Tesla Model 3 Or Chevy Bolt? Price Creep Vs Price Crash

Chevy Bolt

Chevy is offering deals on 2021 Bolts that bring the price of the 259-mile-range EV to some of the lowest levels yet, while Tesla slowly raises the price on its best-selling Model 3.

In greater Los Angeles, 2021 Chevy Bolts are being priced close to $26,000, according to listings on TrueCar. The MSRP for the Bolt LT is typically about $37,000.

Meanwhile Tesla has upped the price of its least-expensive 2021 Model 3 Standard Range Plus to $39,990, a $3,000 price hike from $36,990 earlier in 2021.

Bolt vs Model 3

Price: The Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus now lists for $39,990 while the Bolt LT has dropped to as low as $26,000

Range: The Model 3 Standard Range Plus has an estimated range of 263 miles. The Chevy Bolt is rated at 259 miles.

MPGe: The Model 3 has a combined EPA-rated 134 MPGe*, the Bolt 118.

U.S. sales

The Model 3 was No.1 in EV sales in the U.S. for 2020, the Bolt was No. 3 (the Model Y was No.2)

Rydell Chevrolet, one of the largest Bolt dealers in the Los Angeles area, is showing a new 2021 Bolt Premier, the priciest trim, on their website as of May 29, 2021, priced under $30,000, a discount of more than $14,000 off the MSRP of $44,575.

TrueCar shows prices close to $26,000 for a new 2021 Bolt LT, the cheaper trim, roughly $11,000 off the MSRP.

That’s unusual for a new model year Bolt, which typically doesn’t see heavy discounting until late in the model year.

Why is this happening?

Chevy Bolt:

There is a major model year update coming for 2022 The existing Bolt is getting a makeover and Chevy is introducing the all-new Bolt EUV.

What’s different this time is, pricing on the upcoming Bolt is a lot lower, with the 2022 Bolt EV starting at $31,995. That’s roughly $5,500 off the MSRP for the current base model. And the slightly larger 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV, starts at $33,995.

The 2022 Bolts will include features such as adaptive cruise control and GM’s Super Cruise (hands-free-driving) tech, both firsts for the Bolt.

Model 3:

The Model 3 price hikes, on the other hand, are a mystery since Tesla doesn’t respond to media queries these days. And it should be noted that Tesla has also dropped the price of the Model 3 and Model Y. That happened earlier this year. That said, year to date, there has been a net increase.

NOTES:
*MPGe: how far a car will travel on the equivalent of one gallon of gas.

Credit: forbes.com

UPDATE: There may be additional promotions to lower the Bolt price another $1,000 or more. Check with area dealers. Also, used car prices have gone up recently so your trade-in could reduce your cost of a new Bolt EV even more. As of 5-30-21 there were 108 Bolts in stock within 100 miles of Oak Run.

Chevrolet Is Working On A Full-Size Electric Pickup Truck

GM has revealed its various brands’ electric vehicle plans in its 10th sustainability report, and one of the most notable projects is Chevrolet’s BET Truck. Apparently, Chevy is working on its first full-size electric pickup truck, and it will have the capability to run over 400 miles on a single charge. That’s pretty much all GM revealed about it, and as Autoblog notes, it’s unclear if the EV will be an electrified Silverado or a new model altogether.

A rumor went around last year that GM will release its first electric truck in 2021, but it’s unclear if it’s this particular model. It’s also not clear if the truck mentioned in the report will be one of the 20 electric vehicles GM vowed would be on the road by 2023. GM made the commitment to roll out a substantial number of EVs by mid-2020s a few years ago in hopes that its brands’ lineup will be mostly electric come 2030. Earlier this year, the automaker announced that it’s investing $2.2 billion into turning its Detroit-Hamtramck facility into its first assembly plant that’s completely devoted to EVs.

In addition to a full-size electric truck, GM has also revealed its other brands’ plans in the report. Chevrolet is releasing a mid-sized electric SUV and a Bolt with an SUV design. Cadillac is working on two different three-row luxury electric SUVs and the previously announced electric Celestiq Statement Vehicle. Finally, GMC is developing an electric Hummer, while Buick will release an electric SUV and compact utility vehicle.

Credit: engadget.com

Oregon's EV Goal and Colorado's Zero E Regulation

Oregon has a whopping 25,000 electric cars registered on the road, reaching the halfway point of the state’s goal of 50,000 registered electric vehicles by 2020.

All Oregon counties are pitching in to help push for this change with Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas representing about a third of Oregon’s electric drivers.

But, even the smaller counties are making their mark. Counties with fewer than 100K residents account for more than 3,000 of the states registered EVs.

“More Oregonians are choosing electric vehicles, and with 25,000 EVs on Oregon’s roads, we are gaining momentum,” said Janine Benner, Director of the Oregon Department of Energy. “We look forward to celebrating when we reach 50,000.”

Governor Brown was the one to sign off on the 50K by 2020 goal in 2017 with Executive Order 17-21.

a Nissan Leaf charges at a recharge station while parked in downtown Denver

Meanwhile, in Colorado the Air Quality Control Commission approved a new regulation on Friday, August 16, requiring that at least 5% of the vehicles sold in the state by 2023 emit zero pollution.

The rule applies to auto manufactures, not buyers. It's intended to boost the number of electric vehicles in a state struggling to control air pollution in heavily populated areas.

Credit: koin.com

EV charging expanding rapidly

Tech News and Views

Japanese automaker Nissan has recently revealed that for the first time, electric car charging locations have outnumbered gas stations in the UK. According to the car maker, there are 9,199 active EV charging stations in the country as of August, compared to 8,396 open gas stations.

Advantages of a Tesla Model 3

Tech News and Views

Many people ask me about the advantages of owning an electric car. I couldn't explain the advantages any better than the writer of the following, very long, but excellent article about the Tesla model 3.

Is the Tesla Model 3 worth buying? How long do Tesla cars last?
Rosario D'Souza, Ph.D. Computer Science & Statistics, Georgia Institute of Technology (1994)

I don’t like buying expensive things. What’s more, I positively hate buying hugely expensive things. When my wife says, “Honey, let’s buy this expensive dining table,” I ask, “What is wrong with the inexpensive one we have right now?” When she says, “Let’s buy a new set of bedroom furniture to replace this set that we’ve had for the past 22 years, I turn to her with a deadpan expression, and ask, “Why?”

Before I bought my spanking new Tesla Model 3, I owned two cars – a 1999 Honda Odyssey EX (with 140K miles) and a 2004 Honda Accord EX (with 70K miles). I was very happy with these cars, and had no intention of buying another. I watched Tesla from a distance, and always considered the Model X and Model S outside my modest budget.

In all these years, it’s not that I couldn’t afford to buy a new car. I could pay cash for one if I wanted to. But I saw no need to buy a new car – because they offered me nothing more than what my existing old cars already provided me.

Then one day, my wife said, “SRP (our local electric power company) is hosting an EV (electric vehicle) event. They will have all kinds of hybrids and EVs available for display and test drives.” You can see my wife has become incredibly smart when it comes to dealing with me. No more, “Let’s buy a ...” Instead, it has become a, “Let’s look at ...” And what man can resist test driving cool, new technology?

GM to go all electric

Tech News and Views

It's hard to believe, but according to CNBC General Motors has announced their entire line-up of cars will go electric.

gm-doesnt-expect-to-make-money-off-electric-cars-until-next-decade