Soldiering On For Another Year | 2020 Chevrolet Bolt 

I bought a 2020 Bolt LT with $8500 GM rebate and an additional $5500 dealer reduction. It was the best deal for an EV.

Purchased a 2020 Bolt LT 30 days ago. Paid $26,500 out the door, with every option available on that trim level, (no sales tax in Oregon anyway). I drove all the others and this was the best deal and the car I like the best. Sits up high, large bright cabin and great infotainment. I knew about the upgraded 2021 coming, but I'm sure it won't be available at $13,000 off MSRP.

We've owned a 2019 Bolt for about a year and a half. Chevy hasn't done themselves any favors with their pricing structure, which results in claims like "the base model 3 starts at only $1000 more than the Bolt". Based on MSRP yes, but keep in mind that Tesla actually *charges* the price the say, while virtually every Chevy dealer out there will offer at least $8K and up to $10k of incentives. We live in PA but bought our Bolt in MD, and the dealer we use has an online price *today* of $25990 for a base-model Bolt, up to $31,946 for a top level trim. Compare that a base RWD Model 3 and you'll save about $12k at the entry level. For a city commuter car, that's a huge savings. I prefer the Model 3's seat comfort, and supercharging is a huge win, but we've now done >16,000 miles with only one DC fast charge session, and that was just to make sure our EVgo card worked. Evaluate your actual needs and choose accordingly - for us, the Bolt is a winner as a city commuting car. Final note - the DC fast charge capability on the Bolt is just godawful. If you're taking a road trip, buy a Tesla! But if you're charging at home, don't sweat it.

Not sure why GM continues to shoot themselves in the comparison foot with bogus high MSRPs. New Bolts are at least $8K off MSRP in Maryland month after month. I recently picked up a completely loaded 2017 Bolt Premier with a measly 7800 miles on it and nary a scratch for chump change ($22K) without even trying. My wife loves it, and I trust it, because her previous Chevy Volt was totally reliable and my co-worker's 2017 Bolts have been dead nuts reliable too. As opposed, say, to the 2013 Tesla Model S P85 I briefly owned, which completely bricked in the middle of a busy highway, locking the wheels up and stranding my wife and child in the middle of whizzing traffic waiting for a lift and dolly tow truck. The blown motor and fried electronics were eventually replaced under warranty but dear gawd was my Tesla Service experience bad! I've never unloaded a car so fast in my life. Still interested in a Model Y potentially, but that horrible experience with Tesla Service has me waiting to see whether I'd rather get into a VW ID.4 instead.

I purchased my 2020 in Feb. 2020 for $29,000. Love the car, nice runabout. Sit up high, seats are just fine for me, and I prefer buttons and knobs for frequently used controls. I have 5,000 miles on the car and for the last 2,000 miles I am averaging 299 miles of range. I have only used a commercial charter once, the rest of the time I use my home charger. Perfect for my use, have quit worrying about range for my use.

The real price difference between the Model 3 and the Bolt is larger than most reviews acknowledge. The insurance tends to be higher on the Model 3. We bought the Bolt because Chevy was offering very aggressive incentives. But also because we can insure the car for ~$550 per year, while our insurance quotes on the Model 3 came in at over $2K. After a few years, this added insurance costs becomes a big contributor to the cost of ownership. Insurance companies view the Model 3 as a sports car.

Just bought a 2020 Bolt Premier with all the options and a premium paint job for under 30K in MN. Except for the dealer not telling me there had been a recall before driving 240 miles to pick it up so I couldn't take it with me, and delivering it 3 days later without a charger, the car has been great. Love the handling, range, lack of engine noise and the seats are actually more comfortable than my previous car. Glad I have left ICE cars behind.

Wow, so much info in one video! Helps EV shoppers sort out the complex world of this quickly evolving segment. Thank you Alex.

