The New Chevy Bolt vs Tesla Model 3: Which is better EV?

[dsvick]

I haven't changed my stance - so I'm not sure why we now agree.

That was sarcasm

I think the M3 is better in every category even with the extremely limited amount of information that Tesla has put out. The why of it isn't necessary.

Just the fact that you started that sentence with "I think" is proof that it is all subjective. Regarding the ones you posted, sure most people would probably agree. But when you get to others like leather vs cloth, or hatch vs trunk, or just the styling in general you'll get a bunch of people that think the M3 is better and bunch that think the Bolt (or any other car) is better.

Regardless though, I don't think we're going to agree so I'll stop now.

 

[Zythryn]

The question of this post is kinda wrong. Its kinda like asking what car is better the Ford Focus EV or the Tesla Model X.

The M3 will be better simply because its in a different/higher class.

The M3 is in the class with the Audi A3, BMW 3 series and such.


Maybe someone knows what class the Bolt is in.....sub compact?

No, the Bolt will not be a sub compact. It is actually a fairly decent size/form factor at the cost of aerodynamics.

The reason for the comparisons is they will be within 10% of each other, price wise.

No one can really answer that question at this point though, as the cars don't exist.

Which one will have better availability? GM is huge and has the production potential to make millions of Bolts a year. However, they don't have the supply of batteries to do so. Neither do they plan to build nearly as many Bolts as Tesla plans to build Model 3s.

Bolts will likely be much cheaper and faster to repair than Model 3s.

Bolts will be available for purchase

 

[davidc18]

We were really looking forward to checking out the Bolt, but after getting in the 3 qtr blow out sale, we ended up with another Tesla.

The positives for Tesla.

1. We already have a HPWC
2. We are very familiar and comfortable with the MS and its faults
3. We are very familiar with the MS and its many strengths
4. We do use the supercharger network several times a month
5. It is sitting in the garage right now

I can't speak to the Bolt at all until it arrives here in South Florida and I am still interested in seeing it in person.

 

[brucet999]

I would offer that if 10% of Americans would drive an EV, one of them would buy an EV. That's roughly 80,000 EV's a year for the US alone. That's how big these numbers are.

I think your statistical presentation needs work.
What you have said is that if 10% (30 million) of Americans would test drive an EV, one would buy. Not a very good result.
If you meant that 1 in ten who test drive would buy, resulting in 80,000 EVs purchased, that would mean 800,000 test drives, divided by 10% of population taking test drives, makes the US population 8 million.

Maybe you meant 10% of car shoppers? US auto sales are running about 17 million per year. If 10% of buyers test drove EVs and one in ten of those (1% of buyers) bought one, there would be 170,000 EVs purchased in the year.

 

[Red Sage]

We'll have to agree to disagree then. It isn't a score sheet where you add up points and the one with the most wins. Even if it is. if you send the same score sheet to 100 different people you'll get wide range of scores and final answers. It most certainly is based (at least partially) on opinion...
0-60 is not subjective - true
range is not subjective - true
size is not subjective - yes it is, bigger or smaller does not make something better
weight is not subjective - yes it is, some want a heavy car for stability, some want a lighter car for mileage.
leather vs cloth is not subjective - of course it is, ask any animal rights proponent which is better.
price is not subjective. - true

Even a couple of the ones that are true could be argued the other way. As soon as you start including peoples opinions and feelings there is no cut and dried evaluation that will give you "better", there is only better as it relates to whoever is doing the evaluating.

Heh. You have reminded me of the seven questions...

• Who are you?
• What do you want?
• Who do you trust?
• Whom do you serve?
• Where are you going?
• Why are you here?
• Do you have anything to live for?

Bonus +42 to those who recognize that series of queries.

 

[McRat]

I think your statistical presentation needs work.
What you have said is that if 10% (30 million) of Americans would test drive an EV, one would buy. Not a very good result.
If you meant that 1 in ten who test drive would buy, resulting in 80,000 EVs purchased, that would mean 800,000 test drives, divided by 10% of population taking test drives, makes the US population 8 million.

Maybe you meant 10% of car shoppers? US auto sales are running about 17 million per year. If 10% of buyers test drove EVs and one in ten of those (1% of buyers) bought one, there would be 170,000 EVs purchased in the year.

Must have been off my meds. 8 million passenger cars a year sold (rounded), means roughly 8 million car buyers. 10% try an EV - 800,000. 10% buy - 80,000.

Not including light trucks and SUVs. Yes, including light trucks and SUVs 170,000, but I doubt there is much overlap in that market.

 

[Red Sage]

Of course, unless to add "to me" - or "to you" - or "to him" - or "to her" - or something

Tom Leykis, one of my favorite radio talk show hosts, has said many times that almost anything a man says to a woman can be made 'a little bit more true' by adding these phrases to the end:

• ...to you.
• ...with you.
• ...for you.

It always cracks me up when I point that out to women, and they realize it is true. I demonstrate by giving these starter phrases:

• I don't want to get married...
• I don't want to have kids...
• I don't need to be faithful...

And then wait as they fill in the last two words on their own.

 

[SageBrush]

Tom Leykis, one of my favorite radio talk show hosts, has said many times that almost anything a man says to a woman can be made 'a little bit more true' by adding these phrases to the end:

• ...to you.
• ...with you.
• ...for you.

It always cracks me up when I point that out to women, and they realize it is true. I demonstrate by giving these starter phrases:

• I don't want to get married...
• I don't want to have kids...
• I don't need to be faithful...

And then wait as they fill in the last two words on their own.

I imagine the context being a conversation between two people, perhaps on a date sitting across from one another at a table. It is not exactly surprising that sentences that start with 'I' end with 'you,' stated or otherwise. A clever woman would yawn and answer

• I am easily bored ...

