative braking force across a wide range of strengths. I can stop slower or faster as desired. With the Model 3, I don't have that option. It is going to be slow. If I don't start stopping in time, or misjudge where a car in front of me is going to stop, my only means of correction is the friction brakes. That's just the way the Model 3 works. With the Model 3, a regenerative stop isn't just a slow stop, it is an uncontrolled stop: it's gonna do what it's gonna do. If you've taught yourself to (mostly) stop that way, that's fine. I got no beef with you.

I have driven both and fully agree with the bolt having superior regen braking. Some people I talk to about the paddle think it's stupid, (you mean there's one more thing I need to learn to use to drive?), but once you learn to regen brake in an EV it only makes sense to have a way to adjust the regen brake on the fly, and to apply hard regen when you know your going to stop.

I also really like the hatchback style cargo space and android auto.

Picking a decent non black color isn't going to cost 1000's of dollars, and it does not come with rims that have plastic hubcaps.

360 camera was nifty, as is the full rear-view screen in the mirror.

Other than that, EVERYTHING is better about the model 3.

The drivers seat is tiny on the bolt, I almost bought one when I thought the tax credit was going away, but the seats really turned me off. Not acceptable for the price of this car.

 

[dendenyc]

Even if they had better colors, the car looks like an upside down bathtub. It doesn’t matter what color it is.

Yooooooooo...spitting venom, he said upside down bathtub hahaha

 

[ChrisH]

Yooooooooo...spitting venom, he said upside down bathtub hahaha

Does it not though?! Lol

 

[seattlite2004]

It is if you're calling it 'one pedal'.

There is pedal and then there is paddle. But yeah...wish there was an L+ on the shifter...but more aggressive regen on demand via paddles...yeah...I kinda like it...lots of options for control.

 

[ℬête Noire]

I have driven both and fully agree with the bolt having superior regen braking.

I'll give it a few months to be sure but at this point I'm finding AWD flips it for me. "L" strength without the jerky onset, I'll take that in a heartbeat over the paddle and even the regen to full stop (both of which I still very much like, BTW).

 

[rachelhikes]

The brake pedal? Not the paddle, right?

I drive the Bolt in L mode. Low pedal pressure on the "accelerator" brakes the car, high pedal pressure accelerates the car. I don't touch the paddle at all. I have no reflex to use it, and by the time I remember it's there, it's too late.

 

[ℬête Noire]

There is pedal and then there is paddle. But yeah...wish there was an L+ on the shifter...but more aggressive regen on demand via paddles...yeah...I kinda like it...lots of options for control.

Then what's the point of "one pedal" if it's braking spread across a bunch of controls?

 

[ℬête Noire]

Low "accelerator" pedal force brakes the car, high pedal force accelerates the car.

You haven't driven the Model 3 then and don't realize that's the case with it, as well?

 

[seattlite2004]

Then what's the point of "one pedal" if it's spread across a bunch of controls?

You are using only one Pedal in L mode...one doesnt need to push on the paddle...you know this.