I leased a 2017 Bolt and when the lease ended I expected to get a Y. The well established Tesla reliability issues gave me pause, the price was the deal breaker. I leased a 2020 Bolt for 1/2 the lease price of the Y, your video is well done and very thorough, but your conclusion that "the price is only $1k different than a Tesla 3" is based only on MSRP and totally disconnected from reality, or actual transaction price. Impeccable reliability at 1/2 the price, yeah it was not a difficult decision for me...

Nice review. One of the few I’ve seen that covers the charging and range display functionality thoroughly and accurately. Clearly many of the reviewers out there haven’t bothered to understand the cars they’re reviewing so I appreciate your diligence. You are also one of the few reviewers to mention the available discounts on the Bolt rather than just the MSRP and tax incentives. At the end of the day the discounted price is why I replaced my 2017 Bolt with a 2020 Bolt rather than a Tesla Model 3 or a Kona EV even though they each had some nicer features than the Bolt they couldn’t beat the value of the Bolt for me.

Excellent video. Lots of good and accurate detail with no boredom. Thank you.

You don't mention that the Model 3 has a 3* reliability rating from consumer reports while the Bolt has 5*.

2017 bolt with 20,000 miles for $17,500. You can't beat that. 👍

It is nice to see a lot of happy Bolt users commenting here showing that GM does truly for the most part have its quality under control now, unlike Tesla which keeps failing around my home. My neighbor unloaded his Tesla as fast as he could after the third breakdown in under two years and now owns a 1 year old 2019 Bolt and loves it with no problems. Only problem is the range in the cold as in CT - it gets pretty cold in the winter and the effective range drops to about 170 miles. Note that now on the Bolt the discount is $8500, more than the tax credit you get on the other cheap electric cars, and drops the price way below Tesla.

Alex, Chevrolet is swimming against the current, in.a good way!! Affordable long range EV. Oxymoronic for most EV makers. I’m getting 270-280 miles when charging only to 90% of full driving 60% highway (60mph). Has good space in front and back seats and plenty of space for daily use. For all of the criticisms of look, seat thickness, use of hard plastics, I say, JUST GET OVER IT. $8500 off MSRP and state time of sale refund and I got my LT for $26K. The seat and steering wheel heat make winter driving OK even without running resistive heat. It’s not cutting edge appointments, but 280 miles for $26K. Smiling all the way to and from work as well on all my 100 mile 1-way trips.

Bolts in the Chicago area are easily 15-20% off, regularly. You can easily score a base model for under $30k, and a Premier in the low 30's. GM is doing what GM does best: discounting. :)

I am loving the 2020 bolt so far Costco is offering another 3k of for members.

I saw a good video comparison from " out of spec motoring." They've done several range tests and also track days, they compared a bolt EV to a mini SE. Surprisingly the bolt was quicker and handled better and quicker around the track than the mini did. The mini does not put power down very well and the handling is not as good as it should be. You mentioned the GTI and that is a closer comparison. GM put together an autocross event and had a GTI along with a bolt EV with some sticky summer tires. The bolt was quicker around the autocross track than the GTI. I would say that puts it well into the category of good handling car. Sure as hell would have been nice if they would have up that charging rate a bit not just giving us a better charging curve. I think you are a spot on Alex about the very useful information they give in the instrument cluster with this car. You get the minimum maximum and average but you also have a trending line next to it so if you're going along on the interstate and that trending line is moving downwards it could be because of a headwind or going up hills it gives you some idea that you're heading up or down in that range of possible available miles. it's easy to read easy to understand what's going on and gives useful information with very little fluff.. one other thing I noticed the little slot where you had your cell phone is actually a wireless charging slot.

Thank you for staying on point!

Great review! Very informative and helpful. I want one!

Have seen this vehicle & really like it- it’s SIMPLE, unlike so many today.

This is the first I've heard that the 2021 Bolt EV will have 100kW charging capability. If true, that's a big deal and definitely needed.

