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At a launch event last night held in Hawthorne, California, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk introduced the Model 3 sedan. After much anticipation, we were finally given a sneak preview of Tesla’s high volume and low priced electric vehicle for the masses.
So how does it stack up against the Bolt EV?
Price
Set to go into production in 2017, the Model 3 will start at a price of $35,000 U.S. compared to the Bolt EV’s $37,500 MSRP. These prices do not take into account the maximum federal tax credit of $7500 and without it, the Tesla base MSRP is lower than the Bolt’s by $2,500.
Range
Elon stated that the Model 3 has an EPA-estimated range of 215 miles or better and it has the potential to hit the 300 mile range mark with a larger battery. While Chevrolet hasn’t come out with a specific range number other than an estimated 200 miles or more for the Bolt EV, they could left themselves that bit of leeway on purpose in order to later claim a higher range number than the model 3 once it has been revealed. We can’t really put too much stock on the range number provided by either EV manufacturers until real world test numbers are out from reviewers and auto publications.
Acceleration
Chevy’s Bolt EV can go from 0-60 in less than 7 seconds and the Model 3 can go from 0-100km/h in under 6 seconds.
Interior
The Model 3 has a compressed dash which allowed Tesla to position the front seats further forward than normal, thus giving the rear passengers more leg room. As for the interior material quality, the Model 3 is made of similar to what you would find in the Model S and X.
Cargo
Like the Bolt, the Model 3 can seat up to 5 passengers but its cargo dimensions may be longer because you can fit a 7-foot longboard inside it.
And now we get to the fun stuff, all the gadgets and features each model has.
The Bolt EV will come with a standard 10.2-inch diagonal center display screen and 8-inch diagonal driver cluster, optional rear camera mirror, 360 degrees camera view, and optional safety alerts. Tesla’s Model 3 will have a 15 inch center display monitor, standard supercharging and Autopilot safety features. Those features include cruise control, ability to change lanes, self-park and etc. But, if you want to use these features you’ll need to pay an activation fee.