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The Best EV?

4K views 16 replies 14 participants last post by  Dillon 
#1 ·
Hey guys,

I'm a new forum member whos been sitting on the EV fence for quite some time. It seems as though the Bolt still sits well above that of the alternatives and I just want to see what the daily drivers/owners have to say about the car. I know there's a lot of rumored EV's to be joining the scene, but it looks like most are a good while away from production.
 
#2 · (Edited)
I am afraid that you will find that opinions are just that. The only opinion that counts is yours. A California opinion is not the same as a Nebraska one (if you live in Kansas). I say this because infrastructure has a lot to do with satisfaction. Get yourself in a position to test drive one, and not just a 20 minute drive. The best way is not at a Dealer, but with another Bolt owner, if possible. The Forum may be of great help in this regard. Come to WV and you may drive my Bolt! My wife and I both hold the Bolt in high regards, for safety, comfort, convenience, and ecological soundness. But you will find others here who are not as sold on the concept or model. Don't be swayed by the one who speaks the loudest (most frequently). There is always an argument to be made for waiting. There are always improvement to hope for. Those of us on the Forum who bought/leased already, are "innovators" who felt the wait was not worth it to us. Make up your own mind. You won't lose $30K if you decide to sell it.
 
#4 ·
What is your criteria for best?

In my mind, the first thing to figure out is what range is needed and what utilitarian features you're looking for. Then you need to figure out what you're willing to spend to fulfill those requirements. For example, people with large dogs may not want a Spark EV due to the small hatch space. Others may not need the range of the Bolt since they only plan to use the vehicle locally. Maybe drag racing speed is important to some.

It seems the Bolt does most everything well, but is not best in any particular category except for lowest cost per mile of range.
 
#5 ·
Welcome Dillon

I strongly urge you to first examine & consider your (or your households) driving habits and needs. Will an EV fit your requirements and lifestyle. What's the best EV for one may not be the best for another.

What about an EV appeals to you most? Environmental concerns? Financial savings? The thrill every time you step on the accelerator? :x

You may want to look at RedPoint's EV/ICE Total Cost of Ownership tool here.

To actually answer your post; As of this moment, in terms of BEV value and affordability, there are no other alternatives to the Bolt. None. Nada.

Everything else is vaporware.
 
#6 ·
Right now, if you really want to do long-distance road travel, nothing beats the Tesla supercharger network. But for certain areas of the country, the non-Tesla Level 3 charger network isn't bad. The Bolt is pretty much the best combo of long-range and price that is readily available. It's fast, it's comfortable, it's got a reasonably good set of features. As long as the range is enough for your typical needs, it's a good choice. Of course, if you've been waiting for a few years, there's going to be many more choices if you just wait a few years more. But we're all getting older, the Bolt does the job, and I have no pressing needs that will be met if I just wait a few years more.
 
#7 ·
The first question is "is electric right for me" - and that primarily revolves around your range needs and whether or not you have the capability to charge the car at home.

The second question is "is the Bolt the right electric car for me"? Range is also important here - if your needs are for a car that can do 60 to 100 miles and you never have to face severely cold weather conditions then another, cheaper car with a smaller battery might be more appropriate. But if you need a longer range or if you need a lesser range in severe conditions, then the Bolt is the most affordable vehicle that can do the job right now.

If the question is "is the Bolt a decent electric car", my answer would be a resounding "yes".
 
#8 · (Edited)
I had three main criteria:

Range: 200+ miles

Price: Under $40,000

Availability: Available, without a two or three year waitlist

Based on these three requirements, the choice wasn’t very difficult.

Now that I’ve owned the Bolt for nearly a year, I can also add that it’s a great car.

It’s quick, fun to drive, and has been completely trouble free.
 
#9 ·
X2 on all the above. FWIW, Dillon, I sat on the EV fence for two years, knowing an EV was the best for our everyday use now. The spreadsheet never came up positive, as we had two paid-for ICEs in the garage. Finally, we just decided to go for it and have been smiling ever since.

jack vines
 
#10 ·
In general, the newest one...EVs are changing so rapidly that as new ones come out they are usually better then ones that came out awhile ago. That said I think the Bolt was a quantum leap and is still strong compared to any newcomer. If you like longer trips, get a Tesla....Supercharging is pretty sweet and the bolt even with the fast charger can't hold a candle to a Tesla.
Just my opinions!
 
#11 ·
If you like longer trips, get a Tesla....Just my opinions!
Just my opinion, and I'm a hard-core EV urban user, but long trips are not yet and not in the foreseeable future an EV mission. Yes, of course, one can eventually get there in an EV, (Actually, many of the trips we make here in the intermountain west may not yet be possible in an EV, especially in winter.) but it's like driving cross-country as opposed to flying. One makes a personal choice to drive instead of fly, but it's not usually the quickest and/or most economical way to cross the continent. Whatever works for you is what you should do. Just don't expect everyone to agree longer trips in an EV is the best choice on the matrix.

jack vines
 
#15 ·
I too was on the fence. Actually, I wasn't even on the fence. I had resigned myself to getting another ICE car, and I knew I had to get a new car soon, as my 16 year old Honda Accord was beginning to show signs of needing yet another transmission. But then the state of California raised gas prices by another 12 cents a gallon. My commute wasn't getting any easier, and I was envious of the folks driving their Teslas in the HOV lanes. And there was this guy at work who told me about his Nissan Leaf - including laments about the range. So I started looking around, and discovered that two cars would suit my needs: an affordable EV with decent range. These are the Tesla Model 3 Standard and Chevy Bolt. The Tesla Model 3 Standard was (and still is) not available, but the Chevy Bolt can be purchased today. After rebates, the purchase cost is about the same as an ICE car (about $26,000 net base price here in California), but the cost of operation is much lower than an ICE car or a hybrid. Energy costs are less than half, and the only maintenance items are tires and wiper blades. The coolants and transmission oil are good for over 100,000 miles.

It has taken a little getting used to life with an electric car, particularly the charging. The long range of the Bolt makes this much more tolerable than earlier EVs. I only need to charge once a week. Having a level 2 home charging station is a big plus, but I can also charge at work. And it gives me some comfort to know my car is powered by sunshine (from the solar cells on my home's roof): zero carbon footprint. Hopefully my CAV decals will arrive soon, so I can join the Teslas (and the increasing numbers of Bolts) in the car pool lanes.

What I didn't expect was how much fun the car is to drive. It is not like driving a Prius. With 200 hp from a dead stop, it jumps off the line: full throttle simply doesn't work, as the wheels spin and the traction control takes over. Throttle response is instantaneous: the motor responds immediately. There is no need to shift gears or rev up the engine. Indeed, there is no transmission or clutch. Freeway passing is impressive too. Handling is great, since the half ton of batteries is buried below the floor boards and it has a nice stiff suspension. One foot driving makes heavy traffic much easier to cope with: simply roll the accelerator on and off as traffic speeds up and slows down, with little need to ever use the brakes.
 
#17 ·
Wow thanks for all the responses, suggestions and opinions on the car guys! I definitely think the main draw to this EV over others is its range capability, and availability at local dealerships. Wont be necessarily using it for long road trips, but I definitely think id be more comfortable with an EV that sits towards the higher end range of what's currently on the market. I live in Canada, so the cold weather is certainly a factor, and I know that it has a pretty noticeable impact on EV efficiency. I know there are many newer EV's in the pipeline, but I'd feel more comfortable buying something that's been established and seen some revisions.
 
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