First time I saw one I thought it was a Honda Fit 😶

when I worked at the GM truck plant in Oshawa (1986-88) the electric AGV's that the trucks were built on had ultrasonic detectors. They sensed objects in front such as workers, and would slow down. If the object was still there after a few seconds the vehicle would stop. I had wondered even then if this technology would be placed on regular vehicles. Granted the sensing distance was only 1--20 feet, but it was a great start.

Had the money ready for a M-Y but my wife caught me raving about the screen interface on her Dodge so I checked out the Bolt! Bolt is way cheaper has standard wiper and light and heat/air controls! Absolutely love the Bolt, traded in my Focus Electric that was great for it’s time but burned up tires with it’s uncontrollable torque steer so I got tired of buying tires every year! The Bolt is set up to never spin the tires! If you are buying now you may still get in on $3K off for being a Costco member as of 9/1

I was a 2013 Volt owner and just bought a used Tesla Model S for $27,000. I test drove the bolt twice but decided against it. Best decision I ever made

This sized car is perfect for in town driving, and the battery size is just right. It's not too big to where it starts becoming a weight issue - thus effecting efficiency (see Scotty Kilmer's video on Tesla). Regenerative braking actually shows added miles. When I drive mine I can at times (depending on attitude) get a really efficient trip. Even better than my Model S. On the streets I can get 5 miles taken from the battery pack for about 18 physical miles driven. That's cool. However, once I get on the freeway (65 MPH) the battery mileage drops to 1 battery mile for every 0.5 mile driven. What I don't like the most about this car is the suspension. They skimped on the design. At times it's way too bouncy, and others too stiff. Probably a matter of luck over planned design was the tall ceiling. It's high enough above my head that the warm air is evacuated quickly when the windows are opened. I don't have to turn on the AC. You don't need a sun roof either for this car. It is still plenty fast too when starting off at a green light. The hand brake pedal on the steering wheel rocks!

What do you think could be done to improve the ride?

Honestly, as a new 33 year old, if it were just a little cushier as a Buick, I could totally see myself commuting in something like this package.

Just curious...anyone know what the front/rear weight distribution is for the Bolt?

Got my 2021 LT in June for 27,300 and have put 6k on it. Drive with a light foot, don't blast the heater or ac, keep it under 60mph and you get 300 mile per charge. Blast the heater or AV and stomp on the throttle and you will get 200 miles. Evey one that has drove in mine commented about how smooth the ride is. Its fast as heck, passing is fun, passing gas stations is even better. Am I am digging driving with one foot, makes up for not having a manual transmission. Waiting for my new battery/warranty in a couple months.

I have a short front end and still have a useful frunk in my CPO i3

Bolt vs. a stripped out Model 3, both at MSRP. I'll take the model 3. It's a better value at MSRP. However, with 10k on the hood of a Bolt, I'd take the Bolt.

The onscreen graphic has the old range of 238mi not the new range.

Surprisingly fun to drive

200 miles should be the minimum range in my opinion. I have had my 2018 Bolt EV for 2.5yrs over 34k miles. Been a very dependable and useful car. 90%+ driving is

Hi Alex, on your graph at 7:13 you have the range listed at 238. Should be 259. Cheers

I hope the seats in the refreshed Bolt are a big improvement over the current ones. They're just too narrow for my ribcage. Faster charging and adaptive cruise control would also be appreciated.

Dashboard 'house wrap' is Tyvek (brand name).

16:25 Bolt owners, what is the concensus on the shifter? It appears to return to a 'base' position like the shifters on Toyota Prius models? Would you have preferred it just be a stalk on the steering wheel column?

When are you going to review the MINI Cooper SE?

I heard new Soul EV will not be sold in US. True?

Starting to see a hell of a lot of Bolts on the road now. Deep, deep discounting of the 2020 and 2021 cars has put a lot of America in their first EV. I grabbed a base LT with just Comfort/Convenience and DC Fast. I could not have bought a Honda Fit for less. 4.5 mi/kWh so far, over 4500 miles.

