For Tesla and Chevrolet, it has become an electric vehicle market jungle. EVs are coming to the masses and are becoming more price competitive than ever. When the Tesla Model 3 arrives, will it hurt Chevrolet Bolt sales? Let's check out key differences between these two vehicles.
What we are going to compare for this article are their availability, range, charging, speed and torque, and pricing. Although there are other factors, we will have that for another day as the Model 3 is not out yet.
Availability. Let's reflect on a little bit of history first. GM's EV1 was a trailblazer, but its own market of EV is simply too repressed compared with Elon Musk's publicly announced EVs, according to Forbes. Although today, the Chevy Bolt is available now at your local dealerships, while you might have to wait a year or two to get your own Tesla Model 3, that is, if you made a reservation. The Model 3 will require extreme patience.
Range. The Chevrolet Bolt currently is one of the most affordable electric cars offering the best ranges in the market. It has about a 238-mile range.
Meanwhile, Tesla Model 3 has slightly less than that. The base model has a 215-mile range. Yet, Elon Musk's company hasn't given any official details yet. There are estimates out there noting it will be around 215 and 250. Other reports are pointing out it will have a huge battery allowing it to reach 280 miles.
Charging. Chevrolet has partnered with the ChargePoint Network for its Bolt and other EVs. It has about 31,000 total chargers across the US, with only 405 express chargers. This kind of sucks as those are the ones that most people would opt for given that they are fast.
Tesla has its own supercharger network in which all current owners can use for free forever, but is unfortunate for future owners as they have to pay some amount to use it. There are not much information regarding the Model 3, although you can expect it will not come with unlimited use of the supercharger network.
Both have this in the back with good charging networks, but neither is free. Heck, nothing is free these days.
Speed and torque. While both are fast, there will be a clear difference when it comes to their torque. But bear in mind that torque for electric vehicles is kind of different as rpms in EV don't add up all the same way.
The Chevrolet Bolt clocks under 6.5 seconds in a 0-60 run, while the Tesla Model 3 makes it in under 6 seconds. It's a clear winner on this one. Now, Elon Musk hinted that the Model 3 will sport the ludicrous mode, according to a 2016 report by Road and Track.
This could possibly allow the EV to conquer a 0-60 dash in under 4 seconds. While the Chevy has around 266 lb-ft of torque, we are not quite sure with for the Model 3, as the company has not released official numbers as of this writing.
Pricing. There isn't much difference in this category. Tesla Model 3 is priced at $35,000 and reaches around $3800 with the autopilot feature. The Chevrolet Bolt has a price tag of $37,500, with fast charging $38250.
So, if you want an EV right now, the Chevrolet Bolt is for you. But if you can wait a little bit, a year or two, then go for Tesla Model 3. Based on these specifications, the question boils right down to you: Which one would you choose? We will do another article comparing both vehicle's interior and exterior. So stay tuned for that.
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