 

[dgpcolorado]

...1. Because I live in the Catskills of NY, the closest Tesla dealer is about 130 miles away. So if I need service what do I do? ...

That close! Lucky you! (I am 339 miles from the Denver Service Center and 377 miles from the Salt Lake City Service Center. Things are spread out here in the rural Intermountain West.) If I need service and the car is driveable I am expected to bring it to a Service Center. If the car isn't driveable they will come to me for warranty service.

Anyway, I agree with the others that with the criteria you laid out the Bolt looks as if it would be a better fit for your needs.

 

[Garlan Garner]

No, the Bolt will not be a sub compact. It is actually a fairly decent size/form factor at the cost of aerodynamics.

The reason for the comparisons is they will be within 10% of each other, price wise.

No one can really answer that question at this point though, as the cars don't exist.

Which one will have better availability? GM is huge and has the production potential to make millions of Bolts a year. However, they don't have the supply of batteries to do so. Neither do they plan to build nearly as many Bolts as Tesla plans to build Model 3s.

Bolts will likely be much cheaper and faster to repair than Model 3

Bolts will be available for purchase

Cars don't exist in the same class because of price.

The MS and a Porsche911 aren't in the same class but they certainly compete. Why? The Porsche911 primary purpose is speed and the MS beats it in its own class therefore the MS is invited to Porsche's class by default.

 

[Garlan Garner]

Must have been off my meds. 8 million passenger cars a year sold (rounded), means roughly 8 million car buyers. 10% try an EV - 800,000. 10% buy - 80,000.

Not including light trucks and SUVs. Yes, including light trucks and SUVs 170,000, but I doubt there is much overlap in that market.

There are indeed a lot of fleet cars out there that are included in that number. Cabs and such.

 

[Red Sage]

I imagine the context being a conversation between two people, perhaps on a date sitting across from one another at a table. It is not exactly surprising that sentences that start with 'I' end with 'you,' stated or otherwise. A clever woman would yawn and answer

• I am easily bored ...

Uhm... by you?

 

[SageBrush]

Uhm... by you?

Certainly possible, but not in the way described... ;-)

 

[Bonlaw]

I am on my third S and husband on second Volt. The Volt lease is very reasonable and the car is great. A lot of top electronic features, drives nicely, and is peppy. We rarely use gas, maybe a couple of gallons a year. Each serves a different purpose. We love both of "our children" - admittedly I am partial to my S.

Volt, Bolt, Leaf, Tesla. They are all wonderful vehicles.

 

[Model 3]

Each serves a different purpose.

Volt, Bolt, Leaf, Tesla. They are all wonderful vehicles.

Exactly, each is a great car - for its purpose. So everybody have to decide what purpose their car will fill, and what type of usage it will get, and then decide "which car is the best car/BEV for my purpose/usage?".

 

[McRat]

Tesla has made the best EVs in history so far, and hopefully continues to hold that distinction forever.

But the Best EV ever made has not been made yet. Our children will see superior EVs than we do today.

Does that mean we have to wait for an EV? No. Today, there are freeway capable EVs in the USA from under $10k if you shop around, so income is not as critical as it was just a few years ago.

Live in a remote area where there is no remote charging infrastructure? There are some very good PHEV's today. This was not true 7 years ago.

If you wait for the Best Car, you will see this is the Golden Age of the automobile, it's not 1973, when cars seemed to get worse and worse every year. There has been more improvements in automotive technology in the last 20 years than the previous 50. Each year the cars are getting significantly better.

 

[McRat]

I am on my third S and husband on second Volt. The Volt lease is very reasonable and the car is great. A lot of top electronic features, drives nicely, and is peppy. We rarely use gas, maybe a couple of gallons a year. Each serves a different purpose. We love both of "our children" - admittedly I am partial to my S.

Volt, Bolt, Leaf, Tesla. They are all wonderful vehicles.

Well said. I wish my wife would accept a Model S, but so far she vetoes it. She does like driving the Volts, but the kids took off with them.

My guess is a 200 mi class EV smaller than the S might change her opinion if she gets behind the wheel for awhile. So the business will buy a Bolt when they are released and she will eventually have to get behind the wheel. My guess is it will be everything the Volt is, but better, which could sway her from her dislike of the BEV concept.

 

[nexsuperne101]

The Bolt won't be released to the UK market, so the only comparison is Nissan Leaf Vs Model 3. The Leaf currently wins, and will do for at least another 2.5-3 years, as it is actually here. By Q4 2019, I expect to see a 250-300 mile range Leaf, the Google car, The Apple car and everything else, including Faraday Future. Hopefully, Tesla will prove me seriously wrong and release to the UK in 2018, but I can't see that happening. The Model 3 is still the coolest looking car, but even I would have seriously considered the Bolt, had it been available, if just for the range and sub 7 second 0-60, which compared to my current 2014, 85 mile 11 second 0-60mph Leaf, would be blistering performance.

 

[BluestarE3]

By Q4 2019, I expect to see a 250-300 mile range Leaf, the Google car, The Apple car and everything else, including Faraday Future.

Other than the rumored longer range Leaf 2, I don't expect to see any of these other mentioned cars appearing on the road for regular folks by that timeframe. Google wants to sell/license their technology to automakers rather than sell their own branded car; Apple has scaled back and retrenched Project Titan; Faraday Future is spending and hiring like crazy, but hasn't shown anybody anything, so who knows what they'll have by then.

 

[Zythryn]

Heh. You have reminded me of the seven questions...

• Why are you here?...

"I have always been here"

"No BOOM today, boom tomorrow, there's always a boom tomorrow."