Alex - you can feather the regen paddle using the accelerator pedal. I just found out after owning my bolt for almost a year... kind of surprising. Pressing the regen paddle while in D mode acts like switching the car into L mode.

In my area (Columbus, OH) you can find a brand new 2020 Bolt LT for $22,800.

Snagged my 2020 LT used with 15k miles at CarMax for around 22 before taxes and fees. A bit high on the price but I love it.

Have you seen the Costco special on the Bolt? People are getting them for 24K right now. Not in the same category at the Model 3.

The donut spare for the Spark will fit the Bolt and can be stowed in the bottom section of the boot deflated.

Hi Alex, love your Chanel, I am one of the first subscribers. Can you please review 2021 BMW X5 45e? Please!

I'm seeing these new on dealer lots now for as little as $20-$21k, really excellent value in my opinion. In the real world, comparing that to a $38k Tesla Model 3, they're very different cars.

Problem with the comparison of Kona and Nero to the Bolt is can you find one. I ended up leasing a 2019 Bolt more because I just couldn’t find a Kona or Nero base model. The higher models were available but above MSRP. In Southern California the Kona or Nero EVs were just not available and I even had an auto broker look for me within 100 mile radius.

Have you been to Omaha before? They got some allmost San Francisco hills there. I would go with Florida as the flat state from now on its way more flatter then Nebraska.

The short range EV just makes too much sense for multiple car households to stay out of favor forever. When a mainstream sedan is about $20k or even less, a Model 3 or Bolt is about impossible to justify for the average city driver. But a similar EV with half the range would come way down in price. At that point, the fuel cost savings and simpler maintenance might make it a conversation.

Nice video... though at 07:15 timemark, your info window on the left lists the range as 238 miles when it should be 259...

The Kona has no back seat leg room

So I recently traded in my 2017 Bolt EV Premier for the 2020 Bolt EV Premier. I live in Santa Barbara where we don't have as much choice. The Hyundai dealer is 45 minutes away; my Chevy dealer is less than 10 minutes away. Even with the range bump, the Bolt EV is still not a touring car. I think of it as a town car; I never have to drive more than 40 minutes in single direction so my back is fine. One thing you don't mention in this video is how easy it is to park the Bolt in tight spaces. For 2020, Chevy improved a lot of little things -- a much better rear-view cam and I think the ride is slightly improved over the 2017 version. The Bose Audio system is excellent and I love Intellibeam, where the headlights auto-switch between hi-beam and low beam when a car comes around the corner. Also, it handles speedbumps a little better. I would be a little more generous with handling and give it a B/B+, although that may be because our roads are smoother on average. Also, I would give the Ride a B-, mainly because of the seats. I almost went for the Model 3, but watch out because Tesla really understates a lot of things about the vehicle including the final leasing price. I recommend leasing the car rather than buying it because, like Alex said, there's going to be a new generation of EV's coming soon. Oh, one more thing: Chevy is much more generous with loyal customers and gave me a very reasonable discount because of it.

I wouldn’t get any Tesla EV’s because their complicated quality control and their supply chain for parts, even if that part is a lug but for example. Why should I wait two weeks minimum to months?! You know this @Alex on Auto from @TFLCars when Tommy had his “accident” and the repair shop took months because of parts...

Wonder how 0-60 times and handling would be affected by changing out tires to something with more grip. Have to imagine you could get under 6 seconds with some halfway decent tires.

The encore Trax were the best looks design but back seats just a little small need a off road convertible package like the samari and tracker

How do you install an EV charger at your house? is the question that keeps coming to mind. Are they all compatible with each other, i.e. if I have one charger installed for a Bolt this year, will I need to install a different one if we buy a used Chevy Spark or some other manufacturer's model (like Honda e once Honda decides to actually sell the thing in North America).

I would love to get a Tesla Model 3 over a Bolt but the discounts I am finding for a Bolt are more like 16k off of Premier. So a 27-28k fully loaded Bolt vs a non negotiable Model 3 for 10k more is a big difference. If leasing payment /cost is almost half a model 3. As I said I would really love to get a Model 3 over a Bolt but they really aren’t close to same price if you are willing to look and work to find a deal.

