I have access to free level II charging at the office. On most days, I commute upwards of 120 miles round trip for work, but not always to the office. I get a mileage allowance added to my paycheck that ought to cover the Bolt, while, depending on the terms I choose, I’d likely have to pay a little bit out of pocket towards the Model 3. Not factoring in the money, of course the Model 3 is the better car. But I also get GM Employee pricing, which is $3k or so off MSRP, so I’m just wondering everyone’s thoughts on choosing the cheaper and employee discounted Bolt. Will I likely regret trying to value shop a car I spend so much time in? Plus the Model 3 has superior charging speeds. And perhaps I should be mindful of used car values a couple years out. Maybe the Bolt is penny-wise now but pound foolish; value could fall off a cliff due to the slow (sort of obsolete) charging speeds and perceived Chevrolet value?
Absolutely not.
Unless you’re in the “Never Musk” camp, the Model 3 is the far superior vehicle. And I say this as a 3x GM EV owner (Volt, ELR, Bolt). But if you abhor Elon Musk, then there are plenty of other plug-in alternatives for about the same price.
I do a round trip commute of about 100 miles daily and I’ve had zero regrets or issues doing it in a Bolt EUV. I’ve never driven a Tesla so I can’t really offer a comparison there. The Tesla was never in contention for me due to price.
Only makes sense if you intend to drive a Bolt into the ground, the Model 3 is/was very bumpy and uncomfortable when I had one (SR) but that and the insurance are the only places that Bolt would win out.
Op: “hey guys I am getting a discount on Bolt. Should I buy it?”
Also op: (doesn’t tell how much discount)
No offense. Just trying to be witty 
Jokes aside, used bolts were in the low/mid 10k region preCOVID. Won’t be surprised when they go back there.
Teslas have never been in that region.
Did you actually find a dealer willing to do employee pricing on the Bolt?
As others asked, how much of a discount are we talking about?
I’d rather walk than take a Bolt on that commute. They charge horribly. Take the Model 3
Funny you ask. A couple said no, a couple said sure. So I guess I will get it, if I order one. I’d have to order and it wouldn’t be available until around June. I’m in Michigan, near the factory. I believe the GM Employee discount translates to a $3k or so off, depending on which Bolt or Bolt EUV and which trim, of course.
Model 3 was not really in contention for me until the latest Tesla price drops.
Are they really that bad? Have you actually driven a newest generation Bolt or Bolt EUV or you’re just especially turned off by the styling and it being a (or perceived to be a) lower spec Chevrolet?
Have you looked at the charging curve? It literally peaks at 50kW and takes over an hour for a full DC fast charge
Go test drive all three cars and see which one you like. The Bolt is already known to have atrocious resale pre-covid, Bolt EUV in SoCal is doing well now but it’s likely to crater as well, Model 3 will most likely have the best resale. Since you’re buying the car, it only makes sense to actually LIKE the car you will be commuting in.
The charging speed is a potential issue but if you’re able to CONSISTENTLY and RELIABLY charge at home/work on level 1 or 2 AND if you don’t need to go to multiple different places on a whim then it’s a nonissue.
It would help I think to narrow down which specific trim of the Bolts you’re interested in as the price delta between a base Bolt and a Model 3 is over 10k…
I know the new Bolt’s relatively obsolete charging is the biggest complaint. Can someone tell me the word or the part that contributes to charging take (is it the…generator?). The name escapes me. Anyways, I am just not sure how often I will be charging on the road where I would care enough to pay the premium. Figure I’ll always plug it in when home and plug in at the office for free, so more-so trying to gauge if the peace of mind of faster charging (and a slightly more premium car) is worth the price premium for what is largely going to be a commuter car to run up miles. I think it’ll be about $10k more to jump into the Model 3 RWD purchase.
It is dependent on the charger on the vehicle and the charger you are using.
Bolt maxes out 50kwh on L3
The “charger”
Haha, sorry. I thought it was something else or at least a more technical word.
Nope, nothing too fancy.
What you plug in to (which is what a lot of people call a “charger”) is actually an EVSE (electric vehicle supply equipment).
Yeah but what % of people are actually using DCFC for commuting purposes? I’d venture to guess that the vast majority of EV commuters are just setting it and forgetting it at home/work on Level 2. For the average EV commuter working a 9 to 5 at one set location each day, DCFC is a non issue.
It’s called an “On board charger”, or “OBC”. This is a good primer if you want to have a better understanding of how EVs charge: On-Board Charger