Before the Chevy Bolt came out, 200 was the number to beat for electric cars. The general consensus was any new EV needed to be able to go at least 200 miles on a full charge for it to be competitive and practical for most drivers. In real-world testing, the Chevy Bolt sees your 200 and raises you 50.
According to a test run by Consumer Reports, 250 miles is the real-life range of the Bolt. The test in question was in mixed driving, but mostly going 65 mph on the highway. It’s worth noting that the air conditioning and heat were off to squeeze as many miles as possible out of the EV’s battery.
250 miles is an impressive number but what makes it even more impressive is the fact that it beats the Tesla Model S 75D (235 miles) and the Model X 90D (230 miles) in range on a full charge. More miles for much less money makes the Bolt extremely competitive in the growing EV segment.
As if that wasn’t enough, the Chevy even beats its own EPA estimated range of 238 miles. By comparison, the two Teslas it went up against underperformed their EPA numbers both by over 20 miles. That’s not really a knock against Tesla, it’s common for electric cars to fall short of their range estimated by the EPA. It just makes the Bolt’s range more impressive.
Consumer Reports points out that even though the Chevy can beat a few Teslas in the all-important range statistic, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a better car. They rank the Bolt as their second favorite EV right behind the Tesla Model S. They believe the luxury, style, and performance offered by the Tesla still make it a better car than the value proposition Chevy which is hard to disagree with.
However, for most of us who can’t afford a Tesla, the Chevy Bolt has a whole lot to offer for almost half the price of the Model S. Look for it in a showroom near you very soon.