I remember Nissan saying the reason they kept the components under the hood it to keep it familiar to how an ice is set up. It is pretty impressive that Tesla can keep the storage high in the front and in the back.

Alex, why is it you ignored availability? Bolt/Tesla are the only vehicles available nationwide which takes priority over anything else. Kona/Niro could be amazing cars but if you can’t get one what’s the point in discussing them without this caveat? I ended up with a 2019 Bolt premier (March 2020) because I couldn’t get a Niro/Kona and Michigan. I spoke to several dealers who told me they wouldn’t/couldn’t support the vehicle even if I “imported” one from another state. Oh and GM has what appears to be permanent $8500 rebate on the Bolt to drop the effective MSRP way down.

Why is cabin noise rated A based on that middling at best score?

no one pays sticker price for a bolt. GM has been discounting since tax credit is gone. i paid 26K for a 2020 LT with all options available on it. so this review isn't really comparing apples to apples. Compare this car to other electric cars that cost 26K not the 40K+ tesla. the kona is a complacence car cant buy one in ohio or many other states so its not really comparable either

Alex: I feel your comparison could be more consistent. In ride and handling score, you compared the Bolt with Toyota RAV4 plug in hybrid and other PHEVs. Near the end of the video, the comparison was restricted to battery electric vehicles. It is difficult to gauge how well the Bolt performs if the bases with which to compare changes.

As of August 7, 2020; the Kia Soul EV appears nowhere on the Kia USA website. It's no longer listed as "Coming Soon" or "Upcoming Vehicles". It shows up on the Alternative Fuel vehicle page, but only as an award winner. If you search for Soul EV it no longer shows up.

This will be my first EV car!! Good job bro.

Heat pumps don’t work as well for hot, humid climates. This is because one needs to run A/C and Heat at the same time for visibility. If one runs just A/C on the front windshield, it will remove condensation from the inside of the glass, but because the glass is being cooled, condensation will form on the outside because of cold glass and high humidity outside the vehicle. I live in Georgia with a Bolt EV, so I know. Just the other day in Early August outside of Atlanta, while driving in the evening the outside temperature dropped to the low 70s and was very humid. I needed max A/C and Heat just to be able to see out.

Excellent video. Thank you for the research and the presentation- I’ve found used 2017 Chevy Bolts for ~$20,000 online if Carvana’s prices are as advertised. I think manufacturers have to focus on lowering prices down to the essential sedan price ranges like the Yaris or the Cruze. I know that there are significant savings when buying used EVs and I constantly witness people online waiting for EVs to depreciate. We’re almost there with the Bolt, and it’s surprising to me that neither Honda nor Toyota have stepped into the EV market yet. Perhaps they’ll announce their developments in the coming years. I also think that Chevy could stand to market the Bolt much better. I think there was some confusion when this car was released given that the Volt had already been around since hybrid cars first gained traction. It’s all about marketing! (And price). I’m not at all surprised when people think Tesla is the only electric car manufacturer out there...

We live in the country but my wife doesn't drive much, bring our son back and forth to school. About 6 months ago we picked up a soul ev the 9k miles. range is 130 miles seems to work for her.

Interesting to see how road noise scored an A on this model year and the previous review of a 2017 model year was a B-. Was 74 dB for the older model year and 72 dB for the new one. Well done GM for improving that.

Chevrolet Bolt is still the BEV to beat! Best looking for the nerdy environmental type buyer. Nice large inside space for a midsize crossover that competes with Honda Pilot, Highlander, Palisades, Telluride. The Bolt BEV just do not have any compete in it’s segment!

I guess they soldiered on for another year since the 2021 didn't have any of the updates you predicted. 2022 has no update in the powertrain, just styling and the adaptive cruise control. I think I am going to go for the 2021 for the price reductions.

