2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV Review: Best Electric Car Buy Under $40,000
Timeliness pays huge dividends for those interested in the Chevrolet Bolt EV. Here’s what you need to know.
A week behind the wheel of Chevrolet’s Bolt EV reveals much about electric car ownership, and the electric vehicle space, in general, especially for first-time users.
Fortunately, the Bolt would appear to be a great gateway drug for those looking to hop onto the electric boogaloo. This loaded Premier model rings in at $44,130 and is fitted with every comfort and convenience one would expect from that price point. Heated leather seats and a flashy duo of screens are available to play with. That includes a configurable eight inch digital display in the instrument cluster and a 10.2-inch central infotainment unit. Additionally, that price tag also includes an array of passive and active driver aides and safety tech, including features like lane charge alert, blind spot monitoring, and General Motors’ excellent HD surround vision rear-view camera, which offers seven different view points when backing up.
One other goodie worth mentioning, and one seldom seen in cars at any price point in the United States, is a heated steering wheel, which is something near and dear to my slow-beating heart and its poor blood circulation. Cold hands no more, bliss.
It’s not all happy thoughts and tingly goodness, however, as the Bolt’s interior does come across as a bit lacking in the area of material quality. Beyond the interesting dashboard design, a number of cheap black plastic pieces abound and will have jaded car fanatics muttering “typical GM” to themselves. Fortunately, the Bolt’s tall hatchback shape redeems itself in usability: four six-foot-plus adults can ride comfortably in this smaller EV.
The Bolt features a 200 horsepower electric powertrain, which is good for a claimed 259 mile range. In the real world, with a slightly heavier than average right foot, I saw a best of 245 miles from a single charge, which is admirable. The Bolt’s claimed 259 range would appear to be doable with a bit of diligence and restraint from its pilot. In the arena of compact electric cars, going up against the likes of the Nissan Leaf, Hyundai Kona Electric, and the BMW i3, this is class-leading stuff. This even compares favorably against the Tesla Model 3, which can just sneak in at a comparable price point, so long as no real options are included.
Equally admirable is the Bolt’s drive — ample acceleration, along with nimble enough handling and willing agility ensure as much — allowing thoughts of electric car drawbacks, such as range anxiety, to fade quickly.
However, as with any electric car, the issue of charging is an inevitable discussion. And when discussing charging, it’s most commonly talked about in levels, which indicate how quickly a vehicle can be charged from a given plug.
Your wall plug is a level one charger, and, in the case of electric vehicle ownership, it’s largely useless. Having run the Bolt down to about 10% charge (with an indicated 25 miles remaining), plugging the car into a wall outlet resulted in the Bolt’s onboard charging display to relay that fact that it would take up to 76 hours to fully charge. This predicament is in no way specific to the Bolt, but it was still shocking, none the less.
Most EV charging stations in your area utilize level two chargers, which double the voltage put out by a standard plug (up to 240V). Despite putting out twice the voltage, they will typically charge about five times faster. Most certified electricians can convert your garage outlet to 240V and install the EV charger setup for between $2-3,000, depending on your area.
ALSO SEE: Buying An Electric Car: What You Need to Know
The best of the bunch when it comes to electric vehicle charging is DC fast charging, which puts out a massive 480 volts. This requires a special hardware from the charger and in the vehicle itself. Chevrolet adds this capability to the Bolt for a princely $750. If one has access to a DC fast charger, however, it’s money well spent as Chevrolet claims this system can juice the Bolt up to 100 miles of range in about 30 minutes, if you can find one.
While the 259 mile range eases tensions about range anxiety, the fact of the matter is that, for any EV, regular access to level two charging is a requirement for ownership. However, the favorable cost of electricity versus gasoline, and theoretical reduced maintenance costs associated with electric vehicles makes this an appealing concession for most.
The financial aspect of electric car ownership is further sweetened, at least when the Bolt is concerned. Chevrolet is updating the Bolt for 2021, with a more refined interior, increased tech and the inclusion of a more SUV-shaped Bolt EUV which will be sold alongside the standard car. It’s worth noting that the hardware under the skin, such as the battery tech, is expected to remain unchanged. As a result of this, however, Chevrolet wants to move all current 2020 models off of dealer lots in a hurry. The company is officially offering aggressive discounts, up to $9,795 on the Bolt.
However, a quick bit of sleuthing on AutoTrader reveals that some high-volume dealerships are actively offering increased discounts on top of that number. In Los Angeles, some dealers are offering as much $13,806 off the sticker price, which suddenly means buyers can get into a Bolt for as little as $26,000, and fully-loaded examples, like this Bolt EV Premier, for thirty-one grand.
This suddenly catapults the Bolt into unparalleled territory. Simply put, for the right buyer, there is no better value in the electric car world right now than the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt. While already competitive at MSRP, the sharp discounts available for 2020 models should allow most buyers to look right past the odd piece of less than stellar interior trimming and look right at accessible electric car ownership, here and now.
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