Chevy has announced today the range of its upcoming Bolt all-electric vehicle. At 238 miles, the Bolt has enough electric range to travel from Los Angeles to Las Vegas without stopping to recharge. General Motors has said the Bolt will have a base price of less than $37,500, meaning the actual price will be less than $30,000 after a US federal tax credit of $7,500. Several states offer additional tax credits, as well. (Tax credits are capped at 200,000 vehicles per manufacturer, meaning that not all electric-vehicle owners will qualify.)
The actual price of the Bolt will be announced later this fall.
The 238 mile range is an estimate number combining city and highway driving from a full charge. An extended 70 mph drive down the highway will drain the battery faster – as the case with all electric cars – while city driving offers better range.
Of battery-electric production cars currently sold in the U.S., only Tesla’s Model S sedan and Model X crossover can go more than 200 miles before recharging, and those vehicles sell for an average price of $110,000.
According to the EPA tests, the Bolt EV averaged the electric equivalent of 128 mpg in city driving and 110 mpg in highway driving, for a combined MPGe of 119.
The EPA put the recharge time for the Bolt EV at 9.3 hours on a Level 2 fast charger. The EV can also be charged on a home system, at 110 volts or 220 volts.
Tesla’s Model 3, announced earlier this year, is the Bolt’s only direct competitor so far, though Tesla isn’t expected to begin deliveries until late next year.
BMW’s first electric car – the i3 – will receive its first major update this summer. For 2017 models, the BMW i3 will now feature a higher-density 94 Ah battery, compared to the previous i3’s 60 Ah battery, that will provide the i3 a range of around 114 miles.