I would consider a city EV since we also have a compact SUV for long trips. Love the Mini EV, but Mini reliability & repair costs are downers. I wish Honda e was headed to USA.

Im waiting on a kona or a smaller hatchback.

This would be a good choice for me besides a Tesla - except! They need SuperCruise option packages. No adaptive cruise is ridiculous.

One plus you should add for the Model 3 comparison is the supercharger network. EVs this is like doubling your charging infrastructure!

imho, sales/bragging rights of the Chevy Bolt would improve if they moved the front, or added a motor, to the rear axle and improved the 0-60 time.... making it more competitive with the base Model 3.

For the price, the Ioniq EV is really good. I leased mine for 110 per month and it's shockingly good. Hope GM doesn't blow it with the Bolt. Even when they make a good car, they can't seem to keep it going. Volt comes to mind as an example of that.

I see new Bolt's listed here under $30k. (Dallas)

Will 2021 Bolt EV DCFC charge rate hit 70 or 100 kW? Is the 2020 DCFC socket sturdier on this model as compared to 2019 Bolt?

Alex: A correction at 7:30, the range should be 259 miles, not 238 miles.

After seeing how well (this now used) Bolt did against Tesla in a TFL real world test in the Colorado mountains I am thinking about get a used 2020 Bolt just for a daily driver and they are now half the price they were when new and with low miles for some I have seen.

Alex, You should give 0 to 30 times when you review electric or plug-in vehicles. 0 to 30 is just more useful info when reviewing electrics.

Leased 2020 LT 36 months x 45K miles one time payment $7500 out the door.

I am in favor of more range. I am debating on getting a deal on a 2021 Bolt or just wait for the 2022. I should not even be thinking of a new car as my Hyundai Elantra GT manual only has 15.7k miles on it and it was paid for long ago. Lane keep assist is a valuable feature. Super cruise is too expensive.

Don't forget about the Tesla Superchargers available for the Tesla Modle 3. I would consider upgrading to a Tesla Modle 3 because of the supercharger network.

Very nice

Couldn't really consider anything besides the Bolt. My dealer was offering like $13k on the hood as well as top dollar for my trade in.

These are sold in Europe as the Opel Ampera-e .

Unbelievable lease deals on the Bolt for Costco members. 36 month for $187 per month. 10,000 miles a year. $1780 down including first month's payment. Beat that!

Pricing was the only way I could afford an EV. I got $17,000 off the 2021 LT version for a cost of $23,000 plus the Michigan sale tax for an OTD price of $25,000. Now I do have to wait a long time for a new battery but by then I will have at least 10,000 miles so the new battery gives me at least 1 more year of warranty too 9 years. As we head into winter, I do find a loss in range but since I am retired and most of my round trips are less than 150 miles, I have no concerns and just charge up every night when my rates are lower. Also lower on the weekends. It is fun to drive and as fast as I would need for highway driving. With 200 hp and a low ground clearance it feels very sporty but also small. I have not had to DC charge, but maybe on a longer trip in Michigan next summer.

picked up a bolt lt loaded, 25k and 0% for 84 months. I kinda feel like they just gave me a car.

Where I live never seen one go for 26k OTD. Plus the seat is terrible for me. Still looking for an EV. May lean towards Mini SE.

I sure hope they put the "gear lever" as a button or dial on the dash and open up the whole center console. Most cars should be doing that by now!

When is the Bolt 2021 going to be released?

What is the depreciation and cost per mile?

Alex. Could we beg you to ask Nissan to let you test/range test the Leaf Plus S+, with the longer range than the SV+/SL+. Also you missed the Leaf Plus in the cross shop. Often cars are cross shopped where Kona and Niro are not available.

like for many EVs, the price is just ridiculously high and unjustifiably so these days. If it was 20-25k, it would be a very interesting proposition. And in 2020, max charging power should be at least twice the rated battery capacity, and deliver 10-80% SOC in 30 min.