Chevy Bolt vs Tesla Model S: Which is the better EV pick?
Sometimes reporters and editors will see an article or a section in another outlet and think, "Darn, why didn't we think of that?"
This is one of those times.
Enthusiast publication聽Motor Trend聽had the very clever idea of comparing two electric cars with 60-kilowatt-hour battery packs and more than 200 miles of EPA-rated range.
They are the 2016 Tesla Model S 60 sedan and the upcoming 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV hatchback.
The magazine notes that the Model S 60 is an odd duck; it was the lower of two battery capacities that went into production in 2012, and was discontinued last year.
Then it was brought back temporarily this year, in hopes some holders of reservations for the Model 3 (intended to go into production before the end of 2017) could be persuaded to buy a less-pricey Model S in the interim.
狈辞苍别迟丑别濒别蝉蝉,听Motor Trend聽got its hands on a Model S 60 and聽covered聽the comparison from a couple of different angles.
First, it did a straight聽.
The article covers the usual road-test checklist items, plus a number of factors specific to battery-electric cars.
But it also聽聽to get their reactions to the new electric Chevy鈥攚hich costs little more than half as much as their electric luxury sedans.
The writers took a Bolt EV to the Tesla Design Studios, where they were mobbed by dozens of Tesla employees eager to see the new long-range electric car.
They were even welcomed by chief Tesla聽designer聽Franz von Holzhausen, who invited them back "any time."
Remember that the first Tesla Model S production cars finally came off the assembly line in mid-2012.
Less than five years later, the Bolt EV will sell for half the price and deliver similar range.
It will not, however, provide the sleek design, street cred, or nationwide fast-charging network that a Model S owner gets as part of the purchase.
Motor Trend has put together a great package, worth reading, that in some ways reinforces just how much of an advance the Bolt EV is.
Now why didn't聽we聽think of that?
[hat tips: SRanger, George Betak]
