This Consumer Reports Favorite Is a Cheap and Reliable EV
The 2021 Chevy Bolt is already a cheap, reliable, worthwhile option in a sea of expensive luxury cars. It brings the electric car to the common man and earned the spot as a Consumer Reports favorite. Yet the 2022 model year’s significant price drop makes it one of the cheapest EVs available, proving that the best is yet to come.
The 2021 Chevy Bolt is already tried and tested
In terms of budget EVs, the 2021 Chevy Bolt excels in handling. Its 200 hp electric motor gets it up to 60 miles per hour in just under 7 seconds. But more importantly, it gets up to 259 miles on a single charge. And, if fitted with DC fast charging capabilities, Chevy claims the Bolt can add 100 miles of range in just half an hour. Along with those strong numbers, Consumer Reports deemed the Bolt “zippy and enjoyable,” and 80% of Bolt owners say they’d buy another one.
Starting at $36,500 (before the tax incentives), you get a car with an impressive range and excellent drivability. That already makes it one of the cheapest EVs available. Add a bit more to the price tag and Chevy throws in the aforementioned DC fast charging, and the Driver Confidence package, stuffing it with blind-spot warnings and a surround-view camera. Fully loaded, a 2021 Bolt will run you $42,000, but the 2022 model year aims to give you more and cost much less.
The 2022 Bolt EUV will be bigger and cheaper
As previously mentioned, the 2021 Chevy Bolt starts at $36,500. The 2022 Chevy Bolt slashes that price down to $31,000 (before tax credits). What’s more impressive, a fully loaded 2022 Bolt costs just $34,200, $2,000 cheaper than a 2021 Bolt base model.
What’s more, Chevy is also introducing the Bolt as an EUV (Electric Utility Vehicle) which starts at just $33,000. For less than the hatchback of yesteryear, and much less than a Tesla Model 3, you get SUV levels of practicality and space.
Okay, so what’s the catch? You get the same 200 hp motor, the same 259 miles of range. It’s still loaded with collision avoidance, blind-spot detection, and other safety features. The only potential issue is that the 2022 Bolt doesn’t have a proper Consumer Reports road test, nor has it been in public as long.
Which Bolt makes sense to buy?
The proven 2021 Chevy Bolt has been driven and in the hands of consumers for over a year, whereas the 2022 Chevy Bolt is more speculation. That makes the $31,000 starting price for the 2022 Bolt tempting, but tricky when compared to the $36,000 price of a proven car.
When buying a 2022 Bolt, you’re investing in the new. New technologies such as Chevy Super Cruise, the hands-free driving mode. New styling to usher in a new age of automotive design. But the price slash is your reward for taking that risk.
Right now you can do one of two things: either wait a year for the reviews and reports to come out, or assume the newest Bolt will perform just as well as the old one. Regardless, The Bolt brand is paving the way for consumer-friendly EVs, proving the future is bright for us and our wallets.
RELATED: Will the 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV Be a Real Mustang Mach-E Rival?
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