Chevrolet’s flagship electric vehicle, the Bolt EV, is sparking a fire in the race to EV dominance. The company announced last week that the latest model of their electric vehicle will see an enhanced driving range of 259 miles, an increase of 21 miles from 2019.
While high-end electric vehicles offer nearly 400 miles of range, many of those cars can cost twice as much as the Bolt EV. Chevrolet hopes to carve out a niche in the under-$40k segment, a class of EVs that is dominated by manufacturers like Hyundai, Nissan and U.S.-based Tesla, Inc. Tesla’s popular Model 3 has become the car to beat in the segment with its low price point accompanied by a standard range of 240 miles. The updated Bolt EV should push well ahead of that mark on its way to surpassing the range of all its competitors’ 2019 models. It’s an advantage that, if it holds, will make the Bolt an intriguing option in 2020.
Here’s a selection of 2019 EV models and their respective driving ranges from a full charged battery according to KBB, as well as their starting price, compared to what is expected from the 2020 Bolt EV.
Model (2019 unless indicated) | | Distance/Charge | | MSRP |
Tesla Model S Long Range | 370 Miles | $86,200 |
Tesla Model X Long Range | 325 Miles | $98,200 |
Tesla Model 3 Long Range | 310 Miles | $45,700 |
Tesla Model 3 Standard Range | 240 Miles | $36,200 |
Audi e-tron | 204 Miles | $74,800 |
Hyundai Kona EV | 258 Miles | $36,450 |
Nissan Leaf Plus | 226 Miles | $37,445 |
Chevrolet Bolt EV | 238 Miles | $37,495 |
Kia Niro EV | 239 Miles | $38,500 |
2020 Bolt EV | 259 Miles | $37,495 |
The announcement comes on the heels of a major $300 million expansion at the company’s Orion Township Assembly Plant, where the Bolt EV is currently produced. The expansion made clear that GM would hinge their EV hopes on the Bolt’s success as the industry moves towards an all-electric future. This latest battery upgrade is the first victory in what could be a long run of EV success for the company. And with the segment set to grow exponentially during the forthcoming years, any technological advantage gained now should set GM on the right track to stay competitive well into the future.
Read Chevrolet’s full press release here.