What Makes The Chevrolet Bolt EV The Better Car To Buy

In a world changing to convert to EV power, we have a plethora of choices to make when it comes to what to buy. Every manufacturer now has their hand in the bucket of power, so what alleviates the pressure of buying the right car? I’ll tell you what it is; The Chevrolet Bolt EV. Why such a bold suggestion? I’ll tell you why. And mind you, I am not even a big fan of EVs anyway, but this needs to be said.

Unlike your Tesla Model 3, Hyundai Kona EV, or BMW i3, the Chevrolet Bolt EV has the most character in an EV to offer, especially for the younger generation. While the Model 3 may be enticing because it is the go-to epitome vehicle of the EV world and everyone and their mother is buying one and you don’t want to get made fun of for not buying one, you’d kick yourself afterward because of the poor craftsmanship. Every Tesla I have ever encountered has had major craftsmanship flaws that do not add up to why it has a price tag of any new vehicle. The other vehicles mentioned are as boring as vanilla ice cream. Yes, it is a good base but it lacks everything else.

The interior of the Bolt EV reminds me of a sports bar during the day and a bar club during the dark hours. The ambient lighting helps with this effect on the interior “vibes.” The interior was spacious and offered quite the visibility. Not only that, but nothing was falling apart or in need of rebooting after the simplest touch of a gesture. The last time I reviewed a Chevrolet Bolt EV, was in 2019 and to this day its impression has never left me.

The other argument as to why the Bolt EV is the best EV car to buy is its battery range. A fully charged Tesla has a range of around 330 or so miles. The Hyundai Kona EV has a range of 250 or so miles. The Bolt EV has a range nowadays of 250 miles as well. But in my experience, each of these cars lost a significant amount of range when using the accessories like A/C. I reviewed a Kona EV earlier this year and was baffled by how much range was lost from putting just the first fan speed on for A/C. If I remember correctly, it was something in the range of 30 miles right off the bat. The same can be said about the Tesla. The same couldn’t be said for the Bolt EV. Even at MAX A/C, the Bolt EV lost only 60 or so miles off the range while the Tesla and Kona EV lost almost 100 miles or more. That’s what most companies won’t tell you. How much you have to suffer to go the furthest. 

The last thing I would argue about the Bolt EV being the better EV to buy than the rest of the competition is the price tag. The Model 3 made by Tesla is around the $38,000 price range. The i3 by BMW starts in the $44,000 ballpark. The Hyundai Kona EV starts at around $33,000.The Chevrolet Bolt EV starts at around $26,000. Just the price tag alone already makes the Bolt EV the better car to buy. 

I believe the reason you don’t see as many Bolt EVs on the road when compared to the i3 or Hyundai Kona EV, or even the “cheap” Tesla Model 3 is because most people only know what they’re told by their friends. That and plus they get pressured by society on what the better vehicle is without looking up what actually is the best beneficial car to buy if your’e looking to get an EV. Honestly, I think EVs are a waste of money and will never compare to internal combustion engines. They’re all gimmicks with Tesla at the helm leading the world into a dull noiseless society. The Bolt EV will take you there in style. 

When people talk about getting an electric car, the first thing that comes to mind is a Tesla. Nothing else is ever an option that is on their mind. It reminds me of people who own iPhones. Sure they’re nice and flashy, but deep down you either wish you had one and/or can’t afford it or you absolutely despise them for being mindless non-opinionated robots and see them as those tearing down the fabric of society and you own an Android. So, do yourself a favor and get the Bolt EV if you’re thinking about jumping on the bandwagon going “eco-friendly.” Everyone who has a functioning brain will thank you. I will thank you even more if you go for anything that has an ICE, but I know the future isn’t bright for that either.

Charles North VI is an automotive journalist who started out writing driven reviews and news on DriveTribe. He eventually found new work on HotCars after the DriveTribe site closed down. Not too long after he became a driven review writer for TopSpeed. Charles is also an automotive enthusiast at heart and has a thorough understanding of how cars function. Charles can be reached at X at @charlesnorthvi, Instagram, and LinkedIn.