Tesla's first mass-market vehicle, the Model 3, is expected to go head-to-head with the Chevrolet Bolt, which falls in the same price category and mileage range. Despite the fact that the Model 3 and the Chevy Bolt are marketed to very different demographics, their specs tell a different story.
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The first wave of Model 3s feature the long-range battery, which adds $9,000 to the base price for 310 miles of range. The standard battery on the base model, which Tesla said will come this fall, will have a 220-mile range.
Along with the long-range battery, there is a list of features that can bump up the touted $35,000 sticker price. Any color other than black costs an additional $1,000, and 19-inch sport wheels come at $1,500.
Autonomous upcharge
Enhanced Autopilot — Tesla's semi-autonomous driving system — will cost $5,000. Full self-driving capability, which requires enhanced Autopilot, is another $3,000.
Do all these upcharges mean the Chevy Bolt, which Consumer Reports proved in their range test, set a record for electric range after going 250 miles on battery power, is a better buy for tech-savvy buyers? Let's take a look at the cars side by side.
Here are few other stories you may want to read with more in depth coverage on the subject. This one discusses Tesla Model 3 vs Chevy Bolt vs Nissan LEAF: their advantages and weaknesses. This one is a detailed comparison of Chevy Bolt and Tesla Model 3 by TorqueNews senior reporter John Goreham. And this one is written a year ago by Allan Honeyman discussing how serious is the competition between Chevy Bolt and Tesla Model 3, their similarities and differences from a perspective from 2016.
By the way, new numbers show Tesla Model S barely beats Chevy Bolt in the United States electric vehicle sales for August 2017.
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A HUGE omission : Tesla
A HUGE omission : Tesla buyers lose their govt subsidies before 50,000 Model 3s leave the produciton line, while Chevy Bolt owners still get their $7500. Thsi amounts to a huge price advantage for the Bolt.
Correction: The Bolt does not
Correction: The Bolt does not currently have any form of Adaptive Cruise, although it may in 2018. It will not change speeds for you, as much as I wish it would. It will, however, tell you how far you are from the car in front of you, and warn you if it thinks you will crash. I'd also call comparing the Bolt's lane-keeping features directly to Autopilot a specious claim. It's more of a "lane-nudge" akin to Ford's (and others') "Driver Assistance".
The lack of ACC is an odd
The lack of ACC is an odd omission on the Bolt. Especially since the Volt has it and the Bolt seems to have most of the required Tech in the Premier model. My guess is the Bolt was originally intended to launch with Supercruise alongside the CT6. But since Supercruise was delayed over a year, Bolt will not get it until the 2018 or 2019 MY. (This may also be the reason why no announcement has been made yet on the 2018 Bolt. )
One of the silliest things on
One of the silliest things on the Bolt is that the CCS (fast) charger is a $750 option and it is not standard. It is less than $5 worth of parts but makes long distance traveling excruciating without it.