2021 Chevy Bolt vs Tesla Model 3

The Chevrolet Bolt has everything you want in a car starting with its bold colors and beautifully sculpted shape. It is a subcompact five-door hatchback that seats up to five people, with enough head- and legroom for two adults in both rows. It is less than 14 feet long, making it easy to maneuver in and out of tight spaces and through city streets. The Bolt features a tall roof, a rear hatch door and optional roof rails. Its high roof adds on to the generous amount of cargo space, and when the seats fold, you will get maximum cargo room, with 16.9 cubic feet behind the back seat and a total of 56.6 cubic feet folding the 60/40 split rear seats down. It is simple, modern and practical at the same time, adorned with hard plastics and firm seats, but adding some quality textured material to the dashboard. The Bolt features two trim levels: LT and Premier, with a starting price of $36,500 for the LT and $41,700 for the Premier trim.

The Tesla Model 3 seats up to five people, with standard front seat heating and power adjustability. It offers plenty of room up front, with well cushioned seats in both rows, but the back seats are a bit tight for seating. It features a 15-cubic foot trunk, but it also has a front trunk, or “frunk” and the rear seats can fold down to have room for bulky items. A power trunk lid comes standard. The interior is simple, but upscale and distinct. You won’t find any buttons or knobs on its dash because everything is controlled by a large touch screen. Tesla makes three trim levels in the Model 3: Standard Plus, Performance, and Long Range. The Standard Range Plus has a starting price of $37,990 and ranges to a starting price of $54,990 for the Performance trim.

The Bolt comes standard with few advanced safety features on the LT trim, with several available options that are standard on the Premier trim. Standard safety features include rearview camera mirror, Teen Driver, remote keyless entry, and remote start. A Driver’s Confidence Package is available on the LT and standard on the Premier and includes rear park assist system, rear cross traffic alert, lane change alert, and blind spot monitoring. Chevrolet’s infotainment system is easy to use and features an intuitive menu layout, with a large touch screen and physical controls. Standard features include a 10.2-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, two USB ports, Wi-Fi hotspot, satellite radio, six-speaker stereo, and automatic climate control. A premium audio system with seven Bose premium speakers and a woofer is available on the Premier trim; as well as wireless mobile device charging, and two additional USB charging ports.

Several advanced safety features come standard in the Tesla, but they are mostly bundled in Tesla’s Autopilot system. It includes forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, sensors all around the vehicle, surround-view parking camera system, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and parallel and perpendicular park assist. Autopilot also lets the Model 3 steer and accelerate within its lane. Available advanced safety features include automatic parking, automatic lane change, stop sign and traffic light recognition, and summoning your car. These are all featured in the Full Self-Driving Capability. The Tesla features apps for streaming services like Spotify, but there is no smartphone integration beyond Bluetooth, such as Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Standard infotainment features include a 15-inch touch screen, navigation, wireless device charging, a Wi-Fi hotspot, four USB ports, HD Radio, along with Bluetooth. An available 14-speaker stereo is an option.

The Chevrolet Bolt delivers plenty of power and an impressive range for an electric vehicle; along with peppy acceleration from a stop or merging on the highway. Charging is simple and convenient with options on-the-go or at home. It is powered by a 66-kWh lithium-ion battery pack paired to an electric drive motor that combines to make 200 hp and 266 pound-feet of torque. It ranges 259 miles on a full charge, and it is standard with a 120-volt portable charge cord, or available with a 240-volt/32-amp charging unit or DC Fast Charging that will charge up to 100 miles of range in about 30 minutes of charge time.

Each trim of Tesla’s Model 3 gets its own powerful electric motor. The Long Range gets 141 MPG in the city and 127 MPGe on the highway, the Performance trim will give you 118/107 MPGe city/highway. The Standard Range Plus gets 148/132 MPGe city and highway. Instant torque will give you rapid acceleration that launches from a stop, but Tesla doesn’t distinguish its models by horsepower or kilowatt-hours. The Model 3 Performance will get an all-electric range of 315 miles, 353 miles for the Long Range, and an estimated 263 miles for the base Standard Range Plus. Tesla’s fastest charge time comes with Tesla’s supercharger stations, which will give you 175 miles of range in 15 minutes. The Model 3’s at home battery with a 120-volt power outlet will take between five hours and four days to charge. Tesla’s Wall Connector, with a 240-volt outlet, will reduce that time to about 10 or 11 hours.